1 Samuel 9:7

1 Samuel 9:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
• New International Version (NIV)Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Saul said to his servant, "But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”

Context of 1 Samuel 9:7

5And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the donkeys, and take thought for us. 6And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go. Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? 8And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. 9(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.)

1 Samuel 9:7 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל לְנַעֲר֗וֹ וְהִנֵּ֣ה נֵלֵךְ֮ וּמַה־נָּבִ֣יא לָאִישׁ֒ כִּ֤י הַלֶּ֙חֶם֙ אָזַ֣ל מִכֵּלֵ֔ינוּ וּתְשׁוּרָ֥ה אֵין־לְהָבִ֖יא לְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים מָ֖ה אִתָּֽנוּ׃Read the interlinear

• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• to his servantנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• we goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• what shall we bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• the manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• for the breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• is spentאָזַל'âzal · be goneH235
• in our vesselsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• not a presentתְּשׁוּרָהteshûrâh · presentH8670
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 9:7

• Judges 6:18Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
• Judges 13:15And Manoah said unto the angel of Yhwh, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.
• 1 Kings 14:3And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.
• 2 Kings 4:42And there came a man from Baal–shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full heads of grain in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
• 2 Kings 5:5And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
• 2 Kings 8:8And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of Yhwh by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7There is not a present to bring to the man of God - We are not to suppose from this that the prophets took money to predict future events: Saul only refers to an invariable custom, that no man approached a superior without a present of some kind or other. We have often seen this before; even God, who needs nothing, would not that his people should approach him with empty hands. "It is very common in Bengal for a person, who is desirous of asking a favor…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Presents of bread or meat were as common as presents of money. (Compare Ezekiel 13:19; Hosea 3:2.)Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7no gift to take to the man: It was common to bring a gift when asking for a prophet's help (see 1 Kings 14:2–3; 2 Kings 5:5, 15; 8:8). Some false prophets asked for gifts in exchange for their services (Micah 3:11). Saul's concern might show a misunderstanding, thinking he could buy advice from a prophet of God (Acts 8:20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Saul said to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man?--According to Eastern notions, it would be considered a want of respect for any person to go into the presence of a superior man of rank or of official station without a present of some kind in his hand, however trifling in value. the bread is spent in our vessels--Shepherds, going in quest of their cattle, put up in a bag as much flour for making bread as will last sometimes…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 9:7

• Prophets

In the dictionaries

• God
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• man of God
• Bag
• Gift
• Herdsman
• Samuel, Books of
• Spring

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