I Samuel 9:23-24 · Bible study
1 Samuel 9:23-24 Commentary: The Reserved Thigh and God's Appointed King
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Samuel reserve a special portion for Saul?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Samuel’s reserved portion publicly marks Saul as God’s chosen king, honoring him with the priest’s sacred thigh before his anointing.
- Key words: thigh (shoq), priest’s portion; appointed time (mo'ed), divine schedule; cook (tabbach), butcher who served as executioner.
- Main debate: Whether the speaker of v24b is Samuel or the cook, and whether the Hebrew text in v24 is corrupted (Cambridge, Lange) or intact (Clarke, Gill).
- Theological theme: God’s sovereign preparation: He reserves a portion before the guest arrives, showing that calling precedes human awareness.
- Best use: A homiletical springboard for sermons on vocation, unexpected honor, and God’s timing; also useful in teaching about sacrificial meals and Levitical portions.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
23And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you and told you to set aside.”
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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
23Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’”
24The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said, “Behold, that which has been reserved! Set it before yourself and eat; because it has been kept for you for the appointed time, for I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
KJV King James Version 1769
23And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
24And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
23And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
24And the cook took up the thigh, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold, that which hath been reserved! set it before thee and eat; because unto the appointed time hath it been kept for thee, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
23And Samuel saith to the cook, `Give the portion which I gave to thee, of which I said unto thee, `Set it by thee?'
24(and the cook lifteth up the leg, and that which is on it, and setteth before Saul), and he saith, `Lo, that which is left; set it before thee--eat, for to this appointed season it is kept for thee, saying, The people I have called;' and Saul eateth with Samuel on that day.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
23And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion that I gave thee, of which I said to thee, Set it by thee.
24And the cook took up the shoulder, and what was on it, and set [it] before Saul. And he said, Behold that which has been reserved! set it before thee, eat; for against the set time has it been kept for thee, since I said, I will invite the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
23And Samuel said to the cook: Bring the portion which I gave thee, and commanded thee to set it apart by thee.
24And the cook took up the shoulder, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said: Behold what is left, set it before thee, and eat; because it was kept of purpose for thee, when I invited the people. And Saul ate with Samuel that day.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 9:23
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators widely agree that the reserved portion of the sacrificial meal was a deliberate honor for Saul, signaling his divine appointment to kingship. Barnes notes that the shoulder (or thigh) was the priest’s portion from Levitical sacrifices, so Samuel’s giving it to Saul was a mark of the highest honor. Cambridge adds that the right leg was the priest’s portion, reserved and “heaved” before the Lord, and its allocation to Saul publicly designated him as the chosen one. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown agrees, calling it the right shoulder, which as the priest’s perquisite belonged to Samuel and was set aside for his expected guest. Keil and Delitzsch, along with Wesley, emphasize the phrase “for the appointed time” (lemo‛ed): Saul’s arrival was not accidental but divinely timed, and the feast had been prepared with this moment in view. Clarke sees the shoulder as an emblem of government, connecting it to Isaiah 9:6, “the government shall be upon his shoulder.” The episode thus combines a cultural gesture of honor with a prophetic sign: God had been preparing for Saul before Saul himself knew anything.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Samuel had a special portion of the sacrificial meal reserved for Saul before he ever arrived, and this act signified that God had chosen and prepared Saul for kingship at the appointed time.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the reserved portion | All commentators view it as a mark of honor and a sign of Saul’s divine selection for kingship. | Clarke interprets the shoulder as an emblem of government (cf. Isaiah 9:6), while Barnes and Cambridge focus on the priestly nature of the portion as a transfer of sacred status to Saul. |
| Speaker of v24b ('Behold, that which has been reserved...') | Most English translations attribute these words to Samuel, following the Septuagint and Vulgate. | Cambridge notes the Hebrew lacks the subject, leaving open the possibility that the cook speaks instead of Samuel. The sense is unaffected, but it changes who publicly acknowledges the reservation. |
| Textual integrity of verse 24 in Hebrew | The intended meaning, that the portion was kept for Saul from the time Samuel invited the people, is clear to all. | Cambridge calls the Hebrew text 'most likely corrupt' and notes the Septuagint and Vulgate diverge. Other commentators (Clarke, Gill, Keil & Delitzsch) proceed with the Masoretic Text as is, seeing no need for emendation. |
| Which part of the animal was reserved | The part is the thigh/leg/shoulder of the right side, given as a heave offering to the priest. | The KJV and NKJV translate 'shoulder'; WEB, ESV, and others say 'thigh'; the Hebrew <em>shoq</em> denotes the upper hind leg. This is a translational difference, not a substantive one. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The scene unfolds at a high-place sacrificial feast, a common practice before centralized worship in Jerusalem. The gathering includes about thirty persons, and Samuel seats Saul and his servant in the place of honor. The “cook” (ṭabbaḥ) is more precisely a butcher or executioner, who also oversaw the preparation of meat. In Levitical law, the right thigh (shoq) of peace offerings belonged to the officiating priest as a heave offering, raised up before the Lord (Leviticus 7:32-33; Numbers 18:18). Samuel, as priest and prophet, would have received this portion. By having it reserved and then set before Saul, Samuel performs a powerful public act: he transfers a sacred, priestly portion to a layman, indicating that Saul is set apart for a sacred calling. The phrase “which has been reserved” (literally “that which remains” or “that which was kept”) implies it was deliberately held back from the initial serving, kept in the kitchen until this moment (Gill). The “appointed time” (mo‛ed) echoes the language of divine appointments, the same root used for the Tent of Meeting and the set feasts of the Lord. Samuel’s comment that it was kept “for the appointed time” underscores that God’s plan had been unfolding: the lost donkeys, Saul’s journey, and the prophet’s invitation were all steering toward this meal. In the ancient Near East, giving a choice portion to a guest was a sign of special favor (Genesis 43:34), but here it carries additional weight, it is a priestly portion, given at a prophet’s table, on the eve of Saul’s anointing as king. The whole meal becomes a parabolic act, preparing Saul (and the gathered guests) for the announcement that would follow the next day on Samuel’s rooftop.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note two textual issues in verse 24. First, the phrase “Samuel said” is not present in the Hebrew; the Septuagint and Vulgate supply it, and most English versions follow them. Cambridge suggests the words might belong to the cook instead. Second, the clause “because it has been kept for you for the appointed time” (WEB) is based on a Hebrew phrase that Cambridge calls “most likely corrupt.” The Septuagint reads “because for a testimony has it been reserved for you,” while the Vulgate renders “because it was kept on purpose for you when I invited the people.” Despite these variants, the central idea, that the portion was reserved in advance for Saul’s arrival, is not in dispute.
Reception History
Christian interpreters have read these verses as a model of God’s preparatory grace. Matthew Henry saw Samuel’s hospitality as a picture of Christ preparing a feast for His chosen ones. The Geneva Bible notes emphasized Samuel’s obedience in reserving the portion as a sign of God’s hidden plan. In the Wesleyan tradition, the phrase “unto the appointed time” has been linked to God’s providential timing in salvation history. Some Reformed expositors (e.g., Poole) saw the shoulder as a symbol of the burden of kingship placed on Saul. Across traditions, the passage has been used to comfort believers that God works invisibly ahead of them, ordering even meal arrangements to fulfill His purposes. The typological connection to Isaiah 9:6 (government upon the shoulder) continues to echo in preaching about Christ as the ultimate King and Priest who receives and bears authority.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- God’s Prep Work Before We Arrive. Before Saul ever met Samuel, the portion was set aside. God was at work behind the scenes, orchestrating the lost donkeys, the seer’s invitation, and the cook’s instructions to reserve the thigh. None of it was luck.
- Honor Where It’s Least Expected. Saul, from the smallest tribe and least family, receives the priest’s portion. Everything about this meal says: “You matter to God more than you think.” God often chooses the overlooked to bear His purposes.
- The Timeliness of God. The phrase “for the appointed time” anchors the story. God does not rush or arrive late. The same God who timed a thigh for Saul’s hunger is always working toward His appointed moment for us.
Five-Point Outline
- The feast: a picture of God’s abundance and provision.
- The portion: the priest’s share given to a future king, sacred calling for a secular ruler.
- The reservation: God’s foreknowledge and preparation before the event.
- The setting before Saul: public recognition and validation of God’s choice.
- The appointed time: God’s sovereign calendar intersecting human history.
Illustration Hooks
- The unexpected upgrade: like being seated at the head table for a wedding feast you were not even sure you were invited to.
