translation_id: net-engnet

label: NET textual note

text: The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek translation includes the following words: “And the Lord said to Samuel.”


label: NET translator note

text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-E2 ; Map10-B4 .


text: Heb “for I have seen among his sons for me a king.”


text: Heb “in your hand.”


text: Heb “say”; KJV, NRSV “name”; NIV “indicate.”


text: Heb “said.”


text: In the MT the verb is singular (“he said”), but the translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss and ancient versions in reading the plural (“they said”).


text: Heb “he”; the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “saw.”


text: Heb “said”; the words “to himself” are implied, given the secrecy surrounding Samuel’s mission to Bethlehem (v. 2 ).


text: Heb “his anointed one.”


text: Heb “don’t look toward.”


text: Heb “for not that which the man sees.” The translation follows the LXX, which reads, “for not as man sees does God see.” The MT has suffered from homoioteleuton or homoioarcton. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 274.


text: Heb “to the eyes.”


text: Heb “and caused him to pass before.”


text: Heb “he” (also in v. 9 ); the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “caused to pass by.”


text: Heb “caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.” This could be taken as referring to seven sons in addition to the three mentioned before this, but 1 Sam 17:12 says Jesse had eight sons, not eleven. 1 Chr 2:13-15 lists only seven sons, including David. However, 1 Chr 27:18 mentions an additional son, named Elihu.


text: Heb “he”; the referent (Jesse) has been specified in the translation both here and in v. 12 for clarity.


text: Heb “and he sent and brought him.”


text: Or “an injurious spirit”; cf. NLT “a tormenting spirit.” The phrase need not refer to an evil, demonic spirit. The Hebrew word translated “evil” may refer to the character of the spirit or to its effect upon Saul. If the latter, another translation option might be “a mischief-making spirit.”


text: Heb “and he will play with his hand.”


text: Heb “and it will be better for you.”


text: Heb “see.”


text: Heb “answered and said.”


text: Heb “mighty man of valor and a man of war.”


text: Heb “discerning of word.”


text: Heb “a man of form.”


text: Heb “a kid of the goats.”


text: Heb “by the hand of.”


text: Heb “he loved him.”


text: Heb “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”


text: Heb “would turn aside from upon him.”