KJV King James Version
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?
VERSE STUDY • KJV
1 Samuel 9:21
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?
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”
WEB World English Bible
Saul answered, “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 to me like this?”
ASV American Standard Version
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 to me after this manner?
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
And Saul answereth and saith, ‘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? and why hast thou spoken unto me according to this word?’
Surrounding context — 1 Samuel 9
18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house [is].
19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I [am] the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that [is] in thine heart.
20 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?
21 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?
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which [were] about thirty persons.
23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and [that] which [was] upon it, and set [it] before Saul. And [Samuel] said, Behold that which is left! set [it] before thee, [and] eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
וַיַּ֨עַןH6030 · unto dwellשָׁא֜וּלH7586 · sha.ulSaulוַיֹּ֗אמֶרH559 · a.marto sayהֲל֨וֹאH3808 · lonotבֶן־H1145 · ben-y.mi.niBenjaminiteיְמִינִ֤יH1145 · ben-y.mi.niBenjaminiteאָ֙נֹכִי֙H595 · a.no.khiIמִקַּטַנֵּי֙H6996 · qa.tansmallשִׁבְטֵ֣יH7626 · she.vettribe: staffיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לH3478 · yis.ra.elIsraelוּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי֙H4940 · mish.pa.chahfamilyהַצְּעִרָ֔הH6810 · tsa.irlittleמִכָּֽל־H3605 · kolallמִשְׁפְּח֖וֹתH4940 · mish.pa.chahfamilyשִׁבְטֵ֣יH7626 · she.vettribe: staffבִנְיָמִ֑ןH1144 · bin.ya.minBenjaminוְלָ֙מָּה֙H4100 · mahwhat?דִּבַּ֣רְתָּH1696 · da.varto speak: speakאֵלַ֔יH413 · elto(wards)כַּדָּבָ֖רH1697 · da.varwordהַזֶּֽה׃ סH2088 · zehthis
Cross-references
1 Samuel 15:17And Samuel said, When thou [wast] little in thine own sight, [wast] thou not [made] the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?Luke 14:11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.Ephesians 3:8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;Psalm 68:27There [is] little Benjamin [with] their ruler, the princes of Judah [and] their council, the princes of Zebulun, [and] the princes of Naphtali.Judges 20:46-48So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these [were] men of valour.1 Samuel 10:27But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.Hosea 13:1When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.1 Samuel 18:23And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you [a] light [thing] to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I [am] a poor man, and lightly esteemed?1 Samuel 18:18And David said unto Saul, Who [am] I? and what [is] my life, [or] my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?Judges 6:14-15And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on 1 Samuel 9:21
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →