1 Samuel 9:12

1 Samuel 9:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:
• New International Version (NIV)“He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They answered, "He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Hurry. He has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they answered them and said, “Yes, there he is, just ahead of you. Hurry now; for today he came to this city, because there is a sacrifice of the people today on the high place.

Context of 1 Samuel 9:12

10Saul told his servant, “That’s a good idea! Come on, let’s go.” They went to the city where the man of God was. 11As they were going up the hill to the city, they met girls coming out to get water. They asked the girls, “Is the seer here?” The girls answered, “He’s there ahead of you. Hurry! He ⌞just⌟ went into the city today since the people are offering a sacrifice on the worship site. 13As you go into the city, you can find him before he goes to the worship site to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, since he blesses the sacrifice. Then those who are invited may eat. Go. You should be able to find him now.” 14So Saul and his servant went to the city. As they entered it, Samuel was coming toward them on his way to the worship site.

1 Samuel 9:12 word by word

וַתַּעֲנֶ֧ינָה אוֹתָ֛ם וַתֹּאמַ֥רְנָה יֵּ֖שׁ הִנֵּ֣ה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ מַהֵ֣ר׀ עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֤י הַיּוֹם֙ בָּ֣א לָעִ֔יר כִּ֣י זֶ֧בַח הַיּ֛וֹם לָעָ֖ם בַּבָּמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• them, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• He isיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• you: make hasteמָהַרmâhar · to hastenH4116
• now, for he cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
• to the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• a sacrificeזֶ֫בַחzebach · sacrificeH2077
• of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• in the high placeבָּמָהbâmâh · high placeH1116

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:12

• 1 Samuel 16:2“How can I go?” Samuel asked. “When Saul hears about it, he’ll kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord.’
• Genesis 31:54and offered a sacrifice on the mountain. He invited his relatives to eat the meal with him. They ate with him and spent the night on the mountain.
• Deuteronomy 12:6Bring him your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, one-tenth of your income, your contributions, the offerings you vow to bring, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your cattle, sheep, and goats.
• 1 Corinthians 5:7Remove the old yeast ⌞of sin⌟ so that you may be a new batch of dough, since you don’t actually have the yeast ⌞of sin⌟. Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
• 1 Kings 3:2The people were still sacrificing at other worship sites because a temple for the name of the Lord had not yet been built.
• 1 Chronicles 16:39David left Zadok and his priestly relatives to serve in the Lord’s tent at the place of worship in Gibeon.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12He came to - day to the city - Though Samuel lived chiefly in Ramah, yet he had a dwelling in the country, at a place called Naioth, where it is probable there was a school of the prophets. See 1 Samuel 19:18-24. A sacrifice of the people - A great feast. The animals used were first sacrificed to the Lord; that is, their blood was poured out before him; and then all the people fed on the flesh. By high place probably Samuel's altar is alone meant; which…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-17Verses 11-17 The very maid-servants of the city could direct to the prophet. They had heard of the sacrifice, and could tell of the necessity for Samuel's presence. It is no small benefit to live in religious and holy places. And we should always be ready to help those who are seeking after God's prophets. Though God had, in displeasure, granted Israel's request for a king, yet he sends them a man to be captain over them, to save them out of the hand of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12Community leaders usually met for business at the town gates (see Ruth 4:1–2). have a sacrifice on the high place: Samuel is one of the few people who combined prophetic and priestly roles (others include Moses, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Jesus). the high place: An open-air altar or platform on a hill near the city gate. High places often became sites for pagan idolatry (see Numbers 33:52; 1 Kings 15:14; 22:43; 2 Kings 12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1311-13. as they went up the hill--The modern village, Er-Rameh, lies on an eminence; and on their way they met a band of young maidens going out to the well, which, like all similar places in Palestine, was beyond the precincts of the town. From these damsels they learned that the day was devoted to a festival occasion, in honor of which Samuel had arrived in the city; that a sacrifice had been offered, which was done by prophets in extraordinary…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 9:12

• High Places

In the dictionaries

• High place
• Herdsman
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul
• Spring
• City
• Criticism
• Judges, Period of
• Palestine
• Sacrifice

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