Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. New Living Translation When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there. English Standard Version And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep. Berean Standard Bible And after they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house. King James Bible And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. New King James Version When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the top of the house. New American Standard Bible When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. NASB 1995 When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. NASB 1977 When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. Legacy Standard Bible Then they came down from the high place into the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. Amplified Bible When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof [of his house]. Christian Standard Bible Afterward, they went down from the high place to the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. Holman Christian Standard Bible Afterward, they went down from the high place to the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. American Standard Version And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop. Contemporary English Version they went down from the place of worship and back into town. A bed was set up for Saul on the flat roof of Samuel's house, English Revised Version And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he communed with Saul upon the housetop. GOD'S WORD® Translation Then they left the worship site for the city. They spread blankets on the roof for Saul, and he slept there. Good News Translation When they went down from the place of worship to the town, they fixed up a bed for Saul on the roof, International Standard Version When they had come down from the high place into town, Samuel spoke to Saul on the roof. Majority Standard Bible And after they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house. NET Bible When they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. New Heart English Bible When they had come down from the high place into the city, they prepared a bed for Saul on the roof, Webster's Bible Translation And when they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. World English Bible When they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they come down from the high place to the city, and he speaks with Saul on the roof. Young's Literal Translation And they come down from the high place to the city, and he speaketh with Saul on the roof. Smith's Literal Translation And they will go down from Bamah to the city, and he will speak to Saul upon the roof. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd they went down from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul upon the top of the house: and he prepared a bed for Saul on the top of the house, and he slept. Catholic Public Domain Version And they descended from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul in the upper room. And he set out a bed for Saul in the upper room, and he slept. New American Bible When they came down from the high place into the city, a mattress was spread for Saul on the roof, New Revised Standard Version When they came down from the shrine into the town, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel conversed with Saul upon the roof. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he came down from the high place to the city and he spoke with Shaul on the roof OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he spoke with Saul upon the housetop. Brenton Septuagint Translation And he went down from Bama into the city; and they prepared a lodging for Saul on the roof, and he lay down. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Saul Chosen as King…24So the cook picked up the leg and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Here is what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat, for it has been kept for you for this occasion, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’ ” So Saul dined with Samuel that day. 25And after they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house. 26They got up early in the morning, and just before dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way!” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went outside together.… Cross References 1 Samuel 3:1-10 And the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. Now in those days the word of the LORD was rare, and visions were scarce. / And at that time Eli, whose eyesight had grown so dim that he could not see, was lying in his room. / Before the lamp of God had gone out, Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was located. ... 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.” / “How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ / Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.” ... 1 Kings 19:9-13 There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” / “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.” / Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. ... 2 Kings 4:8-10 One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat. / Then the woman said to her husband, “Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God. / Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there.” 2 Kings 6:8-12 Now the king of Aram was at war against Israel. After consulting with his servants, he said, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” / Then the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Be careful not to pass by this place, for the Arameans are going down there.” / So the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had pointed out. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. ... Jeremiah 1:4-10 The word of the LORD came to me, saying: / “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” / “Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!” ... Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets. Matthew 13:10-17 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?” / He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. / Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ... Matthew 17:1-9 After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. / There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. / Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared before them, talking with Jesus. ... Mark 4:33-34 With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand. / He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples. Luke 24:13-32 That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. / They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. / And as they talked and deliberated, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them. ... John 3:1-21 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. / He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.” / Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” ... John 6:66-69 From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. / So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?” / Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. ... John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you. Acts 8:26-40 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” / So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, / and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. ... Treasury of Scripture And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul on the top of the house. And when 1 Samuel 9:13 the top Deuteronomy 22:8 2 Samuel 11:2 Nehemiah 8:16 Jump to Previous Bed City Communed High House Housetop Lay Ready Rest Roof Samuel Saul Sleep Speaketh Spread Talked TopJump to Next Bed City Communed High House Housetop Lay Ready Rest Roof Samuel Saul Sleep Speaketh Spread Talked Top1 Samuel 9 1. Saul despairing to find his father's donkeys6. 