1 Samuel 10:12
◄  1 Samuel 10:12  ►
New International Version (©2011)
A man who lived there answered, "And who is their father?" So it became a saying: "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

New Living Translation (©2007)
And one of those standing there said, "Can anyone become a prophet, no matter who his father is?" So that is the origin of the saying "Is even Saul a prophet?"

English Standard Version (©2001)
And a man of the place answered, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
A man there said, "Now, who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb: "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Then a man who was from there asked, "And who is their father?" As a result, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" became a popular saying.

International Standard Version (©2012)
A man from there answered: "Now who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

NET Bible (©2006)
A man who was from there replied, "And who is their father?" Therefore this became a proverb: "Is even Saul among the prophets?"

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
But a man from that place asked, "But who's the chief prophet?" So it became a proverb: "Is Saul one of the prophets?"

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

American King James Version
And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

American Standard Version
And one of the same place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And one answered another, saying: And who is their father? therefore it became a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets?

Darby Bible Translation
And a man of that place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

English Revised Version
And one of the same place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

Webster's Bible Translation
And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

World English Bible
One of the same place answered, "Who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

Young's Literal Translation
And a man thence answereth and saith, 'And who is their father?' therefore it hath been for a simile, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:9-16 The signs Samuel had given Saul, came to pass punctually; he found that God had given him another heart, another disposition of mind. Yet let not an outward show of devotion, and a sudden change for the present, be too much relied on; Saul among the prophets was Saul still. His being anointed was kept private. He leaves it to God to carry on his own work by Samuel, and sits still, to see how the matter will fall.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - One of the same place - i.e. Gibeah - answered and said, But who is their father? The Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read, But who is his father? But this would be a foolish reply to the question, "What has happened to the son of Kish?" The meaning rather must be, You ask about the son of Kish; but what has birth to do with prophecy? None of these young men have inherited these gifts, and if Saul can take part in their prophesyings, why should he not? Kish, his father, is no worse than theirs. Is Saul also among the prophets? Under very different circumstances Saul once again took part in the exercises of these youthful prophets (1 Samuel 19:24), and evidently on both occasions with such skill and success as prove the readiness of his genius; and so struck were the people at the strange power which he thus evinced, that their expression of wonder became fixed in the national mind as a proverb. Saul was a man of great natural ability, and yet not the sort of person whom the people expected would be made king. He probably could neither read nor write, and from his extreme height was perhaps awkward and bashful; as he suffered afterwards from fits of insanity (1 Samuel 16:14), he may always have been flighty and wilful; and altogether, though possessed of marvellous gifts, was certainly the very opposite of Samuel's well trained and orderly scholars.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And one of the same place answered, and said,.... One of the same city, and in the same company, that expressed their admiration at what was come to Saul, and at what he did, and wondering how he came into such company, and to have such a gift, who was of so mean an education:

but who is their father? the father of the prophets; their fathers were not prophets, no more than Saul's was; their Father that taught them is the Lord, and he was able to teach Saul, and bestow on him the gift of prophecy, as well as on them; and so the Targum, who is their master or teacher; for though they might have an undermaster or teacher, as Samuel, or another prophet, yet their chief teacher was God; who could and did give men the gift of prophecy, and even in the highest sense, who had neither prophets for their fathers, nor were indeed trained up in any of the schools of the prophets, which was the case of Amos:

therefore it became a proverb, is Saul also among the prophets? that when a person of a mean parentage, and of a low life and education, was raised up to any degree of dignity in sacred and civil things, they used to apply this proverbial expression to him, or speak of him in this manner, is Saul among the prophets?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

12. But who is their father?—The Septuagint reads, "Who is his father?" referring to Saul the son of Kish.

1 Samuel 10:12 Parallel Commentaries

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Samuel's Signs Fulfilled
…11And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? 12And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? 13And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. …

1 Samuel 10:13 After Saul stopped prophesying, he went to the high place.
1 Samuel 19:23 So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth.
1 Samuel 19:24 He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel's presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"