- The “just in case” meal left for a latecomer, how it warms the heart when someone saved a plate for you.
- The souvenir from a trip that was purchased long before you decided to go: something was already set aside for you before you knew you needed it.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- “How can I know if the open door before me is from God, or just my own ambition?”
- “If God had a plan for Saul and he still turned out badly, does God’s preparation fail?”
- “What does it mean for my daily work that God might be setting things aside for me now that I don’t yet see?”
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows a meal becoming a moment of revelation. God used a shared table to confirm Saul’s call before the anointing oil ever touched him. As you discuss, notice the small details: the reserved portion, the appointed time, the public setting. The same God who orchestrated this meal is present in the ordinary events of your week.
Discussion Questions
- What catches your attention in these two verses? What surprises you?
- Why do you think Samuel ordered the cook to set aside the thigh before Saul even arrived? What does that tell you about God’s preparation?
- The thigh was the priest’s portion. What does it mean for a future king to receive a priestly cut of meat? How does this connect to the idea of a king who is also a servant of God?
- Samuel says the portion was kept “for the appointed time.” When have you seen God provide something at just the right moment?
- Saul had no idea any of this was planned. How does that challenge or comfort you in your current circumstances?
- How does this story shape the way you think about the meals you share with others? Can ordinary gatherings become moments of divine appointment?
- If God was working behind the scenes for Saul, what might He be preparing in your life that you cannot yet see?
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 43:34 | He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him. |
| I Samuel 1:5 | but he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but Yahweh had shut up her womb. |
| Exodus 29:22 | Also you shall take some of the ram’s fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of consecration), |
| Exodus 29:27 | You shall sanctify the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the wave offering, which is waved, and which is raised up, of the ram of consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons. |
| Leviticus 7:32 | The right thigh you shall give to the priest for a heave offering out of the sacrifices of your peace offerings. |
| Leviticus 7:33 | He among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right thigh for a portion. |
| Numbers 18:18 | Their meat shall be yours, as the wave offering breast and as the right thigh, it shall be yours. |
| Isaiah 9:6 | For a child is born to us. A son is given to us; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the Hebrew word usually translated "cook" actually means a butcher or slaughterer. He argues the shoulder was set before Saul not because it was the finest portion, but as a sign of the leadership being placed on him, citing the prophecy that government would rest on the Messiah's shoulder.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the right shoulder was the priest's designated portion in the Levitical sacrifices, so when Samuel gave it to Saul, he was handing over his own rightful share. This act was a deliberate sign of the highest possible honor for his guest.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator explains that what is translated as "shoulder" is actually the right leg, the priest's portion, which was ceremonially hefted before the Lord. The phrase "that which is left" means a reserved portion set before Saul as an honour, and though the Hebrew text is likely corrupt, the point is that Saul's arrival was expected and provision made for him beforehand.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes stress the honor Samuel showed Saul by reserving the choicest portion of the sacrifice for him before the feast even began. This special treatment marked Saul as divinely chosen, not from that day forward, but from the moment Samuel first called the people together.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees the shoulder and breast set before Saul as symbolic gifts: the shoulder representing the strength needed to bear the burden of government, and the breast signifying the wisdom and heartfelt care required of a king. He also notes that in those unsettled times, Samuel as a Levite officiated in a priestly role, reserving this priestly portion for Saul as a mark of honor.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the shoulder served to Saul was the right shoulder, the priest's portion of the sacrifice, which Samuel reserved for his honored guest. This gesture, paralleled in Egyptian custom, marked Saul as the guest of highest distinction at the feast.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that the lost donkeys and Saul's aimless search were not trivial accidents but the precise means God used to bring the future king to Samuel. He argues that Samuel's prediction about the found donkeys was not a mere display of clairvoyance; it freed Saul from earthly anxiety and prepared his heart to receive the revelation of his divine calling.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Samuel honored Saul with the chief seat and a specially reserved portion, a clear sign that God had chosen him for a higher purpose. The private rooftop conversation shows that divine appointment comes with both public recognition and personal preparation.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that when the speaker first invited the people to join in the sacrifice and feast, he gave specific instructions for the cook to reserve a portion for the person now addressed. This shows deliberate, personal provision set apart before the meal began.