Bible Strands
1 Samuel 10:27
But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Following Saul’s public acclamation and departure to Gibeah, unnamed worthless men question his capacity to deliver them and openly refuse to bring him gifts, while Saul maintains silence regarding their rejection.
The words — The text records בְלִיַּ֣עַל (beliyya‘al) as worthlessness and וַ/יִּבְזֻ֕/הוּ (va-yizzuhu) as and they despised him, marking the verbal and social rejection of the newly anointed leader.
The thread — Deuteronomy 13:13 warns that worthless men arise to lead others astray, while 1 Kings 10:25 and 2 Chronicles 17:5 contrast Saul’s experience with kings who secured their rule through regular tribute and divine establishment.
Why it lands — It requires the reader to observe that divine appointment frequently meets immediate political resistance, and that legitimate authority sometimes responds to open contempt with restraint rather than retaliation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
But 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.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 13:13 that wicked men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” (which you have not known),
- 1 Kings 10:25 Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
- 2 Chronicles 17:5 So the LORD established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him tribute, so that he had an abundance of riches and honor.
- 1 Samuel 2:12 Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD
- 1 Kings 4:21 And Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
- 2 Chronicles 13:7 Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.
- Matthew 27:12 And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.
- Acts 7:35 This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
- 2 Samuel 8:2 David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
- 2 Samuel 20:1 Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”