1 Samuel 10:7 kjv
And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
1 Samuel 10:7 nkjv
And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you.
1 Samuel 10:7 niv
Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.
1 Samuel 10:7 esv
Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you.
1 Samuel 10:7 nlt
After these signs take place, do what must be done, for God is with you.
1 Samuel 10 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jos 1:9 | Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous... for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. | Divine presence empowering strength. |
| Deut 31:6 | Be strong and courageous... the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you... | God's presence guarantees unwavering support. |
| Judg 6:12 | The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, "The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor." | God's presence calls for decisive action. |
| 1 Sam 10:1 | Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, "Has not the Lord anointed you..." | Anointing signifies divine choice and enablement. |
| 1 Sam 10:6 | Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. | Spirit's anointing equips for leadership. |
| 1 Sam 16:13 | Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him... And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. | Spirit's anointing empowers new leadership. |
| Num 11:25 | Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him... the Spirit... rested on them. | God's Spirit equipping for service. |
| Isa 41:10 | Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. | Divine presence alleviates fear, gives courage. |
| Matt 28:20 | ...and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. | God's perpetual presence empowering mission. |
| Acts 1:8 | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses... | Spirit's power enables mission and action. |
| Acts 18:10 | For I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many people in this city. | God's assurance of protection and presence. |
| Rom 8:31 | What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? | God's divine presence ensures triumph. |
| Judg 6:17 | He said to Him, "If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me." | Request for signs confirming divine word. |
| 2 Kgs 20:8 | Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, "What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me..." | Desire for concrete signs of divine promise. |
| Eccl 9:10 | Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol... | General diligence in work; contrasts with specific divine enablement in 1 Sam 10:7. |
| Phil 4:13 | I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. | Christ's enabling power for tasks. |
| Jer 1:8 | Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord. | Assurance of God's presence for difficult tasks. |
| Gen 21:22 | Now it came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol... spoke to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do." | Recognition of divine blessing/presence. |
| Gen 39:2-3 | The Lord was with Joseph... the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hand. | God's presence brings success. |
| 1 Sam 18:12 | Saul was afraid of David, for the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. | Importance of God's continued presence for success. |
| Zech 8:23 | ...ten men from all the nations will grasp the hem of a Jew's garment, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." | Recognition of God's presence bringing favor and power. |
| Heb 13:5 | Let your character be free from the love of money... for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you." | Divine promise of constant presence. |
1 Samuel 10 verses
1 Samuel 10 7 Meaning
This verse conveys God's authorization and empowerment for Saul to act decisively as the divinely chosen leader, once specific confirming signs have materialized. It is a direct command to take initiative and lead based on the manifest presence of God's Spirit, assuring him that God's active support is with him in his new role. This immediate instruction emphasizes proactivity under divine guidance rather than awaiting explicit commands for every single task.
1 Samuel 10 7 Context
1 Samuel chapter 10 records the private anointing of Saul as king by Samuel, fulfilling God's directive (1 Sam 9:16-17) after Israel demanded a king (1 Sam 8). Samuel provides Saul with three specific, miraculous signs to confirm the divine legitimacy of his kingship and the Spirit's anointing (vv. 2-6). These signs include encountering specific individuals, finding lost donkeys, and prophesying after the Spirit of the Lord rushes upon him. Verse 7, immediately following the description of these signs, instructs Saul on how to act once these confirmations occur. It positions Saul as God's anointed leader, not merely waiting for further detailed instructions but empowered to act on divine initiative, underscored by the direct assurance of God's accompanying presence. This marks a pivotal shift for Saul from an ordinary man to one uniquely equipped for national leadership.
1 Samuel 10 7 Word analysis
- And it shall be (וְהָיָה - vehayah): A strong Hebrew conjunction that signifies the certainty of a future event following a condition. It indicates a divinely ordained unfolding of events, establishing a clear sequence dependent on the preceding actions.
- when these signs (הָאֹתוֹת - ha'otot): Refers specifically to the three detailed prophetic confirmations Samuel gave Saul in verses 2-6. These are not coincidences but divine attestations validating God's chosen one, assuring Saul of his divine calling and authenticating Samuel's word.
- come to pass for you (בֹּא לְךָ - bo' lekha): Literally, "come to you," emphasizing the personal fulfillment and manifestation of these signs directly for Saul's experience and reassurance. It denotes the realization of what was prophesied for his specific benefit.
- that you will do for yourself (עֲשֵׂה לְּךָ - `aseh lekha): An imperative, "do for yourself," signifying that Saul is to take active initiative. It conveys a sense of empowered agency and personal responsibility given by God, indicating self-leadership under divine anointing.
- what your hand finds (אֵת אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדֶךָ - 'et 'asher timtza yadekha): This is a Hebrew idiom meaning to act decisively, seize opportunities, or do whatever is necessary/possible as circumstances arise. It is not an invitation for arbitrary action, but for proactive engagement, leveraging the divine empowerment for spontaneous, God-led actions as king.
- for God is with you (כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים עִמָּךְ - ki ha'elohim immakh): This is the critical theological basis and justification for the preceding instruction. The active, personal presence of God (Elohim) is the ultimate source of Saul's authority, capability, and authorization to act spontaneously. It implies both divine assistance and endorsement for the actions he undertakes.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "When these signs come to pass for you": This clause sets the clear condition and timing for Saul's subsequent actions. His decisiveness is contingent upon the observable, miraculous confirmations of divine approval, ensuring his initiatives are rooted in God's explicit validation.
- "Do for yourself what your hand finds": This powerful command instructs proactive, responsive leadership. Once God's choice is unequivocally confirmed, Saul is empowered to take initiative and lead, acting with confidence in God's direction through the opportunities or challenges that spontaneously arise in his new role.
- "For God is with you": This clause provides the essential divine assurance and authorization. It transforms the potential for human presumption into divinely sanctioned action. The efficacy and legitimacy of Saul's spontaneous acts are entirely dependent on God's abiding presence and active partnership in his kingship, which promises both assistance and sovereign enablement.
1 Samuel 10 7 Bonus section
This verse encapsulates a crucial aspect of leadership in the Old Testament, where God empowers individuals for specific tasks through the anointing of His Spirit, granting them a dynamic readiness to respond to unforeseen circumstances. The emphasis here is on immediate, divinely-instigated action, signifying that the King of Israel is meant to be a Spirit-led instrument of God's will, not merely a secular ruler. It points towards a principle where divine affirmation leads to empowered human responsibility, enabling proactive rather than reactive leadership. The instruction to "do what your hand finds" in this context is implicitly linked to the Spirit of the Lord coming upon him (1 Sam 10:6), indicating that these "findings" are not arbitrary desires but rather opportunities perceived and acted upon under divine leading. The verse sets the initial expectation for Saul's kingship: he is expected to operate with spontaneous spiritual wisdom, backed by the undeniable presence of God, a standard which, sadly, he would ultimately fail to uphold, leading to his rejection.
1 Samuel 10 7 Commentary
1 Samuel 10:7 serves as a crucial mandate for Saul's emerging leadership. Following his private anointing and the provision of three immediate, miraculous signs validating his kingship, Saul is commanded to shed passivity and act with empowered initiative. "Do for yourself what your hand finds" signifies a divine authorization to seize opportune moments and respond to challenges as they arise, a mark of decisive leadership. This is not a license for impulsive human will, but rather a directive to operate under divine leading, underpinned by the powerful assurance "for God is with you." God's manifest presence through the Spirit is the very source of Saul's authority and ability to act appropriately. This verse underscores that truly God-appointed leaders are equipped for dynamic, Spirit-guided action rather than simply awaiting precise instructions for every task. Tragically, Saul would later struggle to maintain this Spirit-led spontaneity, ultimately substituting divine guidance with his own anxieties or disobedient actions.