1 Samuel 10:12
in 1 Samuel 10Then a man who lived there replied, “And who is their father?” So the saying became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And one of the same place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
KJV
And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
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This verse in 1 Samuel 10
Commentary
9 notes on this verseBut who is their father? - The Septuagint, in its principal editions, adds ου Κεις; is it not Kish? This makes the sense more complete.
This site's exposition
a group of prophets met him
on 1 Samuel 10:10-13
Saul prophesies among the prophets exactly as the sign promised. Onlookers ask, “Is Saul also among the prophets”, and a local man's reply, “And who is their father”, makes the question a proverb. The question returns at 19:24, when the Spirit drives him to strip and lie prophesying all day and night, so the proverb brackets his reign between one meaning and its reversal.
This site's exposition
Then a man who lived there replied
The man's question about the prophets' father has two readings. John Wesley takes the father for God, who inspires every prophet and can inspire Saul. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown note that the Septuagint reads his father, and Adam Clarke that it adds the name of Kish.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 4, Chapter 5 · Written before 604.
proposed
27. What is it that up to this point it was said of Saul alone: "What has happened to the son of Kish?" And now, as if concerning many, the answer is given: "And who is their father?" But if this is understood according to history, it can in no way stand. It remains therefore that the meaning which is taken from the letter must be sought in spiritual signification. When therefore it is said: "Who is their father?" not only Saul prophesying is considered, but that entire company of prophets.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Though this school of the prophets was near his father's house, yet he had never associated with them, nor shown them any respect, perhaps had sometimes spoken slightly of them; and now to see him prophesying among them was a surprise to them, as it was long after when his namesake, in the New Testament, preached that gospel which he had before persecuted, Acts ix.
Who is, &c. - Who is the father of all these prophets, among whom Saul now is one? Who is it that instructs and inspires them but God? They have it not from their parents, nor from their education, but by inspiration from God, who, when he pleaseth, can inspire Saul, or any other man with the same skill.
And one of the same place answered, and said,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But who is their father?--The Septuagint reads, "Who is his father?" referring to Saul the son of Kish.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But who is their father - This is a very obscure phrase. If by “father” be intended the head or leader (compare 1Ch 25:6; 2Ki 2:12) of the prophets, the question means: “What kind of leader can they have to admit such a person as Saul into the company?” Some versions read “Who is his father?” in the sense: “Who would have expected Kish to have a son among the prophets?” (Compare Mat 13:54-55.)
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּ֨עַן | vaiyaan | and he answered | H6030 → | 331 times |
| אִ֥ישׁ | ʾish | a man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מִשָּׁ֛ם | misham | from there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| וַיֹּ֖אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| וּמִ֣י | umi | and who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| אֲבִיהֶ֑ם | ʾavihem | [is] father their | H1 → | 1212 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | there- | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כֵּן֙ | ken | -fore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| הָיְתָ֣ה | hayetah | it became | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְמָשָׁ֔ל | lemashal | <into> a proverb | H4912 → | |
| הֲגַ֥ם | hagam | ¿ also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| שָׁא֖וּל | shaul | [is] Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| בַּנְּבִאִֽים׃ | baneviim | among the prophets | H5030 → | 314 times |
וַיַּ֨עַןand he answered
vaiyaanH6030 →331 times
אִ֥ישׁa man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מִשָּׁ֛םfrom there
mishamH8033 →834 times
וַיֹּ֖אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
וּמִ֣יand who?
umiH4310 →423 times
אֲבִיהֶ֑ם[is] father their
ʾavihemH1 →1212 times
עַל־there-
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כֵּן֙-fore
kenH3651 →771 times
הָיְתָ֣הit became
hayetahH1961 →3559 times
לְמָשָׁ֔ל<into> a proverb
lemashalH4912 →
הֲגַ֥ם¿ also
hagamH1571 →769 times
שָׁא֖וּל[is] Saul
shaulH7586 →402 times
בַּנְּבִאִֽים׃among the prophets
baneviimH5030 →314 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 1:17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
it leads to
- John 3:27
John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
- Matthew 7:11
So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
- Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
- John 3:27
Through
John 6:45It is written in the Prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from Him comes to Me—
it leads to
- Isaiah 54:13
Then all your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their prosperity.
- Jeremiah 31:33–34
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And…
- Hebrews 10:16
“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”
- Isaiah 54:13
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 4, Chapter 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.