I Samuel 10:2 · Bible study
1 Samuel 10:2 Commentary: The First Prophetic Sign for Saul
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Samuel’s specific prophecy about the donkeys and Saul’s father confirms God’s sovereignty and authenticates the prophet’s word.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God confirms His call through precise, everyday signs that build faith in His prophet and His plan.
- Key words: 'two men,' 'Rachel’s tomb,' 'found,' 'anxious,' 'What shall I do for my son?'
- Main debate: the location of Zelzah and the exact site of Rachel’s tomb; the Septuagint reads the former as 'leaping greatly.'
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty extends over lost property and family concerns, not just national events.
- Best use: Teaching God’s involvement in daily life and the reliability of prophecy as confirmation of His call.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
When you leave me today, you will find two men at Rachel’s tomb in Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you seek have been found, and now your father has stopped worrying about the donkeys and started worrying about you, asking, “What should I do about my son?”’
WEB World English Bible 2000
When you have departed from me today, then you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb, on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found; and behold, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do for my son?”’
KJV King James Version 1769
When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
When thou art departed from me to-day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found; and, lo, thy father hath left off caring for the asses, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
In thy going to-day from me--then thou hast found two men by the grave of Rachel, in the border of Benjamin, at Zelzah, and they have said unto thee, The asses have been found which thou hast gone to seek; and lo, thy father hath left the matter of the asses, and hath sorrowed for you, saying, What do I do for my son?
Darby Darby Bible 1890
When thou goest from me to-day, thou shalt meet two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to thee, The asses are found which thou wentest to seek, and behold, thy father has dismissed the matter of the asses, and is anxious about you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
When thou shalt depart from me this day, thou shalt find two men by the sepulchre of Rachel in the borders of Benjamin to the south, and they shall say to thee: The asses are found which thou wentest to seek: and thy father, thinking no more of the asses, is concerned for you, and saith: What shall I do for my son?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Hoy, después que te hayas apartado de mí, hallarás dos hombres junto al sepulcro de Rachêl, en el término de Benjamín, en Selsah, los cuales te dirán: Las asnas que habías ido á buscar, se han hallado; tu padre pues ha dejado ya el negocio de las asnas, si bien está angustioso por vosotros, diciendo: ¿ Qué haré acerca de mi hijo?
Hoje, depois que te tenhas apartado de mim, acharás dois homens junto ao sepulcro de Raquel, no termo de Benjamim, em Zelza, os quais te dirão: As asnas que havias ido a buscar, se acharam; teu pai pois há deixado já o negócio das asnas, porém está preocupado convosco, dizendo: Que farei acerca de meu filho?
Aujourd’ hui, après m’ avoir quitté, tu trouveras deux hommes près du sépulcre de Rachel, sur la frontière de Benjamin, à Tseltsach. Ils te diront: Les ânesses que tu es allé chercher sont retrouvées; et voici, ton père ne pense plus aux ânesses, mais il est en peine de vous, et dit: Que dois-je faire au sujet de mon fils?
Wenn du jetzt von mir gehst, so wirst du zwei Männer finden bei dem Grabe Rahels, in der Grenze Benjamins, zu Zelzah; die werden dir sagen: Die Eselinnen sind gefunden, die du zu suchen bist gegangen; und siehe, dein Vater hat die Esel aus der Acht gelassen und sorgt um euch und spricht: Was soll ich um meinen Sohn tun?
Als gij heden van mij gaat, zo zult gij twee mannen vinden bij het graf van Rachel, aan de landpale van Benjamin, te Zelzah; die zullen tot u zeggen: De ezelinnen zijn gevonden, die gij zijt gaan zoeken, en zie, uw vader heeft de zaken der ezelinnen verlaten, en hij is bekommerd voor ulieden, zeggende: Wat zal ik om mijn zoon doen?
Oggi, quando tu sarai partito da me, troverai due uomini presso al sepolcro di Rachele, ai confini di Beniamino, a Tseltsah, i quali ti diranno: Le asine delle quali andavi in cerca, sono trovate; ed ecco tuo padre non è più in pensiero per le asine, ma è in pena per voi, e va dicendo: Che farò io riguardo al mio figliuolo?
Gdy dziś odejdziesz ode mnie, znajdziesz dwóch mężów u grobu Racheli, na granicach Benjamin w Selsa, którzyć powiedzą: Nalazły się oślice, którycheś chodził szukać, a oto zaniechawszy ojciec twój starania o oślicach, frasuje się o was, mówiąc; Cóż mam czynić z strony syna mego?
когда ты теперь пойдешь от меня, то встретишь двух человек близ гроба Рахили, на пределах Вениаминовых, в Целцахе, и они скажут тебе: "нашлись ослицы, которых ты ходил искать, и вот отец твой, забыв об ослицах, беспокоится о вас, говоря: что с сыном моим?"
