1 Samuel 10:3

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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 Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

Complete Jewish Bible:

Go on from there, and you will come to the Oak of Tavor. Three men will meet you there on their way up to God at Beit-El. One of them will be carrying three kids, another three loaves of bread and the third a skin of wine.

Berean Standard Bible:

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.

American Standard Version:

Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meet thee there 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:

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Then shalt thou go on{H2498} forward{H1973} from thence, and thou shalt come{H935} to the plain{H436} of Tabor{H8396}, and there shall meet{H4672} thee three{H7969} men{H582} going up{H5927} to God{H430} to Bethel{H1008}, one{H259} carrying{H5375} three{H7969} kids{H1423}, and another{H259} carrying{H5375} three{H7969} loaves{H3603} of bread{H3899}, and another{H259} carrying{H5375} a bottle{H5035} of wine{H3196}:

Cross-References (KJV):

Genesis 35:1

  • ¶ And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

Genesis 35:3

  • And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

Genesis 28:22

  • And this stone, which I have set [for] a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Genesis 28:19

  • And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city [was called] Luz at the first.

Leviticus 1:10

  • ¶ And if his offering [be] of the flocks, [namely], of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.

Leviticus 3:6

  • ¶ And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD [be] of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

Joshua 19:12

  • And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the border of Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia,

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Commentary for 1 Samuel 10:3

1 Samuel 10:3 is part of the narrative where Samuel anoints Saul as the first king of Israel. This event marks a significant transition in Israel's history from a loose confederation of tribes led by judges to a more centralized monarchy. In the verse, Samuel provides Saul with a series of signs to confirm that God is with him and that his anointing is legitimate.

As Saul departs from Samuel, he is told to proceed to the plain of Tabor, where he will encounter three specific men. These men are on a pilgrimage to Bethel, indicating their religious devotion, as Bethel was an important worship center where the patriarch Jacob had encountered God. Each of the men carries items that are emblematic of worship and sacrifice: one has three young goats (likely for a burnt offering), another has three loaves of bread (a staple of life and a common element in sacrifices), and the third has a skin of wine (used in libations as part of worship rituals).

The encounter with these men is meant to reassure Saul. They will greet him and give him two loaves of bread, signifying divine provision and foreshadowing the sustenance God will provide for Saul's leadership. This passage emphasizes God's guidance and provision in the life of Saul and the transition of leadership in Israel. It also highlights the importance of signs and prophecy in confirming God's will, as well as the role of sacred places and rituals in the religious life of ancient Israel.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H2498
    There are 27 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: חָלַף
    Transliteration: châlaph
    Pronunciation: khaw-laf'
    Description: a primitive root; properly, to slide by, i.e. (by implication) to hasten away, pass on, spring up, pierce or change; abolish, alter, change, cut off, go on forward, grow up, be over, pass (away, on, through), renew, sprout, strike through.
  2. Strong's Number: H1973
    There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: הָלְאָה
    Transliteration: hâlᵉʼâh
    Pronunciation: haw-leh-aw'
    Description: xlit hâlᵉâh corrected to hâlᵉʼâh; from the primitive form of the article (hal); to the distance, i.e. far away; also (of time) thus far; back, beyond, (hence,-) forward, hitherto, thence, forth, yonder.
  3. Strong's Number: H935
    There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בּוֹא
    Transliteration: bôwʼ
    Pronunciation: bo
    Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.
  4. Strong's Number: H436
    There are 33 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֵלוֹן
    Transliteration: ʼêlôwn
    Pronunciation: ay-lone'
    Description: prolonged from אַיִל; an oak or other strong tree; plain. See also אֵילוֹן.
  5. Strong's Number: H8396
    There are 10 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: תָּבוֹר
    Transliteration: Tâbôwr
    Pronunciation: taw-bore'
    Description: from a root corresponding to תְּבַר; broken region; Tabor, a mountain in Palestine, also a city adjacent; Tabor.
  6. Strong's Number: H4672
    There are 425 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מָצָא
    Transliteration: mâtsâʼ
    Pronunciation: maw-tsaw'
    Description: a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present; [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
  7. Strong's Number: H7969
    There are 381 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׁלוֹשׁ
    Transliteration: shâlôwsh
    Pronunciation: shaw-loshe'
    Description: or שָׁלֹשׁ; masculine שְׁלוֹשָׁה; or שְׁלֹשָׁה; a primitive number; three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice; [phrase] fork, [phrase] often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, [phrase] thrice. Compare שָׁלִישׁ.
  8. Strong's Number: H582
    There are 648 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֱנוֹשׁ
    Transliteration: ʼĕnôwsh
    Pronunciation: en-oshe'
    Description: from אָנַשׁ; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified אָדָם); hence,; a man in general (singly or collectively); another, [idiom] (blood-) thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, [idiom] in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ([idiom] of them), [phrase] stranger, those, [phrase] their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word. Compare אִישׁ.
  9. Strong's Number: H5927
    There are 817 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עָלָה
    Transliteration: ʻâlâh
    Pronunciation: aw-law'
    Description: a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative; arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.
  10. Strong's Number: H430
    There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
    Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
    Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
    Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.
  11. Strong's Number: H1008
    There are 63 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בֵּית־אֵל
    Transliteration: Bêyth-ʼÊl
    Pronunciation: bayth-ale'
    Description: from בַּיִת and אֵל; house of God; Beth-El, a place in Palestine; Beth-el.
  12. Strong's Number: H259
    There are 801 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֶחָד
    Transliteration: ʼechâd
    Pronunciation: ekh-awd'
    Description: a numeral from אָחַד; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first; a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,
  13. Strong's Number: H5375
    There are 611 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָשָׂא
    Transliteration: nâsâʼ
    Pronunciation: naw-saw'
    Description: or נָסָה; (Psalm 4:6 (אֲבַד)), a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative; accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ([phrase] man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, [idiom] needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, [phrase] swear, take (away, up), [idiom] utterly, wear, yield.
  14. Strong's Number: H1423
    There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: גְּדִי
    Transliteration: gᵉdîy
    Pronunciation: ghed-ee'
    Description: from the same as גָּדָה; a young goat (from browsing); kid.
  15. Strong's Number: H3603
    There are 55 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: כִּכָּר
    Transliteration: kikkâr
    Pronunciation: kik-kawr'
    Description: from כָּרַר; a circle, i.e. (by implication) a circumjacent tract or region, especially the Ghor or valley of the Jordan; also a (round) loaf; also a talent (or large [round] coin); loaf, morsel, piece, plain, talent.
  16. Strong's Number: H3899
    There are 277 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: לֶחֶם
    Transliteration: lechem
    Pronunciation: lekh'-em
    Description: from לָחַם; See also בֵּית לְעַפְרָה; food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it); (shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals.
  17. Strong's Number: H5035
    There are 37 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נֶבֶל
    Transliteration: nebel
    Pronunciation: neh'-bel
    Description: or נֵבֶל; from נָבֵל; a skin-bag for liquids (from collapsing when empty); hence, a vase (as similar in shape when full); also a lyre (as having a body of like form); bottle, pitcher, psaltery, vessel, viol.
  18. Strong's Number: H3196
    There are 134 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יַיִן
    Transliteration: yayin
    Pronunciation: yah'-yin
    Description: from an unused root meaning to effervesce; wine (as fermented); by implication, intoxication; banqueting, wine, wine(-bibber).