1 Samuel 9 14

1 Samuel 9:14 kjv

And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.

1 Samuel 9:14 nkjv

So they went up to the city. As they were coming into the city, there was Samuel, coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

1 Samuel 9:14 niv

They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.

1 Samuel 9:14 esv

So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

1 Samuel 9:14 nlt

So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.

1 Samuel 9 verses

1 Samuel 9 14 Meaning

This verse describes the immediate meeting of Saul and Samuel at the entrance of the city. As Saul and his servant were entering the city, Samuel providentially came out to meet them, orchestrating a precise and timely divine encounter as part of God's sovereign plan for the anointing of Israel's first king.

1 Samuel 9 14 Context

This verse marks a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative, signifying the immediate confluence of Saul's unwitting quest and God's sovereign design. Saul, searching for his father's lost donkeys (1 Sam 9:3-5), follows his servant's suggestion to consult a man of God, Samuel (1 Sam 9:6-10), regarding their whereabouts. Unbeknownst to Saul, God had already prepared Samuel for this encounter, revealing to him the day before that a man from the land of Benjamin would arrive and was to be anointed prince over Israel (1 Sam 9:15-16). Thus, the simple act of Saul's entry into the city and Samuel's exit from it is imbued with divine purpose, setting the stage for Saul's anointing as the first king of Israel and initiating the transition from the era of judges to a monarchy. Historically, cities in ancient Israel were often built on hills ("went up to the city") for defensive purposes, and interactions, including consultations and meetings, often occurred at the city gates or entry points.

1 Samuel 9 14 Word analysis

• So they went up (וַיַּֽעֲלוּ֙ - wayya‘ălû): Derived from the Hebrew root ʿālāh (עָלָה), meaning "to go up," "ascend." This indicates that the city was situated on elevated ground, a common feature of ancient Near Eastern cities chosen for defense. It implies a directed, purposeful movement towards the desired location.
• to the city (הָעִ֣ירָה - hā‘îrâ): From ʿîr (עִיר), meaning "city" or "town," with the directional suffix -ah. While the city is not explicitly named until 1 Samuel 9:10-11 (Samuel's home town), it is generally understood to be Ramah, the base of Samuel's judicial circuit.
• and as they were coming into (וְהֵ֣מָּה בָּאִ֗ים - wəhēmmâ bā’îm): Literally "and they coming." The phrase uses the present participle (bā’îm) with the pronoun (hēmmâ), indicating an action in progress—they were in the very act of entering. This emphasizes the precise moment of the encounter, highlighting God's timing.
• the city (הָעִיר֙ - hā‘îr): A repetition emphasizing the exact location where the momentous meeting occurred.
• behold (וְהִנֵּה֙ - wəhinnēh): This Hebrew particle is an interjection often translated "behold" or "lo." It serves to draw the reader's attention to a sudden or surprising event, signifying the unexpected, yet divinely orchestrated, nature of Samuel's appearance. It points to divine intervention and perfect timing.
• Samuel (שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל - šəmûʾēl): The prophet, judge, and key figure in Israel's transition to monarchy. His appearance is not accidental but is a direct fulfillment of God's prior revelation (1 Sam 9:15).
• came out (יֹצֵ֥א - yōṣēʾ): From the verb yāṣā’ (יָצָא), meaning "to go out," "come out." Just as Saul was coming in, Samuel was coming out. This reciprocal movement underlines the exact, predestined collision of their paths.
• toward them (לִקְרָאתָֽם - liqrā’tām): From the preposition lĕ- (לְ-) "to," combined with qir’ah (קִרְאָה) "meeting," and the possessive suffix "-their/them." This phrase specifies Samuel's intention – he was actively moving to meet them. It underscores that this was a divinely orchestrated "intercept," not a chance encounter.

1 Samuel 9 14 Bonus section

The scene presented in 1 Samuel 9:14 offers an indirect polemic against any notion of fate or chance. Instead, it powerfully asserts God's active involvement and control over human events. The seemingly happenstance convergence of Saul and Samuel at the city's entrance is overtly attributed to God's pre-arranged disclosure to Samuel (1 Sam 9:15), firmly placing this encounter within the realm of divine will rather than mere coincidence. This divine choreography is a recurring motif in the Bible, where significant divine appointments often emerge from what appears to be ordinary human activity.

1 Samuel 9 14 Commentary

1 Samuel 9:14 encapsulates the profound truth of divine providence working through ordinary circumstances. Saul and his servant's journey, initially driven by the mundane task of finding lost donkeys, became the stage for a divine appointment. The use of "behold" signifies the dramatic and supernatural precision of the timing: as Saul arrived at the very entrance of the city, Samuel, acting on prior divine revelation, simultaneously emerged to intercept them. This meeting was not a random occurrence but the fulfillment of God's specific instructions to Samuel concerning Israel's first king. It illustrates that God is sovereign over all events, guiding steps and aligning circumstances, often leading individuals to His intended path through unexpected means. The ordinary setting of a city gate becomes the locus of a pivotal moment in redemptive history, underscoring that God's plans are unfolded with meticulous attention to detail and perfect timing.