你今日 與我 離別之後，在便雅憫 境內 的泄撒，靠近 拉結 的墳墓，要遇見 兩個 人。他們必對你 說：『你去 找 的那 幾頭驢 已經找著了。現在 你父親 不為 驢 掛心，反為你 擔憂，說：我為兒子 怎麼 才好呢？』
When you have gone away from me today, you will see two men by the resting-place of Rachel's body, in the land of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, The asses which you went in search of have come back, and now your father, caring no longer for the asses, is troubled about you, saying, What am I to do about my son?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 10:2
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse is the first of three signs confirming Saul’s secret anointing as king. Samuel predicts with extraordinary detail that Saul will meet two men at Rachel’s tomb, who will report that the lost donkeys are found and that his father is now anxious about him. The specificity of the prediction, exact location, number of men, content of the message, shows that God knows ordinary human concerns. Keil and Delitzsch note that these signs would 'be a pledge to him that Jehovah would accompany his undertakings with His divine help.' Matthew Henry sees them as giving Saul 'full assurance from God that he should be king.' The Bible does not name Zelzah elsewhere, and the Septuagint renders it as 'leaping greatly' rather than a place; but the commentators agree that the theological point is unaffected: God works through everyday events to confirm His call.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God uses ordinary, specific circumstances to confirm His prophet’s word and strengthen the one He has called.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the sign | Christians agree that the sign authenticates Samuel’s prophetic word and strengthens Saul’s confidence in his anointing. | Some argue that such specific, predictive signs are unique to the biblical era; others believe God still uses providential coincidences to confirm His leading. |
| Geographical location | All agree that Rachel’s tomb was near Bethlehem and that the border of Benjamin is involved. | The exact location of Zelzah is unknown. Some commentators (e.g., Gill, Keil) argue the men were near the tomb, while others (e.g., Cambridge Bible) note difficulties with the traditional site, leaving the solution uncertain. |
| The verb 'sorroweth' or 'is anxious' | Kish shifted from caring about the donkeys to worrying about his son. | The Hebrew verb <em>da'ag</em> (H1672) can mean 'to fear' or 'to be anxious.' Some see it as a positive sign of fatherly love; others read it as human anxiety that contrasts with trust in God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ancient Israel understood prophetic signs as divine authentication. In 1 Samuel 9, Saul set out to find his father’s lost donkeys; the search led him to Samuel. Now, after the private anointing in 10:1, Samuel provides public confirmation through specific predictions. The first sign occurs at a location rich in family history: Rachel’s tomb. Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, died giving birth to Benjamin, Saul’s ancestor (Genesis 35:19, 20). Wesley comments that this stop was 'a sepulchre, the sepulchre of one of his ancestors. There he must read a lecture of his own mortality.' The phrase 'border of Benjamin at Zelzah' has puzzled geographers. The Cambridge Bible notes that Rachel’s tomb was traditionally near Bethlehem in Judah, but 'the true solution must remain uncertain.' Gill suggests the men were not at the tomb itself but were met at Zelzah, which may lie on the boundary between Benjamin and Judah. The Septuagint translates Zelzah as 'leaping greatly,' possibly describing the men’s joyful dance. The Hebrew verb forms reinforce the certainty of the prediction: timtsa (you will find) uses a form that implies a definite future event. The announced shift in Kish’s concern from the donkeys to his son echoes Saul’s own worry in 1 Samuel 9:5, showing that God’s knowledge covers both the lost livestock and the deeper anxieties of a father’s heart. Everything about the sign, the place, the numbers, the words, builds Saul’s confidence that Samuel truly speaks for God.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The most noted difference is the Septuagint’s rendering of the place name Zelzax (בצלצח) as 'leaping greatly' (ἀλλομένους μεγάλα), not as a proper name. Jerome’s Vulgate translates it as 'in the south.' These variations do not alter the theological meaning of the passage.
Reception History
Through the centuries, this verse has been used to illustrate God’s intimate knowledge of human life. Early church writers saw the three signs in 1 Samuel 10 as evidence of the Spirit’s preparation of a leader. In the medieval period, Rachel’s tomb became a pilgrimage site tied to both this passage and Jeremiah 31:15. Reformation commentators such as Calvin and Luther emphasized that the signs, though external, served to confirm faith in God’s invisible calling. Wesley and the Puritans pointed to the father’s anxiety as a model of parental love and as evidence that God cares about family relationships. Modern preachers often return to the lost donkeys as a reminder that no concern is too small for God’s attention.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God Knows the Details of Your Life. The prophecy covers a lost pair of donkeys, a father’s worry, and an exact meeting spot. Nothing is too small for God’s awareness.
- God Uses Confirmation to Strengthen Faith. Samuel gives specific signs to build Saul’s trust in his prophetic calling and in the Lord who sent him.
- God’s Call Often Comes Through Everyday Events. The mundane task of looking for donkeys becomes part of a divine plan. Heaven meets earth in ordinary circumstances.
Five-point outline
- The Setting of the Sign: Rachel’s tomb reminds Saul of mortality and his heritage as a Benjaminite.
- The Specificity of the Words: Two men, the border, the precise message, every detail confirms the prophet’s reliability.
- The Shift in Concern: Kish stops worrying about the donkeys and starts worrying about his son. Love reorders priorities.
- The Question of the Father: 'What shall I do for my son?' reveals both deep affection and helplessness, a picture of human need.
- The Purpose of the Sign: More than news, it is reassurance. God confirms His chosen leader through the normal rhythms of family life.
Illustration hooks
- A parent loses sight of a child in a crowd and instantly forgets everything else, shopping list, phone call, appointment. The anxiety over a loved one overwhelms all lesser cares.
- A job candidate receives an unexpected email from a former colleague that mentions a specific skill she had listed years ago. She takes it as a confirmation that the right door is opening.
- A set of keys goes missing for hours. After praying, the owner finds them in a place already searched. The timing feels like more than coincidence.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God still give specific confirmatory signs today, or was that only for biblical times?
- How can we tell when an everyday event is a sign from God versus a normal coincidence?
- If God cares about lost donkeys, does He care about minor frustrations in my life, like a lost job or a delayed answer?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows that God’s call can be authenticated through humble, everyday circumstances. As your group reads 1 Samuel 10:2, invite them to notice the layers: the location (a tomb), the characters (two anonymous men), the concern (a father’s love), and the purpose (confirmation of a king).
Discussion questions
- What does the specificity of the sign, the place, the number of people, the exact words, tell you about how God works?
- Why do you think Samuel chose Rachel’s tomb as the location? How does that setting affect the message?
- Read 1 Samuel 9:5. How does Saul’s own earlier worry prepare him for this confirmation? What does that say about God’s timing?
- The father’s question, 'What shall I do for my son?' is both loving and helpless. How does this reflect the way God cares for His people?
- How does this sign prepare Saul for future leadership? What does he learn about himself and about God?
- Are there modern parallels to this kind of confirmation, events that seem too specific to be coincidence? How should we evaluate them?
- What keeps us from recognizing God’s work in ordinary events? How can we grow in awareness of His presence in the small details of life?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 35:19 | Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem). |
| Genesis 35:20 | Jacob set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. |
| Joshua 18:28 | Zelah, Eleph, the Jebusite (also called Jerusalem), Gibeath, and Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families. |
| I Samuel 9:3 | The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, “Now take one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys.” |
| I Samuel 9:5 | When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come! Let’s return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys and be anxious for us.” |
| I Samuel 10:16 | Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys were found.” But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him. |
| Jeremiah 31:15 | Yahweh says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that while Rachel's tomb is a known location near Bethlehem, the name "Zelzah" is completely obscure. He observes the Septuagint renders the Hebrew word as "dancing greatly," suggesting it may describe the joyful celebration over finding the donkeys or the religious exultations that follow.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that Samuel provides Saul with a concrete, verifiable sign to confirm that his message truly comes from God. The mention of a specific place, Zelzah, is meant to anchor the prophecy in reality, even though that location is now completely unknown.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights a geographical problem: Rachel's traditional tomb near Bethlehem lies far south of Benjamin's border, while this verse places it near Ramah. After reviewing several explanations, they find it most plausible that Samuel purposely sent Saul on a longer route, and the location terms are used loosely.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights how God gives Saul an exact, detailed prediction as a confirming sign—down to the number of men, the specific location, and the very words they will speak. This precise foreknowledge assures Saul that the message truly comes from God, strengthening his trust in his new calling.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill resolves the apparent contradiction of Rachel's sepulchre being described as in Benjamin's border rather than Judah's by noting the two tribes were adjacent and the site lay on their shared boundary. He stresses the event's purpose: these precisely fulfilled predictions would prove Samuel a true prophet and confirm Saul in his calling.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the detailed predictions Samuel gives to Saul are not merely informational. Their design is to impress Saul with Samuel's prophetic authority, confirming that he speaks God's word, so that Saul will fully trust what he hears.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch treats the three signs Samuel gives Saul not as mere predictions but as practical pledges tied directly to his anointing. The first confirms Samuel's word about the lost donkeys while steering Saul toward his higher calling. The second involves receiving sacrificial loaves as homage to the Lord's anointed. The third places him at a Philistine post where the Spirit will endow him with power for kingship.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the anointing used the holy oil from the tabernacle, consecrating Saul as a sacred person like a priest. The oil symbolized the impartation of the Spirit's powers, making the king "the Anointed of the Lord." Samuel's kiss then signified the people's human homage and recognition of his royal dignity.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Samuel's anointing and kiss are prophetic acts meant to give Saul undeniable assurance of God's choice. The specific signs that follow are not mere coincidences but divine confirmations, proving that God has truly set Saul apart as king over His inheritance.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the first place pointed out on this journey is a tomb, Rachel's own grave, and he sees a deliberate lesson in that order. Even with a crown in view, one must first confront mortality and remember that all earthly honor ends in the dust.