The big picture
1 Samuel 9 opens in verse 1 with “Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel…”, and closes in verse 27 with “And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant…” Repeated or prominent terms include Saul, Samuel, city, people, place. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Samuel · King James Version · 271 Samuel 9:1-7
1–7: There was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the…
1 Samuel 9:1–7 opens with “Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the…” and reaches “Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Samuel 9 develops its own movement around Saul, Samuel, city, people, place, with particular weight carried by land, passed, Saul.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the…” Naming Abiel and Aphiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of…” Naming Israel and Saul keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Samuel 9:1-7
King James Version1Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
2And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
3And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
5And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.
6And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
7Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
1 Samuel 9:8-14
8–14: The servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand…
1 Samuel 9:8–14 opens with “And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a…” and reaches “And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Samuel 9 develops its own movement around Saul, Samuel, city, people, place, with particular weight carried by city, high, place.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that…” Naming Saul keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
1 Samuel 9:8-14
King James Version8And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
9(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
10Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
11And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
12And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:
13As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.
14And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
1 Samuel 9:15-21
15–21: The LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
1 Samuel 9:15–21 opens with “Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,” and reaches “And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Samuel 9 develops its own movement around Saul, Samuel, city, people, place, with particular weight carried by Saul, people, Samuel.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,” Naming Samuel and Saul keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain…” Naming Benjamin and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
1 Samuel 9:15-21
King James Version15Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
16To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
17And 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.
18Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is.
19And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
20And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?
21And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
1 Samuel 9:22-27
22–27: Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and…
1 Samuel 9:22–27 opens with “And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in…” and reaches “And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Samuel 9 develops its own movement around Saul, Samuel, city, people, place, with particular weight carried by Samuel, Saul, arose.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among…” The number thirty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.” Naming Bring and Samuel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that…” Naming Samuel and Saul keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Samuel 9:22-27
King James Version22And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
23And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
24And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
25And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
26And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Samuel 9:1 begins with “Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty…”
Where the chapter turns
1 Samuel 9:13 forms a natural hinge: “As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come…”
The final note
1 Samuel 9:27 leaves the reader with “And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Saul, Samuel, city, people, place, servant help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who is included in the covenant?
Noah, his descendants and every living creature. Trace the repeated wording in verses 8-17.
Why does verse 6 matter after the flood?
It grounds the protection of every human life in the continuing divine image.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.