God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 10:2
2When you leave me today, two men will be at Rachel’s grave on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They’ll tell you, ‘We’ve found the donkeys you went looking for. Your father no longer cares about them. Instead, he’s worried about you. He keeps asking, “What can I do ⌞to find⌟ my son?” ’
1 Samuel 10:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
- New International Version (NIV)When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?” ’
- English Standard Version (ESV)When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, 'The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, "What shall I do about my son?"'
- New King James Version (NKJV)When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’
Context of 1 Samuel 10:2
1Samuel took a flask of olive oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “The Lord has anointed you to be ruler of his people Israel. You will rule his people and save them from all their enemies. This will be the sign that the Lord has anointed you to be ruler of his people. When you leave me today, two men will be at Rachel’s grave on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They’ll tell you, ‘We’ve found the donkeys you went looking for. Your father no longer cares about them. Instead, he’s worried about you. He keeps asking, “What can I do ⌞to find⌟ my son?” ’ 3Keep going until you come to the oak tree at Tabor. There you will find three men on their way to worship God at Bethel: One will be carrying three young goats, one will be carrying three loaves of bread, and one will be carrying a ⌞full⌟ wineskin. 4They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you should accept from them.
Read all of 1 Samuel 101 Samuel 10:2 word by word
בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֤ הַיּוֹם֙ מֵעִמָּדִ֔י וּמָצָאתָ֩ שְׁנֵ֨י אֲנָשִׁ֜ים עִם־קְבֻרַ֥ת רָחֵ֛ל בִּגְב֥וּל בִּנְיָמִ֖ן בְּצֶלְצַ֑ח וְאָמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ נִמְצְא֤וּ הָאֲתֹנוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָלַ֣כְתָּ לְבַקֵּ֔שׁ וְהִנֵּ֨ה נָטַ֤שׁ אָבִ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י הָאֲתֹנ֔וֹת וְדָאַ֤ג לָכֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֥ה אֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה לִבְנִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When thou art departedיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- from meעִמָּדִי‛immâd · with meH5978
- to dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- then thou shalt findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- by Rachel’sרָחֵלrâchêl · RachelH7354
- sepulchreקְבֻרָהqebûrâh qebûrâh · tombH6900
- in the borderגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
- of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִיןbinyâmîyn · BenjaminH1144
- at Zelzahצֶלְצַחtseltsach · ZelzahH6766
- and they will sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto thee, The assesאָתוֹן'âthôn · she-assH860
- which thou wentestהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- to seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- and, lo, thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- hath leftנָטַשׁnâţash · to leaveH5203
- the careדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- and sorrowethדָּאַגdâ'ag · be anxiousH1672
- What shall I doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- for my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 10:2
- Genesis 35:19Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
- Jeremiah 31:15This is what the Lord says: A sound is heard in Ramah, the sound of crying in bitter grief. Rachel is crying for her children. She refuses to be comforted, because they are dead.
- Joshua 18:28Zela, Eleph, Jebus (now called Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kiriath. This is Benjamin’s inheritance for its families.
- 1 Samuel 10:16“He assured us the donkeys had been found,” Saul answered his uncle. But Saul didn’t tell him what Samuel said ⌞about his becoming king⌟.
- 1 Samuel 9:3When some donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, Kish told Saul, “Take one of the servants with you, and go look for the donkeys.”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 10:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Rachel's sepulcher - This was nigh to Bethlehem. See Genesis 35:19. At Zelzah - If this be the name of a place, nothing is known of it. The Hebrew בצלצח betseltsach is translated by the Septuagint ̔ , dancing greatly: now this may refer to the joy they felt and expressed on finding the asses, or it may refer to those religious exultations, or playing on instruments of music, mentioned in the succeeding verses.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2How should Saul know that what Samuel said was the word of the Lord? Samuel gives him a sign, “Thou shalt find two men,” etc. (Compare Judges 6:36-40; Isaiah 7:11-14; John 6:30; Mark 11:2; Mark 14:13, etc.) Zelzah - A place absolutely unknown.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Rachel's tomb in Zelzah: See Genesis 35:16–20; the exact location is not known.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. When thou art departed from me to-day--The design of these specific predictions of what should be met with on the way, and the number and minuteness of which would arrest attention, was to confirm Saul's reliance on the prophetic character of Samuel, and lead him to give full credence to what had been revealed to him as the word of God. Rachel's sepulchre--near Beth-lehem (see on Ge 35:16). Zelzah--or Zelah, now Bet-jalah, in the neighborhood of that…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 10:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 10
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries