1 Samuel 9

1 Samuel 9

Meyer - Behold, there is in this city a man of God. There is a street in London, near St. Paul’s, which I never traverse without very peculiar feelings. It is Godliman Street. Evidently the name is a corruption of godly man. Did some saint of God once live here, whose life was so holy as to give a sweet savor to the very street in which he dwelt? Were the neighbors who knew him best, the most sure of his godliness? Would that our piety might leave its mark on our neighborhoods, and the memory linger long after we have passed away! A generation or two ago in the Highlands, there were earnest and holy men who were known by the significant title of the men. No great religious gathering was deemed complete without them. Their prayers and exhortations were accompanied by an especial unction. In such manner Samuel’s godliness was recognized far and wide. The fragrance of his character could not be concealed. And this gave men confidence in him. They said, “He is an honorable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass.” How much credit redounds to godliness, when it is combined with trustworthiness and high credit amongst our fellows! Let us seek to be God’s men and women. Let us live not only soberly and righteously, but godly, in this present world. Let us remember that God hath set apart the godly for Himself. The godly are the godlike. They become so by cultivating the fellowship and friendship of God. Their faces become enlightened with His beauty; their words are weighty with His truth. After being for a little in their company, you detect the gravity, serenity, gentleness, beauty of holiness, which are the court manners of heaven. 1 Samuel 9:7 Then Saul said to his servant, "But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?" BGT 1 Samuel 9:7 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ τῷ παιδαρίῳ αὐτοῦ τῷ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰδοὺ πορευσόμεθα καὶ τί οἴσομεν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι οἱ ἄρτοι ἐκλελοίπασιν ἐκ τῶν ἀγγείων ἡμῶν καὶ πλεῖον οὐκ ἔστιν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν εἰσενεγκεῖν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ ὑπάρχον ἡμῖν KJV 1 Samuel 9:7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? NET 1 Samuel 9:7 So Saul said to his servant, "All right, we can go. But what can we bring the man, since the food in our bags is used up? We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?" CSB 1 Samuel 9:7 "Suppose we do go," Saul said to his attendant, "what do we take the man? The food from our packs is gone, and there's no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?" ESV 1 Samuel 9:7 Then Saul said to his servant, "But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?" NIV 1 Samuel 9:7 Saul said to his servant, "If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?" NLT 1 Samuel 9:7 "But we don't have anything to offer him," Saul replied. "Even our food is gone, and we don't have a thing to give him." NRS 1 Samuel 9:7 Then Saul replied to the boy, "But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What have we?" what shall: Jdg 6:18 13:15-17 1Ki 14:3 2Ki 4:42 5:5 8:8 1 Samuel 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries NOTHING TO BRING TO THE PROPHET Then Saul said to his servant, "But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? - Saul seems to feel you must take the man of God a present. Does he mean to imply we then can merit his prophetic insight regarding the location of the donkeys? It's hard to say for sure, but apparently others took gifts to Samuel and that would make sense as he would need some way to maintain a standard of living. On the other hand Samuel was not charging fees for fortunes, like some fake fortune teller. Treasury of Scripture note - We are not to suppose from this that the prophets took money to predict future events: Saul only refers to an invariable custom, that no man approached a superior without some present or another, however small in value....Presents then are tokens of honour; not intended as offers of payment or enrichment. For the bread is gone from our sack and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?" - They were out of food.