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 And they came down from the high place The "high place" in ancient Israel was often a site of worship and sacrifice, typically located on elevated ground. In Hebrew, the term is "bamah," which can refer to a physical height or a place of religious significance. This setting underscores the sacred nature of the encounter between Samuel and Saul. The descent from the high place symbolizes a transition from a spiritual experience to practical application, as Saul is about to receive guidance for his future role. Historically, high places were central to Israelite worship before the construction of the Temple, indicating the importance of this meeting in a religious context. into the city and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof Persons / Places / Events 1. SamuelA prophet and judge of Israel, Samuel is a pivotal figure in the transition from the period of judges to the establishment of the monarchy. He is known for his obedience to God and his role in anointing the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. 2. Saul The first king of Israel, Saul is introduced in this chapter as a young man from the tribe of Benjamin. His encounter with Samuel marks the beginning of his journey to kingship. 3. High Place In ancient Israel, high places were often sites of worship and sacrifice. They were typically elevated locations where people would go to seek divine guidance or offer sacrifices. 4. City The specific city is not named in this verse, but it is the location where Samuel and Saul continue their conversation. It represents a place of transition and revelation for Saul. 5. Roof In ancient Near Eastern culture, roofs were often used as additional living space. Conversations held on the roof could indicate privacy and importance, suggesting that Samuel's words to Saul were of significant consequence. Teaching Points Divine AppointmentsGod orchestrates meetings and events in our lives for His purposes. Just as Saul's encounter with Samuel was divinely appointed, we should be attentive to the people and situations God places in our path. Seeking Godly Counsel Samuel's role as a prophet underscores the importance of seeking guidance from those who are spiritually mature and attuned to God's voice. The Significance of Place The high place and the roof symbolize settings where God can speak to us. We should create spaces in our lives where we can hear from God, whether physically or spiritually. Preparation for Leadership Saul's conversation with Samuel was a preparatory step for his future role as king. God often prepares us for future responsibilities through seemingly ordinary interactions.(25) And when they were come down.--After the public sacrificial meal at which such signal honours had been shown to the Benjamite stranger and his servant, the prophet-judge detained Saul from continuing his journey homewards, and persuaded him to remain as his guest that night at Ramah. He conducted him to the flat roof of his house, often the favourite locality in the East for quiet conversation or rest, and where frequently the honoured guest was lodged for the night: there the prophet had a long interview with his young guest, The conversation that evening probably did not turn upon the royal dignity, so soon to be conferred on Saul; of that Samuel spoke at length, we know, on the following morning. The solemn words of the old man that evening on the house-top in "Ramah of the Watchers" referred, no doubt, to the sad religious and political decline of the people of God, from which he (Samuel) had laboured, not unsuccessfully, to rescue them, "to the opposition of the heathen nations, the causes of the impotency of Israel to oppose their enemies, the necessity of a religious change in the people, and of a leader thoroughly obedient to the Lord."--Otto von Gerlach, quoted in Lange. It has been suggested that this conversation was the connecting link between that on the height (1Samuel 9:19-20) and the communication which Samuel made to Saul the following morning. The LXX. reads here, instead of "communed with Saul on the top of the house," "they strewed a couch for Saul on the top of the house, and he lay down." But the Chaldee and Syriac Versions agree with the Hebrew text. The strange LXX. variation is apparently a correction. These Greek translators could not understand a conversation of the prophet and Saul taking place in the evening, when the announcement of the crown was made so formally on the following morning. Why did Samuel not tell Saul of God's intention during that evening spent together?Verse 25. - When the feast was over they went down from the high place, and, having entered the city, proceeded to Samuel's dwelling, where he communed with Saul upon the top of the house. The Septuagint has a very probable reading, namely, "And they spread a bed for Saul upon the roof, and he lay down;" but the Syriac and Chaldee agree with the Hebrew. Without communicating to Saul that he was to be king, which was not revealed to him till the next day (1 Samuel 10:1), Samuel might be anxious to impress on Saul's mind the great principles of the theocratic government, and also the nature of the remedies necessary for Israel's recovery from its present misery. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew And after they had come downוַיֵּרְד֥וּ (way·yê·rə·ḏū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend from the high place מֵהַבָּמָ֖ה (mê·hab·bā·māh) Preposition-m, Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 1116: An elevation into the city, הָעִ֑יר (hā·‘îr) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5892: Excitement Samuel spoke וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר (way·ḏab·bêr) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue with עִם־ (‘im-) Preposition Strong's 5973: With, equally with Saul שָׁא֖וּל (šā·’ūl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites on עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the roof of his house. הַגָּֽג׃ (hag·gāḡ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1406: A roof, the top of an altar Links 1 Samuel 9:25 NIV1 Samuel 9:25 NLT 1 Samuel 9:25 ESV 1 Samuel 9:25 NASB 1 Samuel 9:25 KJV 1 Samuel 9:25 BibleApps.com 1 Samuel 9:25 Biblia Paralela 1 Samuel 9:25 Chinese Bible 1 Samuel 9:25 French Bible 1 Samuel 9:25 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Samuel 9:25 When they were come down (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa) |