The Meaning of 1 Samuel 10:27 Explained

1 Samuel 10:27

KJV: 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.

YLT: and the sons of worthlessness have said, 'What! this one doth save us!' and they despise him, and have not brought to him a present; and he is as one deaf.

Darby: But the children of Belial said, How should this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no gifts. But he was as one deaf.

ASV: But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

What does 1 Samuel 10:27 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 10:14-27 - The People Have Their Desire
Samuel dealt faithfully with the people, reminding them once more of their guilty mistake in demanding a king; and indeed they came to rue their choice. But as they would have it, so it was ordered. We may well ask God not to give us what we desire so earnestly, except as it accords with His purposes of love and wisdom. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. Sometimes we know His will, at other times we have to confide in it blindly.
Saul's modesty was very commendable. There were many beautiful traits in his character in those early days, but, as we shall see, all the music was finally silenced when that terrible monster jealousy stole into his heart. Among other evidences of a naturally noble disposition was his determination not to heed the detracting voices which challenged his elevation to the throne. Note the r.v. margin of 1 Samuel 10:27 -"he was as though he were deaf." It was both wise and magnanimous. So for us all. When we are sure that we are in the line of God's purpose, and sincerely desire to do His will, we may be deaf to all other voices. "Fret not thyself because of evil-doers!" See Psalms 37:1-40. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Samuel 10

1  Samuel anoints Saul
2  He confirms him by prediction of three signs
9  Saul's heart is changed, and he prophesies
14  He conceals the matter of the kingdom from his uncle
17  Saul is chosen at Mizpeh by lot
26  The different affections of his subjects

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 10:27 mean?

But [some] sons of Belial said how can save us this [man] so they despised him and no brought him presents But he held his peace -
וּבְנֵ֧י בְלִיַּ֣עַל אָמְר֗וּ מַה־ יֹּשִׁעֵ֙נוּ֙ זֶ֔ה וַיִּבְזֻ֕הוּ וְלֹֽא־ הֵבִ֥יאוּ ל֖וֹ מִנְחָ֑ה וַיְהִ֖י כְּמַחֲרִֽישׁ פ

וּבְנֵ֧י  But  [some]  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְלִיַּ֣עַל  of  Belial 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּלִיַּעַל  
Sense: worthlessness.
אָמְר֗וּ  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מַה־  how 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
יֹּשִׁעֵ֙נוּ֙  can  save  us 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: יָשַׁע 
Sense: to save, be saved, be delivered.
זֶ֔ה  this  [man] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וַיִּבְזֻ֕הוּ  so  they  despised  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּזָה 
Sense: to despise, hold in contempt, disdain.
וְלֹֽא־  and  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הֵבִ֥יאוּ  brought 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
מִנְחָ֑ה  presents 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
וַיְהִ֖י  But  he  held 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְּמַחֲרִֽישׁ  his  peace 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָרַשׁ 
Sense: to cut in, plough, engrave, devise.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation