Berean Standard Bible
1 Samuel 9:2
2And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.
1 Samuel 9:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
Context of 1 Samuel 9:2
1Now there was a Benjamite, a powerful man, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people. 3One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants and go look for the donkeys.” 4So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find the donkeys. He and the servant went through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they went through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.
Read all of 1 Samuel 91 Samuel 9:2 word by word
וְלוֹ־הָיָ֨ה בֵ֜ן וּשְׁמ֤וֹ שָׁאוּל֙ בָּח֣וּר וָט֔וֹב וְאֵ֥ין אִ֛ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל ט֣וֹב מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מִשִּׁכְמ֣וֹ וָמַ֔עְלָה גָּבֹ֖הַּ מִכָּל־הָעָֽם׃Read the interlinear
- he hadהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- a sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- namedשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- choiceבָּחוּרbâchûr bâchûr · youthH970
- and handsomeטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- without equalאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- without equalאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- amongמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
- the Israelitesבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- the Israelitesיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- a headשְׁכֶםshekem · shoulderH7926
- a headמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
- tallerגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
- than anyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:2
- 1 Samuel 16:7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
- Genesis 6:2the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.
- 2 Samuel 14:25Now there was not a man in all Israel as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw.
- Jeremiah 9:23This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
- 1 Samuel 10:23So they ran and brought Saul, and when he stood among the people, he was a head taller than any of the others.
- 1 Samuel 17:4Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height,
- Numbers 13:33We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak that come from the Nephilim! We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them!”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2From his shoulders and upwards - It was probably from this very circumstance that he was chosen for king; for, where kings were elective, in all ancient times great respect was paid to personal appearance.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Saul's looks, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites, made people loyal to him (see 1 Samuel 10:23; compare 16:12; 2 Samuel 14:25–26).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly--He had a fine appearance; for it is evident that he must have been only a little under seven feet tall. A gigantic stature and an athletic frame must have been a popular recommendation at that time in that country.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 9:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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