English Standard Version
1 Samuel 9:7
7Then 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?"
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?”
- 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?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”
Context of 1 Samuel 9:7
5When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us." 6But he said to him, "Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go." 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?" 8The 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." 9(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, "Come, let us go to the seer," for today's "prophet" was formerly called a 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 depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you." And he said, "I will stay till you return."
- Judges 13:15Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, "Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you."
- 1 Kings 14:3Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what shall happen to the child."
- 2 Kings 4:42A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, "Give to the men, that they may eat."
- 2 Kings 5:5And the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
- 2 Kings 8:8the king said to Hazael, "Take a present with you and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord through him, saying, 'Shall 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries