Revised Literal Translation
1 Samuel 9:21
21And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?1
1 Samuel 9:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
- New International Version (NIV)Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Saul answered, "Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?”
Context of 1 Samuel 9:21
19And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. 20And as for thine donkeys that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house? And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? 22And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons. 23And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
Read all of 1 Samuel 91 Samuel 9:21 word by word
וַיַּ֨עַן שָׁא֜וּל וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲל֨וֹא בֶן־יְמִינִ֤י אָ֙נֹכִי֙ מִקַּטַנֵּי֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי֙ הַצְּעִרָ֔ה מִכָּֽל־מִשְׁפְּח֖וֹת שִׁבְטֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן וְלָ֙מָּה֙ דִּבַּ֣רְתָּ אֵלַ֔י כַּדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
- And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- not I a Benjamiteבֶּן־יְמִינִיben-yemîynîy ben-ha-yemînîy ben-'îysh yemîynîy · BenjaminiteH1145
- of the smallestקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- of the tribesשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and my familyמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
- the leastצָעִירtsâ‛îyr tsâ‛ôr · littleH6810
- of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִיןbinyâmîyn · BenjaminH1144
- wherefore then speakestדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- thou soדָּבָרdâbâr · ChroniclesH1697
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:21
- Judges 20:46So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.
- Psalms 68:27There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
- 1 Samuel 10:27But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.
- 1 Samuel 15:17And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, And Yhwh anointed thee king over Israel?
- 1 Samuel 18:18And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?
- Judges 6:14And Yhwh looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
- Hosea 13:1When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.
- Luke 14:11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
- Ephesians 3:8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Am not I a Benjamite - This speech of Saul is exceedingly modest; he was now becomingly humble; but who can bear elevation and prosperity? The tribe of Benjamin had not yet recovered its strength, after the ruinous war it had with the other tribes, Judges 20:29-46.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The tribe of Benjamin, originally the smallest of all the tribes Numbers 1:36, if Ephraim and Manasseh are reckoned as one tribe, had been nearly annihilated by the civil war recorded in Judges 20. It had of course not recovered from that terrible calamity in the time of Saul, and was doubtless literally much the smallest tribe at that time. Nothing could be more improbable, humanly speaking, than that this weak tribe should give a ruler to the mighty…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-27Verses 18-27 Samuel, that good prophet, was so far from envying Saul, or bearing him any ill-will, that he was the first and most forward to do him honour. Both that evening and early the next morning, Samuel communed with Saul upon the flat roof of the house. We may suppose Samuel now convinced Saul that he was the person God had fixed upon for the government, and of his own willingness to resign. How different are the purposes of the Lord for us, from…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21the smallest tribe: Saul tried to downplay Benjamin's importance, but they were strong warriors (Judges 20:14–31; see study note on 1 Samuel 10:17). What better tribe to lead in battle? least of all the clans: See 1 Samuel 9:1.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 9:21
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. 1 Samuel 9:21 so…: Heb. according to this word. ↩
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries