1 Samuel 15:17
New International Version
Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.

New Living Translation
And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD has anointed you king of Israel.

English Standard Version
And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.

Berean Standard Bible
And Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel

King James Bible
And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

New King James Version
So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel?

New American Standard Bible
So Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were insignificant in your own eyes, that you became the head of the tribes of Israel? For the LORD anointed you as king over Israel.

NASB 1995
Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel,

NASB 1977
And Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel,

Legacy Standard Bible
And Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Yahweh anointed you king over Israel,

Amplified Bible
Samuel said, “Is it not true that even though you were small (insignificant) in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel,

Christian Standard Bible
Samuel continued, “Although you once considered yourself unimportant, haven’t you become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Samuel continued, “Although you once considered yourself unimportant, have you not become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel

American Standard Version
And Samuel said, Though thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed thee king over Israel;

Contemporary English Version
Samuel continued, "You may not think you're very important, but the LORD chose you to be king, and you are in charge of the tribes of Israel.

English Revised Version
And Samuel said, Though thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed thee king over Israel;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Samuel said, "Even though you don't consider yourself great, you were the head of Israel's tribes. The LORD anointed you king of Israel.

Good News Translation
Samuel answered, "Even though you consider yourself of no importance, you are the leader of the tribes of Israel. The LORD anointed you king of Israel,

International Standard Version
So Samuel replied, "Is it not true that though you were small in your own eyes you became head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed you king over Israel?

Majority Standard Bible
And Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel

NET Bible
Samuel said, "Is it not true that when you were insignificant in your own eyes, you became head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD chose you as king over Israel.

New Heart English Bible
Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren't you made the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel;

Webster's Bible Translation
And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thy own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?

World English Bible
Samuel said, “Though you were little in your own sight, weren’t you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Samuel says, “Are you not, if you [are] little in your own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? And YHWH anoints you for king over Israel,

Young's Literal Translation
And Samuel saith, 'Art not thou, if thou art little in thine own eyes, head of the tribes of Israel? and Jehovah doth anoint thee for king over Israel,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Samuel will say, Wert thou not little in thine eyes, thou the head of the tribes of Israel, and Jehovah will anoint thee for king over Israel?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Samuel said: When thou wast a little one in thy own eyes, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed thee to be king over Israel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Samuel said: “Was it not when you were little in your own eyes that you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you as king over Israel.

New American Bible
Samuel then said: “Though little in your own eyes, are you not chief of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king of Israel

New Revised Standard Version
Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Samuel said to Saul, Behold, even though you were little in your own eyes; nevertheless you were made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed you king over Israel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Shemueil said to Shaul: “Behold, surely you are a little one in your eyes. You are the Head of the tribes of Israel, and LORD JEHOVAH anointed you that you would reign over Israel
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Samuel said: 'Though thou be little in thine own sight, art thou not head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed thee king over Israel;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Samuel said to Saul, Art thou not little in his eyes, though a leader of one of the tribes of Israel? and yet the Lord anointed thee to be king over Israel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Samuel Denounces Saul
16“Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied. 17And Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel 18and sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and devote to destruction the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have wiped them out.’…

Cross References
1 Samuel 9:21
Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”

1 Samuel 10:22
So again they inquired of the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD replied, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”

1 Samuel 13:13-14
“You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. / But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”

1 Samuel 16:1
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.”

1 Samuel 18:18
And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”

1 Samuel 24:14
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?

2 Samuel 7:8
Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel.

2 Samuel 12:7
Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.

Psalm 78:70-71
He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfolds; / from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.

Isaiah 66:2
Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.

Jeremiah 1:7
But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak.

Jeremiah 17:5-6
This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes mere flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD. / He will be like a shrub in the desert; he will not see when prosperity comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 1:52
He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.

Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”


Treasury of Scripture

And Samuel said, When you were little in your own sight, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed you king over Israel?

