Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, July 6th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

1 Samuel 9:20

And don't worry about the donkeys that you lost three days ago. They have been found. Now, there is something that everyone in Israel is looking for and that something is you and your family."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Prophets;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible Stories for Children;   Children;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Saul;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Kish;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Heart;   High Place;   Mind;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ass;   High Place, Sanctuary;   Israel;   Samuel;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - High Place;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - High Place;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
As for the donkeys that wandered away from you three days ago, don’t worry about them because they’ve been found. And who does all Israel desire but you and all your father’s family?”
Hebrew Names Version
As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don't set your mind on them; for they are found. For whom is all that is desirable in Yisra'el? Is it not for you, and for all your father's house?
King James Version
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?
Lexham English Bible
And as for your female donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be concerned about them, because they have been found. For whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not for you and for all the house of your father?"
English Standard Version
As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?"
New Century Version
Don't worry about the donkeys you lost three days ago, because they have been found. Soon all the wealth of Israel will belong to you and your family."
New English Translation
Don't be concerned about the donkeys that you lost three days ago, for they have been found. Whom does all Israel desire? Is it not you, and all your father's family?"
Amplified Bible
"As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not be concerned about them, for they have been found. And for whom are all things that are desirable in Israel? Are they not for you and for all your father's household (family)?"
New American Standard Bible
"And as for your donkeys that wandered off three days ago, do not be concerned about them, for they have been found. And for whom is everything that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's household?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And as for thine asses that were lost three dayes ago, care not for them: for they are founde. and on whom is set all the desire of Israel? is it not vpon thee and on all thy fathers house?
Legacy Standard Bible
As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's household?"
Contemporary English Version
Don't worry about your donkeys that ran off three days ago. They've already been found. Everything of value in Israel now belongs to you and your family."
Complete Jewish Bible
As for your donkeys that got lost three days ago, don't worry about them; they've been found. Now, who is it that all Isra'el wants? Isn't it you, and all your father's household?"
Darby Translation
And as for the asses that thou didst lose three days ago, set not thy heart on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel [set]? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?
George Lamsa Translation
And as for your asses that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found. And on whom is all the hope of the house of Israel? Is it not on you and on your fathers house?
Good News Translation
As for the donkeys that were lost three days ago, don't worry about them; they have already been found. But who is it that the people of Israel want so much? It is you—you and your father's family."
Literal Translation
And as to the asses which were lost to you three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not to you and to all the house of your father?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and as for the Asses which were lost thre dayes agoo, care not thou for them, for they are founde. And to whom shall belonge all that is pleasaunt in Israel? Shall it not belonge vnto the and to all thy fathers house?
American Standard Version
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house?
Bible in Basic English
As for your asses which have been wandering for three days, give no thought to them, for they have come back. And for whom are all the desired things in Israel? are they not for you and your father's family?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And as for thyne asses that were lost three dayes ago, care not for them, for they are founde: And whose shall the beawtiful thinges of Israel be? Belong they not to thee, and vnto all thy fathers house?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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?'
King James Version (1611)
And as for thine asses that were lost three dayes agoe, set not thy minde on them, for they are found: And on whom is all the desire of Israel? is it not on thee, & on all thy fathers house?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And concerning thine asses that have been lost now these three days, care not for them, for they are found. And to whom does the excellency of Israel belong? does it not to thee and to thy father’s house?
English Revised Version
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father’s house?
Berean Standard Bible
As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And upon whom is all the desire of Israel, if not upon you and on all your father's house?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And be thou not bisy of the femal assis, whiche thou lostist the thridde dai agoon, for tho ben foundun; and whose schulen be alle the beste thingis of Israel, whether not to thee, and to al the hows of thi fader?
Young's Literal Translation
As to the asses which are lost to thee this day three days, set not thy heart to them, for they have been found; and to whom [is] all the desire of Israel?' is it not to thee and to all thy father's house?'
Update Bible Version
And as for your donkeys being lost now these three days, don't set your mind on them; for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you, and for all your father's house?
Webster's Bible Translation
And as for thy 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?
World English Bible
As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don't set your mind on them; for they are found. For whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you, and for all your father's house?
New King James Version
But as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not be anxious about them, for they have been found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father's house?"
New Living Translation
And don't worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel's hopes."
New Life Bible
Do not worry about your donkeys which were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And for whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?"
New Revised Standard
As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, give no further thought to them, for they have been found. And on whom is all Israel's desire fixed, if not on you and on all your ancestral house?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, as for the asses that went astray from thee three days ago, do not regard them, for they are found, - but to whom belongeth all that is desirable in Israel? is it not to thee, and to all the house of thy father?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And as for the asses, which were lost three days ago, be not solicitous, because they are found. And for whom shall be all the best things of Israel? Shall they not be for thee and for all thy father’s house?
Revised Standard Version
As for your asses that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's household?"

