1 Samuel 9:2
1 Now 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.
And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.
3 One 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.”
4 So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the land of Shalishah, but did not find the donkeys. He and the servant went through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they went through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.
- KJV
- And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
- WEB
- He had a son whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
- ASV
- And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
- DARBY
- And he had a son whose name was Saul, choice and comely; and there was not among the children of Israel a comelier person than he; from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
- BLB
- And he had a son, and his name [was] Saul, a choice youth and handsome. And not a man among the sons of Israel [was] more handsome than he—from his shoulder and upward he was taller than any of the people.
- ÅB
- Han hadde en sønn som hette Saul, en ung og vakker mann; det fantes ingen mann blant Israels barn som var vakrere enn han; han var et hode høyere enn alt folket.
- OTB
- Han hadde en sønn som het Saul, en utvalgt og vakker ung mann. Blant Israels sønner var det ingen som var mer imponerende enn han; fra skuldrene og opp var han høyere enn noe av folket.
- B1930
- Han hadde en sønn som hette Saul, en ung og vakker mann; det fantes ingen mann blandt Israels barn som var vakrere enn han; han var et hode høiere enn alt folket.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
Read in context2 Samuel 14:25–26
Now there was not a man in all Israel as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw.
Read in contextGenesis 6:2
the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.
Read in contextNumbers 13:33
We even saw the Nephilim there—the descendants of Anak that come from the Nephilim! We seemed like grasshoppers in our own sight, and we must have seemed the same to them!”
Read in context1 Samuel 17:4
Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height,
Read in contextJeremiah 9:23
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
Read in context1 Samuel 10:23–24
So they ran and brought Saul, and when he stood among the people, he was a head taller than any of the others.
Read in context