1 Samuel 9:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But he said to him, "Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go."

NIV: But the servant replied, "Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take."

NASB: But he said to him, 'Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; everything that he says definitely comes true. Now let’s go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.'

CSB: "Look," the servant said, "there’s a man of God in this city who is highly respected; everything he says is sure to come true. Let’s go there now. Maybe he’ll tell us which way we should go."

NLT: But the servant said, 'I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.'

KJV: And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can show us our way that we should go.

NKJV: And he said to him, “Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go.”

First Samuel 9:1–14 begins the story of Saul, first king of Israel. Saul and his servant spend three days looking for lost donkeys before seeking help. They ask for the local seer—the original term for a "prophet"—and are sent to Samuel. Neither man realizes they are expected and that the Lord has special plans for Saul.

The story of Saul, first king of Israel, begins with him searching the Ephraim hill country for lost donkeys. He stops at Ramah to ask the prophet there for help. The seer, Samuel, has been told by God to expect a man to come at this time. Samuel will anoint this man as the prince of Israel. Samuel makes Saul the guest of honor at a sacrificial feast and then brings him home to sleep on his roof. As Saul is leaving town the next day, Samuel stops and says it is time to reveal the word of God to Saul.

The people of Israel have demanded a king (1 Samuel 8:4–5). Here, the Lord introduces Samuel to Saul, who would become the nation's first ruler (1 Samuel 10:24). Saul and his servant stop at Ramah looking for his family's donkeys. God has told Samuel to anoint Saul as the prince of Israel. After eating with Samuel as an honored guest, Saul prepares to leave, but Samuel has more to tell him (1 Samuel 10:1). Saul would quickly fall into disobedience (1 Samuel 15:10–11); David would eventually take his place (1 Samuel 16:12–13).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.