1 Samuel 9:17

17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”

1 Samuel 9:17 in Other Translations

17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, "Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people."

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”

17 The moment Samuel laid eyes on Saul, God said, "He's the one, the man I told you about. This is the one who will keep my people in check."

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, "Here is the man I told you about; he will rule over My people."

1 Samuel 9:17 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 9:17

And when Samuel saw Saul
Who could not but take notice of him for his height, and which might give him a suspicion he was the man the Lord had spoken of to him; and the rather, because this was the exact time in which he was to be sent to him, and therefore he fixed his eyes upon him: and that he might be assured it was he, and be left at no uncertainty about it,

the Lord said unto him;
by a still small voice, or by an impulse upon his mind:

behold the man whom I spake to thee of;
yesterday, this is he:

this same shall reign over my people;
be their king, as they have desired: or "shall restrain" ^F11 them, keep them in due bounds, in the discharge of their duty to God and man; and keep them from doing that which is evil, or walking in evil ways, which is the business of a good king; or who shall restrain them from having their own will, but shall rule over them in an absolute manner, according to his own arbitrary will and pleasure.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (ruey) "cohibebit", Montanus; "continebit", Tigurine version; "retinebit", Drusius; i.e. "coercebit", Piscator.

1 Samuel 9:17 In-Context

15 Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel:

16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.”

17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”

18 Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

19 “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 16:12