1 Samuel 9:5

5 cum autem venissent in terram Suph dixit Saul ad puerum suum qui erat cum eo veni et revertamur ne forte dimiserit pater meus asinas et sollicitus sit pro nobis

1 Samuel 9:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 9:5

And when they were come to the land of Zuph
In which was Ramathaimzophim, the native place of Samuel, ( 1 Samuel 1:1 ) and so the Targum here,

``the land in which was the prophet''

Saul said to the servant that was with him, come, and let us return;
home, despairing of finding the asses after so long a search in divers places:

lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us;
fearing some evil should have befallen his son and his servant, in comparison of whom, and especially his son, the asses would be of no account, and so give himself no concern for them, but be in great care and uneasiness for his son and servant; wherefore Saul thought it most advisable to return home as soon as possible, lest his father should be overwhelmed with grief and trouble.

1 Samuel 9:5 In-Context

3 perierant autem asinae Cis patris Saul et dixit Cis ad Saul filium suum tolle tecum unum de pueris et consurgens vade et quaere asinas qui cum transissent per montem Ephraim

4 et per terram Salisa et non invenissent transierunt etiam per terram Salim et non erant sed et per terram Iemini et minime reppererunt

5 cum autem venissent in terram Suph dixit Saul ad puerum suum qui erat cum eo veni et revertamur ne forte dimiserit pater meus asinas et sollicitus sit pro nobis

6 qui ait ei ecce est vir Dei in civitate hac vir nobilis omne quod loquitur absque ambiguitate venit nunc ergo eamus illuc si forte indicet nobis de via nostra propter quam venimus

7 dixitque Saul ad puerum suum ecce ibimus quid feremus ad virum panis defecit in sitarciis nostris et sportulam non habemus ut demus homini Dei nec quicquam aliud