New English Translation
1 Samuel 10:2
2When you leave me today, you will find two men near Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah on Benjamin’s border. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you have gone looking for have been found. Your father is no longer concerned about the donkeys but has become anxious about you two! He is asking, “What should I do about 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
1Then Samuel took a small container of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head. Samuel kissed him and said, “The Lord has chosen you to lead his people Israel! You will rule over the Lord’s people and you will deliver them from the power of the enemies who surround them. This will be your sign that the Lord has chosen you as leader over his inheritance. When you leave me today, you will find two men near Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah on Benjamin’s border. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you have gone looking for have been found. Your father is no longer concerned about the donkeys but has become anxious about you two! He is asking, “What should I do about my son?”’ 3“As you continue on from there, you will come to the tall tree of Tabor. At that point three men who are going up to God at Bethel will meet you. One of them will be carrying three young goats, one of them will be carrying three round loaves of bread, and one of them will be carrying a container of wine. 4They will ask you how you’re doing and will give you two loaves of bread. You will accept 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 35:19So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
- Jeremiah 31:15The Lord says, “A sound is heard in Ramah, a sound of crying in bitter grief. It is the sound of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are gone.”
- Joshua 18:28Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath – a total of fourteen cities and their towns. This was the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans.
- 1 Samuel 10:16Saul said to his uncle, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship.
- 1 Samuel 9:3The donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, so Kish said to his son 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
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