Contextual Overview

18 Saul went up to a man near the gate to ask directions. This man just happened to be Samuel. Saul said, "Excuse me. Could you tell me where the seer's house is?" 19 Samuel answered, "I am the seer. Go on up ahead of me to the place for worship. You and your servant will eat with me today. I will let you go home tomorrow morning. I will answer all your questions. 20 And don't worry about the donkeys that you lost three days ago. They have been found. Now, there is something that everyone in Israel is looking for and that something is you and your family." 21 Saul answered, "But I am a member of the tribe of Benjamin. It is the smallest tribe in Israel. And my family is the smallest in the tribe of Benjamin. Why do you say Israel wants me?" 22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant to the eating area. About 30 people had been invited to eat together and share the sacrifice. Samuel gave Saul and his servant the most important place at the table. 23 Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the meat I gave you. It is the share I told you to save." 24 The cook brought out the thigh and put it on the table in front of Saul. Samuel said, "Eat the meat that was put in front of you. It was saved for you for this special time when I called the people together." So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 After they finished eating, they came down from the place for worship and went back to town. Samuel made a bed for Saul on the roof, 26 and Saul went to sleep. Early the next morning, Samuel shouted to Saul on the roof and said, "Get up. I will send you on your way." Saul got up and went out of the house with Samuel. 27 Saul, his servant, and Samuel were walking together near the edge of town. Samuel said to Saul, "Tell your servant to go on ahead of us. I have a message for you from God." So the servant walked ahead of them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

three days ago: Heb. to-day three days, 1 Samuel 9:3

set not: 1 Samuel 4:20, *marg. 1 Chronicles 29:3, Psalms 62:10, Colossians 3:2

on whom: 1 Samuel 8:5, 1 Samuel 8:19, 1 Samuel 12:13, 1 Samuel 12:15

Reciprocal: Proverbs 25:6 - in the presence Luke 1:29 - what

Cross-References

Genesis 3:23
So the Lord God forced the man out of the Garden of Eden to work the ground he was made from.
Genesis 4:2
Eve gave birth again to Cain's brother Abel. Abel became a shepherd, and Cain became a farmer.
Genesis 5:29
Lamech named his son Noah. Lamech said, "We work very hard as farmers because God cursed the ground. But Noah will bring us rest."
Genesis 9:18
Noah's sons came out of the boat with him. Their names were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.)
Genesis 9:19
These three men were Noah's sons. And all the people on earth came from these three sons.
Genesis 9:24
Later, Noah woke up. (He was sleeping because of the wine.) When he learned what his youngest son Ham had done to him,
Genesis 9:26
Noah also said, "May the Lord , the God of Shem, be praised! May Canaan be Shem's slave.
Deuteronomy 20:6
Is there any man here who has planted a vineyard but has not yet gathered any of the grapes? That man should go back home. If that man dies in the battle, someone else will enjoy the fruit from his field.
Deuteronomy 28:30
"You will be engaged to a woman, but another man will have sexual relations with her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not gather anything from it.
Proverbs 10:11
The words of good people are like a spring of fresh water, but the words of the wicked only hide their violent plans.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago,.... Which, according to Kimchi, is to be understood not of the time from whence they were lost, but to be reckoned from the time that Saul had been seeking of them; so the Targum,

"as to the business of the asses, which are lost to thee, and thou art come to seek them today, these three days:''

though it is probable enough that the same day they were lost Saul set out to seek them, Now Samuel telling him of the asses that were lost, and of the time of their being lost, or of his seeking them, so exactly, before ever he said a word to him about them, must at once convince him that he was a true prophet, and which must prepare him to give credit to all that he should hereafter say to him:

set not thy mind on them, for they are found; of the truth of which he could not doubt, after he had said the above words; and which he said to make his mind easy, that he might the more cheerfully attend the feast, and be the more willing to stay all night:

and on whom is all the desire of Israel? which was to have a king; in this they were unanimous, and who so fit and proper as Saul, it is intimated, whom Samuel knew God had chosen and appointed to be king over them?

is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house? not that the Israelites had their eye on Saul, and their desire after him to be their king, though he was such an one as they wished for; but that as this desire of theirs was granted, it would issue and terminate in him and his family; he should be advanced to the throne, which would be attended with the promotion of his father's house, as Abner particularly, who was his uncle's son, and was made the general of the army.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 9:20. As for thine asses — Thus he shows him that he knew what was in his heart, God having previously revealed these things to Samuel.

And on whom is all the desire of Israel? — Saul understood this as implying that he was chosen to be king.


 
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