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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.”

Context of 1 Samuel 9:3

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. 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. 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.” 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. 5When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

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, 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?” ’
• Judges 5:10“You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider
• Judges 10:4He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys. They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth Jair.

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