1 Samuel 9 25

1 Samuel 9:25 kjv

And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

1 Samuel 9:25 nkjv

When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the top of the house.

1 Samuel 9:25 niv

After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house.

1 Samuel 9:25 esv

And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep.

1 Samuel 9:25 nlt

When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there.

1 Samuel 9 verses

1 Samuel 9 25 Meaning

1 Samuel 9:25 describes the final preparations for Saul's anointing as king. After a communal meal at the high place, Samuel and Saul descend to Samuel's home city. The verse highlights a crucial, private conversation between Samuel and Saul that takes place on the flat roof of Samuel's house. This private setting underscores the intimate and significant nature of the revelations Samuel is about to impart to Saul, preceding the public declaration of his kingship. It signifies a transition from communal activity to personal, divinely guided instruction regarding his future role.

1 Samuel 9 25 Context

1 Samuel 9 begins with Saul's search for his father's lost donkeys, a seemingly mundane task divinely orchestrated to bring him to Samuel. Samuel, having already been privately informed by the LORD the day before that a man from Benjamin would arrive to be anointed as king, was prepared for Saul. The chapter describes Saul's unexpected elevation at a local feast held at a "high place," where Samuel publicly honored him by giving him the choicest portion of the meal. This act of honor established Samuel's prophetic authority and set Saul apart. Verse 25 occurs just before Samuel is to reveal Saul's divine appointment and anoint him as Israel's first king. It marks the culmination of the journey and the quiet preparation for a monumental shift in Israel's history from a tribal confederacy led by judges to a monarchy.

1 Samuel 9 25 Word analysis

• And when they came down: The Hebrew Va-yerdu (וַיֵּרְדוּ) signifies a movement from an elevated position to a lower one. Here, from the "high place" of worship and feasting, where Samuel had publicly honored Saul, to the "city" of Ramah. This descent symbolizes a transition from the public, ritual setting to a more private, residential context.
• from the high place: Hebrew mi-habamah (מֵהַבָּמָה). In this early period, "high places" (Bamah, plural: Bamot) were common local sites of worship and sacrifice in Israel. They were not inherently condemned until much later in Israel's history (e.g., in the monarchic period), when they became associated with pagan worship or unauthorized Israelite cult practices outside of the central sanctuary (cf. 1 Kgs 11:7, 2 Kgs 23:8). Here, it is simply the place where Samuel held a communal feast and sacrifice.
• into the city: Hebrew el ha'ir (אֶל־הָעִיר). This refers to Ramah, Samuel's hometown and residence (1 Sam 7:17). The shift indicates a move from the consecrated or public space of worship to a more personal and private domain, essential for the significant communication that is about to occur.
• Samuel spoke with Saul: Hebrew Va-yedaber Shmuel im Sha'ul (וַיְדַבֵּר שְׁמוּאֵל עִם־שָׁאוּל). This phrase emphasizes a direct, personal, and formal conversation. Samuel, as the prophet and God's messenger, is about to impart divinely ordained instructions and revelations to Saul, concerning his destiny as king. The intimacy of "speaking with" rather than simply "informing" implies profound counsel.
• upon the top of the house: Hebrew al gag habayit (עַל־גַּג הַבַּיִת). In ancient Israel, house roofs were flat and used for various activities: storage, sleeping, cool air, or contemplation. Critically, it was also a place of privacy, elevation, and quietude, conducive for significant, often private, conversations or receiving divine revelations (cf. Acts 10:9 for Peter's vision). This specific setting reinforces the confidentiality and weighty importance of the discussion between Samuel and Saul. It provided an unobserved, intimate space necessary for the prophet to prepare the future king mentally and spiritually before his anointing.

1 Samuel 9 25 Bonus section

The deliberate staging of Samuel's private conversation with Saul on the "top of the house" draws a strong parallel with other biblical instances of significant private revelation. For example, Peter receives his pivotal vision concerning clean and unclean foods (Acts 10) while praying on a housetop. This motif suggests that elevated, private spaces can be conduits for direct divine communication, fostering a sense of solemnity and importance for the recipient. Moreover, the contrast between the public feasting at the high place and the private conversation at the rooftop highlights the duality of sacred ritual in Israel: communal worship followed by personal, prophetic instruction, where God's specific will is revealed to His chosen one. The journey down from the high place into the city, then ascending to the roof, illustrates a progression from outward observances to inward preparation, critical for the weight of kingship Saul was about to receive.

1 Samuel 9 25 Commentary

1 Samuel 9:25 sets the stage for one of the most pivotal moments in Israelite history – the transition to monarchy. The meticulous narrative of Saul and Samuel's actions, from the high place feast to their private rooftop conversation, underscores divine intentionality. The shift from a public meal, where Saul was honored, to a secluded, intimate discussion on a rooftop, is critical. This private setting allows for focused, unhindered instruction, preparing Saul for the immense burden of leadership. Samuel, acting as God's instrument, could convey truths, provide warnings, and bestow the necessary spiritual charge away from curious eyes, emphasizing the sacred and solemn nature of the anointing that would soon follow. This intimacy speaks to the Lord's method of raising leaders—often through quiet, personal revelations and teachings before public presentation, ensuring they are truly called and spiritually prepared. It portrays the prophetic word as coming in moments of solitude and focus, shaping the heart and mind of God's chosen one before he steps into his destined role.