1 Samuel

1 Samuel 11:4–7

⁴When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and relayed these words in the hearing of the people, they all wept aloud.

⁵Just then Saul was returning from the field, behind his oxen. “What troubles the people?” asked Saul. “Why are they weeping?” And they relayed to him the words of the men from Jabesh.

⁶When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he burned with great anger. ⁷He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent them by messengers throughout the land of Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not march behind Saul and Samuel.”

Then the terror of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out together as one man.

Read all of 1 Samuel 11

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 11:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When the messengers	הַמַּלְאָכִים֙	ham·mal·’ā·ḵîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
came	וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ	way·yā·ḇō·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
to Gibeah	גִּבְעַ֣ת	giḇ·‘aṯ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1390 Gibah
of Saul	שָׁא֔וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
and relayed	וַיְדַבְּר֥וּ	way·ḏab·bə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1696 speak
these words	הַדְּבָרִ֖ים	had·də·ḇā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1697 speech, word
in the hearing	בְּאָזְנֵ֣י	bə·’ā·zə·nê	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine dual construct	H241 ear
of the people	הָעָ֑ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
they all	כָל־	ḵāl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
wept	וַיִּבְכּֽוּ׃	way·yiḇ·kū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1058 weep, bewail
aloud	וַיִּשְׂא֧וּ	way·yiś·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5375 lift, take, carry

1 Samuel 11:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Just then	וְהִנֵּ֣ה	wə·hin·nêh	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
Saul	שָׁא֗וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
was returning	בָּ֣א	bā	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
from	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the field	הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה	haś·śā·ḏeh	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7704 id.
behind	אַחֲרֵ֤י	’a·ḥă·rê	Preposition	H310 behind
his oxen	הַבָּקָר֙	hab·bā·qār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox
What	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
the people	לָּעָ֖ם	lā·‘ām	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
asked	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Saul	שָׁא֔וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
Why	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
are they weeping	יִבְכּ֑וּ	yiḇ·kū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1058 weep, bewail
And they relayed	וַיְסַ֨פְּרוּ־	way·sap·pə·rū-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H5608 count
to him	ל֔וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
the words of	דִּבְרֵ֖י	diḇ·rê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1697 speech, word
the men	אַנְשֵׁ֥י	’an·šê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H582 man, mankind
from Jabesh	יָבֵֽישׁ׃	yā·ḇêš	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3003 Jobesh

1 Samuel 11:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Saul heard	בְּשָׁמְעוֹ	bə·šå̄·mə·ʿō	Preposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
their	הָאֵ֑לֶּה	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
words	הַדְּבָרִ֣ים	had·də·ḇā·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1697 speech, word
the Spirit	רֽוּחַ־	rū·aḥ-	Noun - common singular construct	H7307 breath, wind, spirit
of God	אֱלֹהִים֙	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
rushed	וַתִּצְלַ֤ח	wat·tiṣ·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H6743 rush
upon	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
him	שָׁא֔וּל	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
and he burned with great anger	אַפּ֖וֹ	’ap·pōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger

1 Samuel 11:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He took	וַיִּקַּח֩	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
a pair	צֶ֨מֶד	ṣe·meḏ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6776 couple, pair
of oxen	בָּקָ֜ר	bā·qār	Noun - masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox
cut them into pieces	וַֽיְנַתְּחֵ֗הוּ	way·nat·tə·ḥê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H5408 cut up, cut in pieces, divide by joints
and sent	וַיְשַׁלַּ֞ח	way·šal·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
by	בְּיַ֣ד	bə·yaḏ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
messengers	הַמַּלְאָכִ֣ים׀	ham·mal·’ā·ḵîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
throughout	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the land	גְּב֣וּל	gə·ḇūl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1366 border, boundary, territory
of Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵל֮	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
proclaiming	לֵאמֹר֒	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
This is what	כֹּ֥ה	kōh	Adverb	H3541 thus, here
will be done	יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה	yê·‘ā·śeh	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
to the oxen	לִבְקָר֑וֹ	liḇ·qā·rōw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1241 cattle, herd, ox
of anyone who	אֲשֶׁר֩	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
does not	אֵינֶ֨נּוּ	’ê·nen·nū	Adverb; third person masculine singular	H369 nothing, nought
march	יֹצֵ֜א	yō·ṣê	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H3318 go or come out
behind	אַחֲרֵ֤י	’a·ḥă·rê	Preposition	H310 behind
Saul	שָׁאוּל֙	šā·’ūl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7586 Shaul
and Samuel	שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל	šə·mū·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8050 Samuel
Then the terror	פַּֽחַד־	pa·ḥaḏ-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6343 dread
of the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
fell	וַיִּפֹּ֤ל	way·yip·pōl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5307 fall, lie
upon	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the people	הָעָ֔ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
and they came out together	וַיֵּצְא֖וּ	way·yê·ṣə·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3318 go or come out
as one	אֶחָֽד׃	’e·ḥāḏ	Number - masculine singular	H259 one
man	כְּאִ֥ישׁ	kə·’îš	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H376 man