Bible Strands
1 Samuel 9:6
“Look,” said the servant, “in this city there is a man of God who is highly respected; everything he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now. Perhaps he will tell us which way to go.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The unnamed servant addresses Saul as they stand in the land of Zuph after searching for the donkeys. He proposes visiting a local prophet to resolve their uncertainty about the missing animals and their return journey.
The words — The phrase אִישׁ אֱלֹהִים ('ish 'Elohim), rendered "man of God," identifies the city figure the servant recommends. The interjection הִנֵּה (hi.neh) introduces this observation with immediate attention.
The thread — This designation appears in Deuteronomy 33:1 for Moses, 1 Kings 13:1 for a Judahite prophet confronting Jeroboam, and 1 Timothy 6:11 where the epistle addresses Timothy. The term marks individuals recognized as divine spokespersons across different biblical eras.
Why it lands — The text directs attention to a specific person whose words carry reliable authority, requiring the reader to evaluate claims of divine guidance against observable outcomes. It asks the reader to recognize that seeking direction requires identifying and trusting the established witness.
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
And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 13:1 Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD.
- Deuteronomy 33:1 This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death.
- 1 Timothy 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
- 1 Samuel 2:27 Then a man of God came to Eli and told him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to your father’s house when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh’s house?
- 1 Samuel 3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and He let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.
- 2 Kings 6:6 “Where did it fall?” asked the man of God. And when he showed him the place, the man of God cut a stick, threw it there, and made the iron float.
- Isaiah 44:26 who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’
- Zechariah 1:5 Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever?
- Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed.