1 Samuel 9:21

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?)

1 Samuel 9:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 9:21

And Saul answered and said, am not I a Benjamite
Or the son of Jemini, the name of one of his ancestors, see ( 1 Samuel 9:1 ) or rather, as the Targum, a son of the tribe of Benjamin:

of the smallest of the tribes of Israel?
having been greatly reduced, even to the number of six hundred men, by the fatal war between that tribe and the rest, on account of the Levite's concubine, and is called little Benjamin, ( Psalms 68:27 ) .

and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?
the smallest in number, had the least share of authority in the tribe, and of land and cattle, wealth and substance:

wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
Saul presently understood Samuel's meaning, that he should be chosen king of Israel, the affair of a king being at this time in everyone's mind and mouth; but could not believe that one of so small a tribe, and which sprung from the youngest son of Jacob, and of so mean a family, would be raised to such dignity, but that a person of great figure and character would be settled upon; and, therefore he took Samuel to be in joke, as Josephus

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 says, and not in earnest.

F13 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 4. sect. 1.

1 Samuel 9:21 In-Context

19 And Samuel answered to Saul, and said, I am the seer; go thou up before me into the high place, that thou eat with me today, and I shall deliver thee in the morrowtide, and I shall show to thee all things that be in thine heart. (And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go thou up before me, or ahead of me, to the hill shrine, and thou shalt eat with me today, and in the morning I shall let thee go, after that I show thee all the things that be in thy heart.)

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.