1 Samuel 9:4

1 Samuel 9:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
• New International Version (NIV)So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So he passed through the mountains of Ephraim and through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.

Context of 1 Samuel 9:4

2He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. There was no one among the Israelites more handsome than he was; he stood head and shoulders above all the people. 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.” So Saul crossed through the hill country of Ephraim, passing through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. So they crossed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he crossed through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them. 5When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come on, let’s head back before my father quits worrying about the donkeys and becomes anxious about us!” 6But the servant said to him, “Look, there is a man of God in this town. He is highly respected. Everything that he says really happens. Now let’s go there. Perhaps he will tell us where we should go from here.”

1 Samuel 9:4 word by word

וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ר בְּהַר־אֶפְרַ֛יִם וַיַּעֲבֹ֥ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־שָׁלִ֖שָׁה וְלֹ֣א מָצָ֑אוּ וַיַּעַבְר֤וּ בְאֶֽרֶץ־שַׁעֲלִים֙ וָאַ֔יִן וַיַּעֲבֹ֥ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־יְמִינִ֖י וְלֹ֥א מָצָֽאוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he passed throughעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• mountהַרhar · mountain: hill countryH2022
• Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of Shalishaשָׁלִ֫שָׁהshâlishâh · ShalishahH8031
• but they foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• of Shalimשַׁעֲלִיםsha‛ălîym · ShaalimH8171
• of the Benjamitesבֶּן־יְמִינִיben-yemîynîy ben-ha-yemînîy ben-'îysh yemîynîy · BenjaminiteH1145

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:4

• Judges 17:1There was a man named Micah from the Ephraimite hill country.
• Judges 19:1In those days Israel had no king. There was a Levite living temporarily in the remote region of the Ephraimite hill country. He acquired a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
• 2 Kings 4:42Now a man from Baal Shalisha brought some food for the prophet – twenty loaves of bread made from the firstfruits of the barley harvest, as well as fresh ears of grain. Elisha said, “Set it before the people so they may eat.”
• Genesis 33:18After he left Paddan Aram, Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, and he camped near the city.
• John 3:23John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming to him and being baptized.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The land of Shalisha was somewhere near Gilgal, i. e., Jiljulieh. It is thought to derive its name from “three” (Shalosh) wadys which unite in the wady of Karawa. The situation of Shalim is not known: its etymology connects it more probably with the land of Shual 1 Samuel 13:17, apparently round Taiyibeh, which was about nine miles from Gibeah. Zuph - 1 Samuel 9:5, see 1 Samuel 1:1 note.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. 4-54-5. he passed through mount Ephraim--This being situated on the north of Benjamin, indicates the direction of Saul's journey. The district explored means the whole of the mountainous region, with its valleys and defiles, which belonged to Ephraim. Turning apparently southwards--probably through the verdant hills between Shiloh and the vales of Jordan (Shalisha and Shalim)--he approached again the borders of Benjamin, scoured the land of Zuph, and was…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 9:4

• Baal-Shalisha
• Shalim
• Shalisha

In the dictionaries

• Ephraim
• Ephraim, Ephraimite
• Mount Ephraim
• Herdsman
• Samuel, Books of
• Saul
• Shalim, Land of
• Shalisha, Land of
• Spring
• Israel, History of

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