1 Samuel 9:3

1 Samuel 9:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
• New International Version (NIV)Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, "Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Please take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.”

Context of 1 Samuel 9:3

1There was a man from the tribe of Benjamin whose name was Kish. He was a son of Abiel, grandson of Zeror, and great-grandson of Becorath, whose father was Aphiah, a descendant of Benjamin. Kish was a powerful man. 2He had a son named Saul, a handsome, young man. No man in Israel was more handsome than Saul. He stood a head taller than everyone else. When 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.” 4They went through the mountains of Ephraim and the region of Shalisha without finding the donkeys. Then Saul and his servant went through the region of Shaalim, but the donkeys weren’t there. The men went through the territory of Benjamin but ⌞still⌟ didn’t find them. 5When they came to the territory of Zuph, Saul told his servant who was with him, “Let’s go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and worry about us ⌞instead⌟.”

1 Samuel 9:3 word by word

וַתֹּאבַ֙דְנָה֙ הָאֲתֹנ֔וֹת לְקִ֖ישׁ אֲבִ֣י שָׁא֑וּל וַיֹּ֨אמֶר קִ֜ישׁ אֶל־שָׁא֣וּל בְּנ֗וֹ קַח־נָ֤א אִתְּךָ֙ אֶת־אַחַ֣ד מֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְק֣וּם לֵ֔ךְ בַּקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־הָאֲתֹנֹֽת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the assesאָתוֹן'âthôn · she-assH860
• of Kishקִישׁqîysh · KishH7027
• Saul’sשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• were lostאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• his sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• Takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• now oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• of the servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• with thee, and ariseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:3

• 1 Samuel 10:2When 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?” ’
• Judges 5:10You people who ride on brown donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and who walk on the road—think.
• Judges 10:4Jair had 30 sons who rode on 30 donkeys. He also had 30 towns that are still called Havvoth Jair to this day. They are in the region of Gilead.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The asses of Kish - were lost - What a wonderful train of occurrences were connected in order to bring Saul to the throne of Israel! Every thing seems to go on according to the common course of events, and yet all conspired to favor the election of a man to the kingdom who certainly did not come there by the approbation of God. Asses grow to great perfection in the East; and at this time, as there were no horses in Judea, they were very useful; and on…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. 33. the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul ... arise, go seek the asses--The probability is that the family of Kish, according to the immemorial usage of Oriental shepherds in the purely pastoral regions, had let the animals roam at large during the grazing season, at the close of which messengers were despatched in search of them. Such travelling searches are common; and, as each owner has his own stamp marked on his cattle, the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 9:3

• Kish

In the dictionaries

• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Ass
• Herdsman
• Kish
• Samuel, Books of
• Spring
• Israel, History of
• Judges, Period of
• Samuel

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