When thou

1 Samuel 9:21
And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

1 Samuel 10:22
Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.

Judges 6:15
And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

the Lord

1 Samuel 15:1-3
Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD…

1 Samuel 10:1
Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

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Although Anoint Anointed Becamest Eyes Head Holy Israel Little Once Samuel Seem Sight Small Thou Tribes True. Wast Weren't
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Although Anoint Anointed Becamest Eyes Head Holy Israel Little Once Samuel Seem Sight Small Thou Tribes True. Wast Weren't
1 Samuel 15
1. Samuel sends Saul to destroy Amalek
6. Saul favors the Kenites
7. He spares Agag and the best of the spoil
10. Samuel denounces unto Saul God's rejection of him for his disobedience
24. Saul's humiliation
32. Samuel kills Agag
34. Samuel and Saul part














And Samuel said
This phrase introduces the prophet Samuel, a pivotal figure in Israel's history. Samuel serves as a bridge between the period of the judges and the establishment of the monarchy. His role as a prophet is crucial, as he is God's mouthpiece to the people and to King Saul. The Hebrew root for "said" (אָמַר, 'amar) implies a declaration or proclamation, emphasizing the authority and divine inspiration behind Samuel's words.

Although you were once small in your own eyes
This phrase reflects Saul's humble beginnings. The Hebrew word for "small" (קָטֹן, qaton) can mean insignificant or unimportant. Saul's initial humility is highlighted here, reminding us of the biblical principle that God often chooses the lowly and humble to accomplish His purposes (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). This humility is contrasted with Saul's later pride and disobedience, serving as a cautionary tale about the dangers of losing sight of one's dependence on God.

have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel?
The phrase underscores Saul's elevation to a position of leadership. The term "head" (רֹאשׁ, rosh) signifies authority and preeminence. Saul's rise to kingship was not due to his own merit but was a result of God's sovereign choice. This serves as a reminder that leadership in God's kingdom is a divine appointment, not a personal achievement, and carries with it the responsibility to lead according to God's will.

The LORD anointed you king over Israel
The act of anointing (מָשַׁח, mashach) is significant in the Hebrew tradition, symbolizing God's selection and empowerment for a specific task. The anointing of Saul as king was a divine act, setting him apart for leadership over God's chosen people. This highlights the sacred nature of his office and the expectation that he would govern in obedience to God's commands. The mention of "The LORD" (יְהוָה, Yahweh) emphasizes the covenant relationship between God and Israel, and the divine authority behind Saul's kingship.

(17) When thou wast little in thine own sight.--Kimchi's rendering of the Hebrew here is singular: "Though thou seemest to thyself too little and weak to curb the people, yet wast thou the head, and shouldest have done thy duty;" but this, as Lange observes, would imply that Samuel had accepted Saul's excuse that it was the people's will to reserve the choicest spoil. The prophet's words, however, were simply to remind Saul that the Lord, whose clearly expressed will he had disregarded, had raised him in bygone days from a comparatively humble station to the proud position he was then occupying as chief of Israel. The old counsellor reminds the king that there had been a time when he judged himself unequal to this great work to which his God summoned him; but now, how strange the contrast! Flushed with success, he was trusting alone in his unaided strength, and openly disobeying the Divine commands.

Verse 17. - When - rather, Though - thou wast little in thine own sight. Before his elevation to the royal dignity Saul had deemed himself altogether unequal to so heavy a task (1 Samuel 9:21); now, after great military successes, he is filled with arrogance, and will rule in open defiance of the conditions upon which Jehovah had appointed him to the office

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And Samuel
שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (šə·mū·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8050: Samuel -- 'name of God', a prophet of Israel

said,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Although
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you [were once]
אַתָּה֙ (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

small
קָטֹ֤ן (qā·ṭōn)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6996: Small, young, unimportant

in your own eyes,
בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ (bə·‘ê·ne·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

have you
אָ֑תָּה (’āt·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

not
הֲל֗וֹא (hă·lō·w)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

become the head
רֹ֛אשׁ (rōš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7218: The head

of the tribes
שִׁבְטֵ֥י (šiḇ·ṭê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

of Israel?
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

The LORD
יְהוָ֛ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

anointed
וַיִּמְשָׁחֲךָ֧ (way·yim·šā·ḥă·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4886: To rub with oil, to anoint, to consecrate, to paint

you king
לְמֶ֖לֶךְ (lə·me·leḵ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

over
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc


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OT History: 1 Samuel 15:17 Samuel said Though you were little (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 15:16
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