The Meaning of 1 Samuel 9:2 Explained

1 Samuel 9:2

KJV: And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

YLT: and he hath a son, and his name is Saul, a choice youth and goodly, and there is not a man among the sons of Israel goodlier than he -- from his shoulder and upward, higher than any of the people.

Darby: And he had a son whose name was Saul, choice and comely; and there was not among the children of Israel a comelier person than he; from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

ASV: And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young man and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he had a son,  whose name  [was] Saul,  a choice young man,  and a goodly:  and [there was] not among the children  of Israel  a goodlier  person  than he: from his shoulders  and upward  [he was] higher  than any of the people. 

What does 1 Samuel 9:2 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 9:2 mean?

And he had a son and whose name [was] Saul choice and handsome and [There was] not a person among the sons of Israel more handsome than he from his shoulders and upward [he was] higher than any of the people
וְלוֹ־ הָיָ֨ה בֵ֜ן וּשְׁמ֤וֹ שָׁאוּל֙ בָּח֣וּר וָט֔וֹב וְאֵ֥ין אִ֛ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל ט֣וֹב מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מִשִּׁכְמ֣וֹ וָמַ֔עְלָה גָּבֹ֖הַּ מִכָּל־ הָעָֽם

וְלוֹ־  And  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אַב  
Sense: father.
בֵ֜ן  a  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וּשְׁמ֤וֹ  and  whose  name 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
שָׁאוּל֙  [was]  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
בָּח֣וּר  choice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: youth, young man.
וָט֔וֹב  and  handsome 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
וְאֵ֥ין  and  [There  was]  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
אִ֛ישׁ  a  person 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִבְּנֵ֥י  among  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  of  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.
ט֣וֹב  more  handsome 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
מִמֶּ֑נּוּ  than  he 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
מִשִּׁכְמ֣וֹ  from  his  shoulders 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שְׁכֶם  
Sense: shoulder, back.
וָמַ֔עְלָה  and  upward 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: מַעַל 
Sense: higher part, upper part adv.
גָּבֹ֖הַּ  [he  was]  higher 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹהַּ  
Sense: high, exalted.
מִכָּל־  than  any 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָֽם  of  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.