1 Samuel 9:21

1 Samuel 9:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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?
• New International Version (NIV)Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Saul answered, "Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?”

Context of 1 Samuel 9:21

19Samuel said to him, ‘I am the seer! Go in front of me now to the altar on the hill. You and your servant will eat a meal with me there. Tomorrow morning I will send you back to your home. Before that, I will tell you what you want to know. 20Someone has already found the donkeys that you lost three days ago. Do not think any more about them. The only thing that the Israelite people want now is you! They want you and all your father's family.’ Saul answered, ‘I belong to the tribe of Benjamin. It is the smallest tribe in the nation of Israel. And my family belongs to the smallest clan in that tribe. So why do you speak like this to me?’ 22Then Samuel took Saul and his servant into the room where they would eat the meal. He made them sit in the most important seats in front of all the other people. About 30 people had come to eat the meal. 23Samuel said to the cook, ‘Please bring me the special piece of meat that I gave to you. I told you to keep that piece separate.’

1 Samuel 9:21 word by word

וַיַּ֨עַן שָׁא֜וּל וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲל֨וֹא בֶן־יְמִינִ֤י אָ֙נֹכִי֙ מִקַּטַנֵּי֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי֙ הַצְּעִרָ֔ה מִכָּֽל־מִשְׁפְּח֖וֹת שִׁבְטֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן וְלָ֙מָּה֙ דִּבַּ֣רְתָּ אֵלַ֔י כַּדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• not I a Benjamiteבֶּן־יְמִינִיben-yemîynîy ben-ha-yemînîy ben-'îysh yemîynîy · BenjaminiteH1145
• of the smallestקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
• of the tribesשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• and my familyמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
• the leastצָעִירtsâ‛îyr tsâ‛ôr · littleH6810
• of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִיןbinyâmîyn · BenjaminH1144
• wherefore then speakestדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• thou soדָּבָרdâbâr · ChroniclesH1697

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:21

• Judges 20:46On that day, 25,000 soldiers of Benjamin's tribe died. They were all brave men who knew how to fight well.
• Psalms 68:27Benjamin, the smallest tribe, will lead them all. The leaders of Judah, with their big group, will follow. Then will come the leaders of Zebulun and Naphtali.
• 1 Samuel 10:27But some wicked men were complaining. They said, ‘This man will never be able to save us.’ They did not respect Saul. They did not bring him any gifts. But Saul did not say anything against them.
• 1 Samuel 15:17Samuel said, ‘At one time, you thought that you were not an important person. Now you have become the leader of all the tribes of Israel. The Lord chose you to be king of Israel.
• 1 Samuel 18:18But David said to Saul, ‘I am not an important person. My family and my father's clan are not important either. I do not deserve to marry the king's daughter.’
• Judges 6:14The Lord himself then said to Gideon, ‘Go now and use the strength that you have. Rescue Israel from the power of the Midianites. I myself am sending you to do this.’
• Hosea 13:1In past times, when the leaders of Israel spoke, the people were afraid. The people respected their leaders. But the people became guilty when they worshipped Baal. Because of that, they died.
• Luke 14:11It will be the same in the kingdom of God. Some people lift themselves up to be important. God will bring all of them down low. Other people are humble. God will lift up those people to a good place.’
• Ephesians 3:8I am the least important of all God's people. But God has given this special work to me because he is so kind. He has sent me to tell his good news to the Gentiles. Then they know about the many valuable things that Christ has prepared for us.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Am not I a Benjamite - This speech of Saul is exceedingly modest; he was now becomingly humble; but who can bear elevation and prosperity? The tribe of Benjamin had not yet recovered its strength, after the ruinous war it had with the other tribes, Judges 20:29-46.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The tribe of Benjamin, originally the smallest of all the tribes Numbers 1:36, if Ephraim and Manasseh are reckoned as one tribe, had been nearly annihilated by the civil war recorded in Judges 20. It had of course not recovered from that terrible calamity in the time of Saul, and was doubtless literally much the smallest tribe at that time. Nothing could be more improbable, humanly speaking, than that this weak tribe should give a ruler to the mighty…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-27Verses 18-27 Samuel, that good prophet, was so far from envying Saul, or bearing him any ill-will, that he was the first and most forward to do him honour. Both that evening and early the next morning, Samuel communed with Saul upon the flat roof of the house. We may suppose Samuel now convinced Saul that he was the person God had fixed upon for the government, and of his own willingness to resign. How different are the purposes of the Lord for us, from…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21the smallest tribe: Saul tried to downplay Benjamin's importance, but they were strong warriors (Judges 20:14–31; see study note on 1 Samuel 10:17). What better tribe to lead in battle? least of all the clans: See 1 Samuel 9:1.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 9:21

• Benjamin
• Modesty

In the dictionaries

• Benjamin
• Israel
• Saul
• Benjamin, Benjaminite
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Paul, Saul
• Herdsman
• Samuel, Books of
• Spring

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