New International Version
1 Samuel 9:2
2Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.
1 Samuel 9:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
- New Living Translation (NLT)His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.
Context of 1 Samuel 9:2
1There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. 3Now 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.” 4So 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.
Read all of 1 Samuel 91 Samuel 9:2 word by word
וְלוֹ־הָיָ֨ה בֵ֜ן וּשְׁמ֤וֹ שָׁאוּל֙ בָּח֣וּר וָט֔וֹב וְאֵ֥ין אִ֛ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל ט֣וֹב מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מִשִּׁכְמ֣וֹ וָמַ֔עְלָה גָּבֹ֖הַּ מִכָּל־הָעָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he had a sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- whose nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- a choice young manבָּחוּרbâchûr bâchûr · youthH970
- and a goodlyטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- not among the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- personאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- than he: from his shouldersשְׁכֶםshekem · shoulderH7926
- and upwardמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
- higherגָּבֹהַּgâbôhha gâbôhha · highH1364
- than any of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:2
- 1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
- Genesis 6:2the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.
- 2 Samuel 14:25In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him.
- Jeremiah 9:23This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches,
- 1 Samuel 10:23They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others.
- 1 Samuel 17:4A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.
- Numbers 13:33We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2From his shoulders and upwards - It was probably from this very circumstance that he was chosen for king; for, where kings were elective, in all ancient times great respect was paid to personal appearance.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Saul's looks, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites, made people loyal to him (see 1 Samuel 10:23; compare 16:12; 2 Samuel 14:25–26).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly--He had a fine appearance; for it is evident that he must have been only a little under seven feet tall. A gigantic stature and an athletic frame must have been a popular recommendation at that time in that country.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 9:2
In the dictionaries
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
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