1 Samuel

1 Samuel 9:1–3

1Now there was a Benjamite, a powerful man, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. 2And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites — a head taller than any of the people.

3One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants and go look for the donkeys.”

Read all of 1 Samuel 9

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 9:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Now there wasוַֽיְהִי־way·hî-Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a Benjamiteמִבִּן־mib·bin-Preposition-m; Noun - proper - masculine singularH1144 Binjamin
a powerful manגִּבּ֖וֹרgib·bō·wrAdjective - masculine singular constructH1368 strong, mighty
whose nameוּ֠שְׁמוֹū·šə·mōwConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH8034 name
was Kishקִ֣ישׁqîšNoun - proper - masculine singularH7027 Kish
sonבֶּן־ben-Noun - masculine singular constructH1121 son
of Abielאֲבִיאֵ֞ל’ă·ḇî·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH22 Abiel
the sonבֶּן־ben-Noun - masculine singular constructH1121 son
of Zerorצְר֧וֹרṣə·rō·wrNoun - proper - masculine singularH6872 bundle, parcel, pouch, bag
the sonבֶּן־ben-Noun - masculine singular constructH1121 son
of Becorathבְּכוֹרַ֛תbə·ḵō·w·raṯNoun - proper - masculine singularH1064 Bekorath
the sonבֶּן־ben-Noun - masculine singular constructH1121 son
of Aphiahאֲפִ֖יחַ’ă·p̄î·aḥNoun - proper - masculine singularH647 Aphiach
of Benjaminיְמִינִ֑יyə·mî·nîNoun - proper - masculine singularH3227 right

1 Samuel 9:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Andוְלוֹ־wə·lōw-Conjunctive waw; Preposition; third person masculine singular
he hadהָיָ֨הhā·yāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a sonבֵ֜ןḇênNoun - masculine singularH1121 son
namedוּשְׁמ֤וֹū·šə·mōwConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH8034 name
Saulשָׁאוּל֙šā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
choiceבָּח֣וּרbā·ḥūrNoun - masculine singularH970 young man
and handsomeוָט֔וֹבwā·ṭō·wḇConjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
without equalוְאֵ֥יןwə·’ênConjunctive waw; AdverbH369 nothing, nought
amongמִמֶּ֑נּוּmim·men·nūPreposition; third person masculine singularH4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the Israelitesמִבְּנֵ֥יmib·bə·nêPreposition-m; Noun - masculine plural constructH1121 son
a headמִשִּׁכְמ֣וֹmiš·šiḵ·mōwPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH7926 shoulder
tallerגָּבֹ֖הַּgā·ḇō·ahAdjective - masculine singularH1364 high, exalted
than anyמִכָּל־mik·kālPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
of the peopleהָעָֽם׃hā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people

1 Samuel 9:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
One day the donkeysהָאֲתֹנ֔וֹתhā·’ă·ṯō·nō·wṯArticle; Noun - feminine pluralH860 she-ass
of Saul’sשָׁא֑וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
fatherאֲבִ֣י’ă·ḇîNoun - masculine singular constructH1 father
Kishלְקִ֖ישׁlə·qîšPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH7027 Kish
wandered offוַתֹּאבַ֙דְנָה֙wat·tō·ḇaḏ·nāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine pluralH6 perish
and Kishקִ֜ישׁqîšNoun - proper - masculine singularH7027 Kish
saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
his sonבְּנ֗וֹbə·nōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH1121 son
Saulשָׁא֣וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
Takeקַח־qaḥ-Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH3947 take
oneאַחַ֣ד’a·ḥaḏNumber - masculine singularH259 one
of the servantsמֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔יםmê·han·nə·‘ā·rîmPreposition-m, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH5288 a shaking, scattering
and goלֵ֔ךְlêḵVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
look forבַּקֵּ֖שׁbaq·qêšVerb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singularH1245 seek
the donkeysהָאֲתֹנֹֽת׃hā·’ă·ṯō·nōṯArticle; Noun - feminine pluralH860 she-ass

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 9:1 1 Samuel 14:51 · Acts 13:21 · 1 Chronicles 9:36–39 · 1 Samuel 25:2 · 1 Chronicles 8:30–33

1 Samuel 9:2 Numbers 13:33 · 2 Samuel 14:25–26 · 1 Samuel 16:7 · Genesis 6:2 · 1 Samuel 17:4 · Jeremiah 9:23

1 Samuel 9:3 Judges 10:4 · Judges 5:10

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.