1 Samuel 9:8

8 O servo lhe respondeu: “Tenho três gramas[a] de prata. Darei isto ao homem de Deus para que ele nos aponte o caminho a seguir”.

1 Samuel 9:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 9:8

And the servant answered Saul again, and said
As he had answered him before, when Saul proposed to return home, by telling him there was an honourable man of God in the city near at hand, that might possibly be able to direct them which way they should go to find the asses: so he answers him again with respect to the present it was proper to carry with them, and what he had in his hands to make:

behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver:
a "zuze" of silver, as the Targum, four of which made a shekel, about seven pence halfpenny of our money, and scarce so much:

that will I give to the man of God to tell us our way;
that they should go to find the asses: which he would give him very freely for that purpose: both Saul and his servant must entertain a mean opinion of prophets, and men of God, and especially of so great a man as Samuel, that he should be employed at any time in directing persons in such cases, and take money for so doing, and so small a gratuity as this before mentioned; though it seems as if, at some times, something of this kind was done by prophets, and men of God, which might be permitted to keep the people from going to diviners and soothsayers.

1 Samuel 9:8 In-Context

6 O servo, contudo, respondeu: “Nesta cidade mora um homem de Deus que é muito respeitado. Tudo o que ele diz acontece. Vamos falar com ele. Talvez ele nos aponte o caminho a seguir”.
7 Saul disse a seu servo: “Se formos, o que lhe poderemos dar? A comida de nossos sacos de viagem acabou. Não temos nenhum presente para levar ao homem de Deus. O que temos para oferecer?”
8 O servo lhe respondeu: “Tenho três gramas de prata. Darei isto ao homem de Deus para que ele nos aponte o caminho a seguir”.
9 (Antigamente em Israel, quando alguém ia consultar a Deus, dizia: “Vamos ao vidente”, pois o profeta de hoje era chamado vidente.)
10 E Saul concordou: “Muito bem, vamos!” Assim, foram em direção à cidade onde estava o homem de Deus.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebraico: "1/4 de siclo. " Um siclo equivalia a 12 gramas.
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