1 Samuel 9:20-27

20 And be thou not busy of the female asses, which thou lostest the third day ago, for those be found; and whose shall be all the best things of Israel, whether not to thee, and to all the house of thy father? (And be thou not concerned about the female donkeys, which went missing three days ago, for they be found; and now I ask thee, who shall be regarded as the very best in Israel, whether not thee, and all of thy father's family?)
21 And Saul answered, and said, Whether I am not a son of Benjamin, of the least lineage of Israel, and my kindred is the last among all the families of the lineage of Benjamin? Why therefore hast thou spoken to me this word? (And Saul answered, Am I not a Benjaminite, yea, of the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my kindred, or my family, the least among all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then hast thou spoken such a word to me?)
22 And so Samuel took Saul, and his servant, and led them into the chamber of three orders (of seats, or benches), and he gave to them a place in the beginning of them that were called, (or bidden to the meat); for they were as thirty men. (And then Samuel took Saul, and his servant, and led them into a chamber with three rows of seats, or benches, and he gave them a place at the head of those who were called, or were bidden to the meal; for there were about thirty men there.)
23 And Samuel said to the cook, Give thou the part which I gave to thee (Bring thou out the portion which I gave thee), and commanded, that thou shouldest keep (it) by itself with thee.
24 And the cook took up a shoulder, and he set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Lo! that, that hath (been) left, take before thee, and eat; for of (this) purpose it was kept to thee, when I called the people hither. And Saul ate with Samuel that day. (And the cook took up a shoulder, and he put it before Saul. And Samuel said, Lo! that which was kept, take for thyself, and now eat it; for it was kept for thee for this purpose, when I called the people here. And so Saul ate with Samuel that day.)
25 And they came down from the high place into the city; and Samuel spake with Saul in the solar, and Saul arrayed a bed in the solar (for himself), and slept. (And then they came down from the hill shrine into the city; and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof, and then Saul arrayed a bed for himself on the roof, and slept.)
26 And when they had risen early, and the day began to be clear, Samuel called Saul into the solar, and said, Rise thou up, that I deliver thee (Samuel called to Saul on the roof, and said, Rise thou up, so that I can let thee go). And Saul rose up, and both went out, that is, he, and Samuel.
27 And when they went down in(to) the last part of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Say thou to the servant, that he go before us, and pass [forth]; forsooth stand thou [still] a little, that I show to thee the word of the Lord (but thou stand here for a little while, so that I can tell thee the word of the Lord).

1 Samuel 9:20-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 9

This chapter gives an account of Saul, the person the Lord had appointed to be king of Israel; it relates his descent, and describes his person, 1Sa 9:1,2 and how seeking his father's asses, which were lost, he providentially came to the place where Samuel dwelt, 1Sa 9:3-5 and being advised by his servant, and approving of his advice, he concluded to go to him, and inquire the way he should go, 1Sa 9:6-10 and being directed by some young maidens, they found him presently in the street going to a feast, 1Sa 9:11-14 and Samuel having some previous notice from the Lord of such a person's coming to him that day, when he met him invited him to dine with him, and obliged him to stay with him that day, 1Sa 9:15-19 satisfied him about his asses, and gave him a hint of the grandeur he was to be raised to, to which Saul made a modest reply, 1Sa 9:20,21 and Samuel treated him at the feast in a very respectable manner, 1Sa 9:22-24 and privately communed with him of things preparatory to what he was about to make known unto him, 1Sa 9:25-27.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.