1 Samuel 9 21

1 Samuel 9:21 kjv

And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

1 Samuel 9:21 nkjv

And Saul answered and said, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?"

1 Samuel 9:21 niv

Saul answered, "But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?"

1 Samuel 9:21 esv

Saul answered, "Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?"

1 Samuel 9:21 nlt

Saul replied, "But I'm only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?"

1 Samuel 9 verses

1 Samuel 9 21 Meaning

In 1 Samuel 9:21, Saul expresses profound humility and bewilderment in response to Samuel's veiled prophetic statements hinting at a significant leadership role for him. He considers himself utterly unworthy of such an honor, referencing his tribal affiliation as a Benjamite, known as the smallest of the tribes, and further asserting his family within that tribe as the least significant. This declaration reflects his current low self-assessment in light of God's unexpected and grand plan.

1 Samuel 9 21 Context

Saul's response in 1 Samuel 9:21 comes at a pivotal moment. Earlier in the chapter, Saul, along with his servant, was on a mundane task of searching for his father's lost donkeys. Guided by divine providence, they unknowingly approached the city where Samuel, the revered prophet, resided. Samuel had already received a direct revelation from the LORD the previous day, informing him that He would send a man from Benjamin to be anointed king over Israel. Thus, when Samuel met Saul, he immediately recognized him as the one appointed by God. Before Saul's bewildered question, Samuel had honored him by giving him the place of prominence among the invited guests at a sacrificial feast, setting apart the choicest portion for him, and suggesting a future of greatness ("and on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father's house?"). Saul's reply reflects his initial bewilderment and deep-seated humility, given his lineage and the seemingly ordinary circumstances of his life up to that point. The historical context for "smallest tribe" relates to the almost annihilation of Benjamin in the civil war with the other tribes recounted in Judges 19-21, severely reducing their numbers.

1 Samuel 9 21 Word analysis

• Saul answered and said: This signifies a direct, spoken response, indicating his verbal reaction to Samuel's startling implications. The double verb structure emphasizes the act of speaking.
• Am not I a Benjamite, (הֲלוֹא בֶן־יְמִינִי):
  • הֲלוֹא (hălô’): A rhetorical question particle, equivalent to "is it not" or "am I not," expecting an affirmative answer, but here expressing disbelief and humility. It emphasizes the undeniable truth as Saul sees it.
  • בֶן־יְמִינִי (ben-yəmînî): "Son of Yamini," meaning "Benjamite." The tribe of Benjamin literally means "son of the right hand." Benjamin was the youngest and last son of Jacob, born to Rachel. Historically, after the almost extermination in the inter-tribal war (Judg 20-21), it was significantly reduced in size and power, becoming numerically and politically the "smallest" and least prominent.
• of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? (מִשִּׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַקָּטַן):
  • הַקָּטָן (haqāṭān): "The small one" or "the youngest/smallest." This re-emphasizes Benjamin's historically diminished status due to past events, particularly the civil war with the other tribes which left Benjamin nearly obliterated. Saul uses this factual numerical inferiority to support his claim of unworthiness for such an honor.
• and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? (וּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי הַצְּעִרָה מִכָּל־מִשְׁפְּחוֹת שֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִן):
  • וּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי (ûmišpaḥtî): "And my family/clan." In Israelite society, family and clan connections were crucial for identity and status.
  • הַצְּעִירָה (haṣṣə‘îrâ): "The youngest/least/smallest." Saul's humility extends beyond his tribe to his specific clan, suggesting it held no particular distinction even within the relatively small tribe of Benjamin. This intensifies his self-perceived insignificance, presenting himself as a member of the "smallest within the smallest."
• why then speakest thou so to me? (וְלָמָּה דִבַּרְתָּ אֵלַי כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה):
  • וְלָמָּה (wəlāmâ): "And why?" Expresses genuine perplexity and bewilderment.
  • דִבַּרְתָּ (dibbārtā): "You spoke." This highlights the directness of Samuel's extraordinary words.
  • כַדָּבָר הַזֶּה (kaddābār hazzeh): "Like this word" or "such a thing." Refers to Samuel's grand implications of Saul's future prominence and desire of all Israel resting upon him. Saul is expressing his shock that such words could be directed at someone as seemingly insignificant as himself.

1 Samuel 9 21 Bonus section

• The irony in Saul's statement is profound: despite being the smallest tribe due to the judges-era war, Benjamin becomes the tribe that provides Israel's first king. This demonstrates God's ability to redeem and elevate even the most diminished.
• Saul's humility here echoes the pattern often seen in biblical figures whom God calls to leadership: an initial sense of inadequacy followed by God's reassurance and empowerment (e.g., Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah). This highlights that God chooses the willing and the humble, not necessarily the pre-qualified.
• This initial portrayal of Saul is significant for understanding the tragedy of his later reign. His initial humility is genuinely held, but it tragically gives way to self-reliance and disobedience, leading to his downfall. This contrast emphasizes the ongoing need for a humble and obedient heart, even after one has been divinely exalted.

1 Samuel 9 21 Commentary

1 Samuel 9:21 presents Saul's initial, unfeigned humility—a crucial character trait often sought by God for leadership. He sincerely views himself and his lineage as utterly unworthy of the exalted position Samuel is implying. This deep self-deprecation, rooted in the historical reality of Benjamin's near destruction and his own clan's apparent lack of distinction, starkly contrasts with the later decline of his character into pride and disobedience. God often chooses the obscure and lowly, not according to human criteria of strength, status, or prominence, but for His own purposes, demonstrating that divine power and blessing stem from Him alone. Saul's question reflects a genuine astonishment that God would select such an ordinary vessel for an extraordinary calling, a recurring theme throughout biblical history, as seen with figures like Moses or Gideon. It underscores God's sovereignty and His counter-intuitive methods of working in the world.