1 Samuel 9:8

1 Samuel 9:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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.
• New International Version (NIV)The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)The servant answered Saul again, "Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the servant answered Saul again and said, “Look, I have here at hand one-fourth of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.”

Context of 1 Samuel 9:8

6The servant replied, ‘There is a servant of God who lives in this town. Everything that he says will happen really happens. So people respect him very much. We should go to meet him. Perhaps he will tell us which way we should go from here.’ 7Saul said to his servant, ‘That is good, but what will we give to him? We have eaten all the food that we brought with us in our bags. What else do we have? We must give him something.’ The servant answered, ‘I still have one small silver coin. I will give that to the servant of God. Then he will tell us which way we should go.’ 9(That was the custom in Israel. If someone needed to hear a message from God, he would say, ‘We should go and talk with the seer.’ The man that we now call a prophet was called a ‘seer’ at that time.) 10Saul said to his servant, ‘That is a good idea. We should go now and see him.’ So they went to the town where the servant of God lived.

1 Samuel 9:8 word by word

וַיֹּ֤סֶף הַנַּ֙עַר֙ לַעֲנ֣וֹת אֶת־שָׁא֔וּל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּה֙ נִמְצָ֣א בְיָדִ֔י רֶ֖בַע שֶׁ֣קֶל כָּ֑סֶף וְנָֽתַתִּי֙ לְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהִגִּ֥יד לָ֖נוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the servantנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• againיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Behold, I haveמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• here at handיָדyâd · hand: themselvesH3027
• the fourth partרֶ֫בַעreba‛ · fourthH7253
• of a shekelשֶׁ֫קֶלsheqel · shekelH8255
• of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• will I giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• to the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• to tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• us our wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: directionH1870

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The fourth part of a shekel of silver - We find from the preceding verse, that the bread or provisions which they had brought with them for their journey was expended, else a part of that would have been thought a suitable present; and here the fourth part of a shekel of silver, about ninepence of our money, was deemed sufficient: therefore the present was intended more as a token of respect than as an emolument.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8The fourth part of a shekel - In value about sixpence. Probably the shekel, like our early English silver coins, was divided into four quarters by a cross, and actually subdivided, when required, into half and quarter shekels.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-27Saul became powerful through three main events: Samuel secretly anointed him (1 Samuel 9:1–10:16). He was chosen by casting lots (1 Samuel 10:17–27). He defeated the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11:1–15). See also study note on 1 Samuel 13:1–16:13.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. the fourth part of a shekel of silver--rather more than sixpence. Contrary to our Western notions, money is in the East the most acceptable form in which a present can be made to a man of rank.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 9:8

• Prophets
• Shekel

In the dictionaries

• God
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• man of God
• Fourth Part
• Herdsman
• Samuel, Books of
• Shekel
• 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