Berean Standard Bible
1 Samuel 9:7
7“If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
1 Samuel 9:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then 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?
- New International Version (NIV)Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Saul said to his servant, "But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
Context of 1 Samuel 9:7
5When they reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, “Come, let us go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” 6“Look,” said the servant, “in this city there is a man of God who is highly respected; everything he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now. Perhaps he will tell us which way to go.” “If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” 8The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have here in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.” 9(Formerly in Israel, a man on his way to inquire of God would say, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.)
Read all of 1 Samuel 91 Samuel 9:7 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל לְנַעֲר֗וֹ וְהִנֵּ֣ה נֵלֵךְ֮ וּמַה־נָּבִ֣יא לָאִישׁ֒ כִּ֤י הַלֶּ֙חֶם֙ אָזַ֣ל מִכֵּלֵ֔ינוּ וּתְשׁוּרָ֥ה אֵין־לְהָבִ֖יא לְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים מָ֖ה אִתָּֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear
- Ifהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- we do goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- repliedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- ·נַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- can we giveבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- Forכִּיkîy · forH3588
- the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- in our packsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
- is goneאָזַל'âzal · be goneH235
- and there is noאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
- giftתְּשׁוּרָהteshûrâh · presentH8670
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- do we haveאֵת'êth · withH854
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:7
- Judges 6:18Please do not depart from this place until I return to You. Let me bring my offering and set it before You.” And the LORD said, “I will stay until you return.”
- Judges 13:15“Please stay here,” Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “and we will prepare a young goat for you.”
- 1 Kings 14:3Take with you ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will become of the boy.”
- 2 Kings 4:42Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha.
- 2 Kings 5:5“Go now,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send you with a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman departed, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
- 2 Kings 8:8So the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand, go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD through him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7There is not a present to bring to the man of God - We are not to suppose from this that the prophets took money to predict future events: Saul only refers to an invariable custom, that no man approached a superior without a present of some kind or other. We have often seen this before; even God, who needs nothing, would not that his people should approach him with empty hands. "It is very common in Bengal for a person, who is desirous of asking a favor…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Presents of bread or meat were as common as presents of money. (Compare Ezekiel 13:19; Hosea 3:2.)Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7no gift to take to the man: It was common to bring a gift when asking for a prophet's help (see 1 Kings 14:2–3; 2 Kings 5:5, 15; 8:8). Some false prophets asked for gifts in exchange for their services (Micah 3:11). Saul's concern might show a misunderstanding, thinking he could buy advice from a prophet of God (Acts 8:20).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Saul said to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man?--According to Eastern notions, it would be considered a want of respect for any person to go into the presence of a superior man of rank or of official station without a present of some kind in his hand, however trifling in value. the bread is spent in our vessels--Shepherds, going in quest of their cattle, put up in a bag as much flour for making bread as will last sometimes…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 9:7
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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