1 Samuel 9:5

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.

When they reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, “Come, let us go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

6 “Look,” said the servant, “in this city there is a man of God who is highly respected; everything he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now. Perhaps he will tell us which way to go.”

7 “If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”

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
When they reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, “Come, let us go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
KJV
And 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 asses, and take thought for us.
WEB
When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come! Let’s return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys and be anxious for us.”
ASV
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 off caring for the asses, and be anxious for us.
DARBY
They had come to the land of Zuph when Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come and let us return; lest my father give up the asses, and be anxious about us.
BLB
They came into the land of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant who [was] with him, “Come and let us return, lest my father cease about the donkeys, and become worried about us.”
ÅB
Da de kom til Suf-bygden, sa Saul til drengen som var med ham: Kom, la oss gå hjem igjen! Ellers kunne min far bli urolig for oss, istedenfor å tenke på eselhoppene.
OTB
Da de kom til landet Suf, sa Saul til sin tjener som var med ham: "Kom, la oss vende tilbake, ellers vil min far slutte å bekymre seg for eslene og begynne å bekymre seg for oss."
B1930
Da de kom til Suf-bygden, sa Saul til drengen som var med ham: Kom, la oss gå hjem igjen! Ellers kunde min far bli urolig for oss, istedenfor å tenke på aseninnene.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Samuel 10:2

    When you leave me today, you will find two men at Rachel’s tomb in Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you seek have been found, and now your father has stopped worrying about the donkeys and started worrying about you, asking, “What should I do about my son?”’

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 1:1

    Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

    Read in context
  • Luke 12:11

    When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 6:28

    And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 6:25

    Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

    Read in context
  • Luke 12:22

    Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 6:34

    Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

    Read in context