1 Samuel 10:3

Then you will go on from there until you come to the Oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Samuel tells Saul to travel from Gibeah toward the Oak of Tabor, where three men returning from Bethel will meet him with specific provisions. This instruction follows Saul’s anointing and serves as a practical sign to confirm his new role as king.

The words — The Hebrew חָלַפְתָּ (cha.laf.Ta) means "you will pass on" or "go on from there," directing movement toward the Oak of Tabor (אֵלֹן תָּבֹר, 'e.Lon ta.Vor).

The thread — The destination Bethel appears in Genesis 28:22; 35:1; 35:3 as a site where Jacob set up a pillar and built an altar to God.

Why it lands — The text records a precise route and a meeting with three men carrying goats, bread, and wine, requiring the reader to note how God uses tangible, sequential details to authenticate a leader’s call.

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

וְחָלַפְתָּ֨ve./cha.laf.Taand/ you will pass on מִשָּׁ֜םmi./Shamfrom/ there וָהָ֗לְאָהva./Hal.'ahand/ beyond וּבָ֙אתָ֙u./Va.taand/ you will come עַד־'ad-to אֵל֣וֹן'e.Lon[the] great tree of תָּב֔וֹרta.VorTabor וּמְצָא֤וּךָu./me.tza.'U./khaand/ they will find/ you שָּׁם֙shamthere שְׁלֹשָׁ֣הshe.lo.Shahthree אֲנָשִׁ֔ים'a.na.Shimmen עֹלִ֥ים'o.Limgoing up אֶל־'el-to הָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha./'E.lo.Him<the>/ God בֵּֽית־beit-Beth-אֵ֑ל'El-el אֶחָ֞ד'e.Chadone נֹשֵׂ֣א׀no.Se'[will be] carrying שְׁלֹשָׁ֣הshe.lo.Shahthree גְדָיִ֗יםge.da.Yimkids וְאֶחָד֙ve./'e.Chadand/ one נֹשֵׂ֗אno.Se'[will be] carrying שְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙she.Lo.shetthree כִּכְּר֣וֹתki.ke.Rotround loaves of לֶ֔חֶםLe.chembread וְאֶחָ֥דve./'e.Chadand/ one נֹשֵׂ֖אno.Se'[will be] carrying נֵֽבֶל־ne.vel-a skin of יָֽיִן׃Ya.yinwine

King James Version

Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Beth–el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

Cross-references

Genesis 28:22 And this stone I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give You a tenth.”
Genesis 35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”
Genesis 35:3 Then let us arise and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to God, who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.”
Genesis 28:19 and he called that place Bethel, though previously the city had been named Luz.
Genesis 35:6 So Jacob and everyone with him arrived in Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan.
Leviticus 1:10 If, however, one’s offering is a burnt offering from the flock—from the sheep or goats—he is to present an unblemished male.
Leviticus 3:6 If, however, one’s peace offering to the LORD is from the flock, he must present a male or female without blemish.
Leviticus 3:12 If one’s offering is a goat, he is to present it before the LORD.
Leviticus 7:13 Along with his peace offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of leavened bread.
Leviticus 23:13 along with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil—a food offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter hin of wine.

Places named

Bethel 1