1 Samuel 9 20

1 Samuel 9:20 kjv

And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?

1 Samuel 9:20 nkjv

But as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father's house?"

1 Samuel 9:20 niv

As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?"

1 Samuel 9:20 esv

As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?"

1 Samuel 9:20 nlt

And don't worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel's hopes."

1 Samuel 9 verses

1 Samuel 9 20 Meaning

Samuel, acting as God's prophet, reveals to Saul that the donkeys he had been anxiously searching for over three days were already found, immediately removing Saul's earthly worry. He then dramatically shifts the focus from Saul's trivial concern to God's profound plan, stating that all of Israel's hopes and longings for a leader, particularly a king, were divinely set upon Saul and his lineage. This verse marks the pivotal moment of revelation and Saul's pre-anointing call to kingship.

1 Samuel 9 20 Context

This verse is located at a pivotal juncture in 1 Samuel, marking the divine selection of Israel's first king. Chapter 9 begins with Saul, a tall and handsome young man from the tribe of Benjamin, searching for his father's lost donkeys. This seemingly mundane task leads him, by divine orchestration, to Samuel. Unknown to Saul, God had already informed Samuel the day before of Saul's imminent arrival and his divine appointment to lead Israel against the Philistines. The larger biblical context is Israel's rejection of God's direct rule as judges and their insistent demand for a human king, like the surrounding nations (1 Sam 8). God accedes to their request, but sovereignly chooses His own man. Thus, Samuel's revelation in verse 20 transforms Saul's humble quest into a profound spiritual revelation of his destined leadership, directly addressing Israel's "desire" for a king, and fulfilling God's often surprising answer to their request. Culturally, donkeys were significant assets in ancient Israel, their loss causing genuine concern for families. However, the verse deftly pivots from this earthly anxiety to a higher, divinely purposed calling, demonstrating God's hand active in the details of everyday life and His elevation of the unexpected. The implied polemic is against human-centered concerns dominating one's focus when God has a much larger, more significant plan unfolding.

1 Samuel 9 20 Word analysis

• And as for your donkeys (וְלַאֲתֹנוֹת, vəlaʾăthonôth): The opening directs attention to Saul's immediate and very practical concern. ʾăthonôth specifically means "she-donkeys," which were particularly valuable for breeding. This highlights the substantial loss for Saul's family and the weight of the errand. The seemingly trivial nature of this search stands in stark contrast to the profound purpose behind it, setting up a common biblical pattern where God uses ordinary circumstances to unveil His extraordinary plans.
• that were lost (הָאֹבְדוֹת, hāʾōvədôth): Emphasizes the status of the animals as gone or strayed. It speaks to Saul's immediate preoccupation and perceived failure.
• three days ago (מִשְּׁלֹשׁ־יָמִים, miśśəlōš-yāmîm): Signifies the passage of time and the prolonged effort Saul had already expended in his futile search. The number 'three' often carries significance in biblical narratives (resurrection on the third day, three days in the fish, etc.), here highlighting the culmination of Saul's human efforts and readiness for divine intervention. It deepens Saul's anxiety, making Samuel's relief even more potent.
• do not set your mind on them (אַל־תָּשֶׂם לִבְּךָ עֲלֵיהֶם, ʾal-taśem libbekā ʾălêhem):
  • אַל־תָּשֶׂם (ʾal-taśem): "Do not place/set." This is a negative command, directly instructing Saul to cease his preoccupation.
  • לִבְּךָ (libbekā): "Your heart." In Hebrew thought, the "heart" (לב, lev) is not merely the seat of emotion but primarily the center of intellect, will, reason, and purpose. So, "do not set your heart" means to remove one's deepest concern, focus, and strategic thinking from this particular issue. Samuel instructs Saul to shift his entire being away from this earthly, transient worry.
  • This phrase emphasizes redirecting one's focus from anxieties about physical possessions to a higher, spiritual, and divinely ordained purpose. It implicitly critiques Saul's limited earthly perspective.
• for they have been found (כִּי נִמְצְאוּ, kî nimṣəʾû): The prophetic declaration, presented as a fait accompli. Nimṣəʾû is in the perfect tense, indicating completion. Samuel's immediate relief of Saul's primary concern demonstrates his prophetic authority and God's detailed knowledge, thus preparing Saul for the weightier revelation to come.
• And on whom is all the desire of Israel? (וְעַל־מִי כָּל־חֶמְדַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, wəʿal-mî kol-ḥemdath yiśrāʾēl):
  • כָּל־חֶמְדַּת (kol-ḥemdath): "All the desire/preciousness/longing/coveting." ḥemdath (חֶמְדָּה) carries the connotation of that which is longed for, desired, or is valuable. In this context, it refers to Israel's deep yearning and expectation for a leader, specifically a king, in fulfillment of their demand in 1 Sam 8:5. Samuel uses a rhetorical question to point to Israel's core aspiration.
  • This powerful question shifts the context from Saul's personal mundane problem to the national spiritual destiny. It positions Saul as the divinely chosen answer to Israel's national yearning.
• Is it not on you and on all your father's house? (הֲלוֹא עָלֶיךָ וְעַל כָּל־בֵּית אָבִיךָ, hălôʾ ʿāleykā wəʿal kol-bêṯ ʾābîkā):
  • הֲלוֹא (hălôʾ): "Is it not?" A strong rhetorical question, making the shocking and direct affirmation unmistakable.
  • עָלֶיךָ (ʿāleykā): "Upon you." Direct address to Saul, marking him as the object of divine selection. This is a dramatic disclosure to an unsuspecting individual.
  • וְעַל כָּל־בֵּית אָבִיךָ (wəʿal kol-bêṯ ʾābîkā): "And on all your father's house." This extends the calling beyond Saul to his entire family, establishing a potential dynasty or ruling house, which was consistent with the expectations of kingship. The mention of his family highlights that the anointing would elevate his lineage. For someone from the small tribe of Benjamin, and specifically "the least of all the families" (1 Sam 9:21), this was an astonishing prophecy.

1 Samuel 9 20 Bonus section

The juxtaposition in this verse between "donkeys" and "the desire of Israel" is a classic biblical irony. Saul is intensely focused on lost animals, representing the mundane and earthly, while Samuel points him towards God's greater purpose involving the destiny of an entire nation and the establishment of a monarchy. This contrast highlights God's ability to intersect with human life at its most common points to unveil sacred calling. Saul's subsequent protest in 1 Samuel 9:21, declaring his family as "the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin, and my tribe the smallest of all the tribes of Israel," further underscores the unexpected and counter-intuitive nature of God's chosen vessels, a recurring theme in the Bible (e.g., David, Jacob, Gideon, Abraham). It affirms that God's choices are not based on human prominence or expectation but on His divine will.

1 Samuel 9 20 Commentary

1 Samuel 9:20 beautifully illustrates God's sovereignty working through ordinary human concerns. Saul's urgent pursuit of lost donkeys leads him unwittingly into a divine appointment to lead Israel. Samuel, empowered by God, first calms Saul's earthly anxiety, demonstrating God's detailed care even for minor issues. This immediate relief of Saul's worry serves to prepare his heart to receive a far more monumental truth. The subsequent rhetorical question then dramatically unveils God's purpose for Saul: to fulfill Israel's collective "desire" for a king, despite that desire originating from a misguided rejection of God's direct rule (1 Sam 8:7). This verse is a profound reminder that God often uses seemingly insignificant daily events to bring about His grand, unexpected plans, often elevating the humble and unassuming to positions of great influence according to His own will, not human expectation. It contrasts man's narrow vision with God's panoramic foresight and intention.