Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 9:7
7“Suppose we do go,” Saul said to his servant, “what do we take the man? The food from our packs is gone, and there’s 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 came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come on, let’s go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” 6“Look,” the servant said, “there’s a man of God in this city who is highly respected; everything he says is sure to come true. Let’s go there now. Maybe he’ll tell us which way we should go.” “Suppose we do go,” Saul said to his servant, “what do we take the man? The food from our packs is gone, and there’s no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” 8The servant answered Saul, “Here, I have a little silver. I’ll give it to the man of God, and he will tell us which way we should go.” 9Formerly in Israel, a man who was going to inquire of God would say, “Come, let’s 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- to his servantנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- we goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- what shall we bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- for the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- is spentאָזַל'âzal · be goneH235
- in our vesselsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
- not a presentתְּשׁוּרָהteshûrâh · presentH8670
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:7
- Judges 6:18Please do not leave this place until I return to you. Let me bring my gift and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay until you return.”
- Judges 13:15“Please stay here,” Manoah told him, “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 happen to the boy.”
- 2 Kings 4:42A man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with his sack full of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first bread of the harvest. Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.”
- 2 Kings 5:5Therefore, the king of Aram said, “Go, and I will send a letter with you to the king of Israel.” So he went and took with him 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
- 2 Kings 8:8So the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift with you and go meet the man of God. Inquire of the Lord through him, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”
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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