The Meaning of 1 Samuel 9:12 Explained

1 Samuel 9:12

KJV: And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:

YLT: And they answer them and say, 'He is; lo, before thee! haste, now, for to-day he hath come in to the city, for the people hath a stated sacrifice in a high place.

Darby: And they answered them and said, He is; behold, he is before thee: make haste now, for he came to-day to the city; for the people have a sacrifice to-day in the high place.

ASV: And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before thee: make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the people have a sacrifice to-day in the high place:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they answered  them, and said,  He is;  behold, [he is] before  you: make haste  now, for he came  to day  to the city;  for [there is] a sacrifice  of the people  to day  in the high place: 

What does 1 Samuel 9:12 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 9:1-14 - Saul Is Led To Find Samuel
As a king was demanded by the people, one was selected to suit their taste-"a choice young man, and a goodly!" But the king after God's own heart was selected for other qualities, 1 Samuel 16:7. Saul's character lacked important elements. His ignorance about Samuel was surprising; even his servant knew better. This did not promise well for a successful reign, Daniel 11:32 b.
But how should Saul and Samuel be brought together? A succession of trifling and ordinary events prove to be the links in the divinely constructed chain. The lost the prolonged search, the fear of the effect of anxiety upon Kish, the timely suggestion of the servant and his possession of a few coins which would serve as an introduction, the greeting of the young girls on their way to the well-what accidents they seem! Nay, but they are providences! All things work together to execute God's purpose. Nothing is too trivial to be part of the divine plan. Let us follow the indications of God's will-they lead to the waiting seat, the reserved portion, and the ultimate throne. [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 9:12 mean?

and they answered them and said there he is Yes of just ahead you Hurry now for today he came to the city because there is a sacrifice of today the people on the high place
וַתַּעֲנֶ֧ינָה אוֹתָ֛ם וַתֹּאמַ֥רְנָה יֵּ֖שׁ הִנֵּ֣ה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ מַהֵ֣ר ׀ עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֤י הַיּוֹם֙ בָּ֣א לָעִ֔יר כִּ֣י זֶ֧בַח הַיּ֛וֹם לָעָ֖ם בַּבָּמָֽה

וַתַּעֲנֶ֧ינָה  and  they  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
וַתֹּאמַ֥רְנָה  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יֵּ֖שׁ  there  he  is 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יֵשׁ  
Sense: being, existence, substance, there is or are.
הִנֵּ֣ה  Yes 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
לְפָנֶ֑יךָ  of  just  ahead  you 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מַהֵ֣ר ׀  Hurry 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: מָהַר  
Sense: (Qal) to hasten.
עַתָּ֗ה  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
הַיּוֹם֙  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
בָּ֣א  he  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לָעִ֔יר  to  the  city 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
כִּ֣י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
זֶ֧בַח  there  is  a  sacrifice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: sacrifice.
הַיּ֛וֹם  of  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
לָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בַּבָּמָֽה  on  the  high  place 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּמָה  
Sense: high place, ridge, height, bamah (technical name for cultic platform).