The Meaning of 1 Samuel 9:16 Explained

1 Samuel 9:16

KJV: To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

YLT: At this time tomorrow, I send unto thee a man out of the land of Benjamin -- and thou hast anointed him for leader over My people Israel, and he hath saved My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen My people, for its cry hath come in unto Me.'

Darby: To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him prince over my people Israel; and he will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

ASV: To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

To morrow  about this time  I will send  thee a man  out of the land  of Benjamin,  and thou shalt anoint  him [to be] captain  over my people  Israel,  that he may save  my people  out of the hand  of the Philistines:  for I have looked  upon my people,  because their cry  is come  unto me. 

What does 1 Samuel 9:16 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 9:15-27 - The Prophet Meets The Coming King
There are some favored souls to whom God reveals His secrets, Psalms 25:14; John 15:15. Covet, above all things, that habitual nearness to God in which God may speak as a man to His friend. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him; but He reveals them by His Spirit. Even when Samuel encountered Saul in the street, Samuel's guidance by God continued, 1 Samuel 9:17. His fellowship with the Eternal was like a deep-flowing current; his meeting with Saul a leaf dropped on its surface.
The prophet did not meet the young man as a rival. The life which is lived in God's presence is so filled with His light and His love that it is not disturbed by the fickle fancies of the crowd. Samuel was quite ready to be abased and to see another exalted, if God willed it, Philippians 4:12. It is good, when we are in partnership with God, to allow Him, at the critical moment, to send the man or woman whom He has selected. "Tomorrow"¦ I will send thee a man." Such may come on quite another errand, but God will give us divine guidance and discernment, so that we may be ready to receive and welcome Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 9

1  Saul despairing to find his father's donkeys
6  by the counsel of his servant
11  and direction of young maidens
15  according to God's revelation
18  comes to Samuel
19  Samuel entertains Saul at the feast
25  Samuel, after secret communication, brings Saul on his way

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 9:16 mean?

about the time Tomorrow I will send you A man from the land of Benjamin and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel that he may save - from the hand of the Philistines For I have looked upon My people because has come their cry to me
כָּעֵ֣ת ׀ מָחָ֡ר אֶשְׁלַח֩ אֵלֶ֨יךָ אִ֜ישׁ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ בִּנְיָמִ֗ן וּמְשַׁחְתּ֤וֹ לְנָגִיד֙ עַל־ עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ אֶת־ מִיַּ֣ד פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים כִּ֤י רָאִ֙יתִי֙ עַמִּ֔י כִּ֛י בָּ֥אָה צַעֲקָת֖וֹ אֵלָֽי

כָּעֵ֣ת ׀  about  the  time 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
מָחָ֡ר  Tomorrow 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מָחָר  
Sense: tomorrow, in time to come, in the future.
אֶשְׁלַח֩  I  will  send 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אִ֜ישׁ  A  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מֵאֶ֣רֶץ  from  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
בִּנְיָמִ֗ן  of  Benjamin 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּנְיָמִין 
Sense: Jacob’s and Rachel’s youngest son, Joseph’s full brother.
וּמְשַׁחְתּ֤וֹ  and  you  shall  anoint  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: מָשַׁח  
Sense: to smear, anoint, spread a liquid.
לְנָגִיד֙  commander 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָגִיד  
Sense: leader, ruler, captain, prince.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עַמִּ֣י  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ  that  he  may  save 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִיַּ֣ד  from  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים  of  the  Philistines 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: פְּלִשְׁתִּי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan.
רָאִ֙יתִי֙  I  have  looked  upon 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
עַמִּ֔י  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
כִּ֛י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בָּ֥אָה  has  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
צַעֲקָת֖וֹ  their  cry 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צְעָקָה  
Sense: cry, outcry.
אֵלָֽי  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).