New Living Translation
1 Samuel 9:9
9(In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)
1 Samuel 9:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
- New International Version (NIV)(Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)
- English Standard Version (ESV)(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, "Come, let us go to the seer," for today's "prophet" was formerly called a seer.)
- New King James Version (NKJV)(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he spoke thus: “Come, let us go to the seer”; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.)
Context of 1 Samuel 9:9
7“But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.” 8“Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.) 10“All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived. 11As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?”
Read all of 1 Samuel 91 Samuel 9:9 word by word
לְפָנִ֣ים׀ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר הָאִישׁ֙ בְּלֶכְתּוֹ֙ לִדְר֣וֹשׁ אֱלֹהִ֔ים לְכ֥וּ וְנֵלְכָ֖ה עַד־הָרֹאֶ֑ה כִּ֤י לַנָּבִיא֙ הַיּ֔וֹם יִקָּרֵ֥א לְפָנִ֖ים הָרֹאֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Beforetimeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- in Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- when a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- to enquireדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- thus he spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to the seerרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- nowיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- a Prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:9
- Genesis 25:22But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked.
- Judges 1:1After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Which tribe should go first to attack the Canaanites?”
- 2 Samuel 24:11The next morning the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, who was David’s seer. This was the message:
- 2 Kings 17:13Again and again the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: “Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees—the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets.”
- 1 Chronicles 26:28Shelomoth and his relatives also cared for the gifts dedicated to the Lord by Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah. All the other dedicated gifts were in their care, too.
- 1 Chronicles 29:29All the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in The Record of Samuel the Seer, The Record of Nathan the Prophet, and The Record of Gad the Seer.
- 2 Chronicles 16:7At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the Lord your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram.
- Isaiah 29:10For the Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries.
- Isaiah 30:10They tell the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” They tell the prophets, “Don’t tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies.
- Amos 7:12Then Amaziah sent orders to Amos: “Get out of here, you prophet! Go on back to the land of Judah, and earn your living by prophesying there!
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Beforetime in Israel - This passage could not have been a part of this book originally: but we have already conjectured that Samuel, or some contemporary author, wrote the memoranda, out of which a later author compiled this book. This hypothesis, sufficiently reasonable in itself, solves all difficulties of this kind. Was beforetime called a seer - The word seer, ראה roeh, occurs for the first time in this place; it literally signifies a person who Sees…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9This is manifestly a gloss inserted in the older narrative by the later editor of the sacred text, to explain the use of the term in 1 Samuel 9:11, 1 Samuel 9:18-19. It is one among many instances which prove how the very letter of the contemporary narratives was preserved by those who in later times compiled the histories. We cannot say exactly when the term “seer” became obsolete. See the marginal references.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. 99. seer ... Prophet--The recognized distinction in latter times was, that a seer was one who was favored with visions of God--a view of things invisible to mortal sight; and a prophet foretold future events.Read the comment
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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Commentaries