1 Samuel 28:14

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Saul asked her, "What does he look like?" She replied, "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe." Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground in reverence.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַֽה־תָּאֳר֔וֹ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר אִ֤ישׁ זָקֵן֙ עֹלֶ֔ה וְה֥וּא עֹטֶ֖ה מְעִ֑יל וַיֵּ֤דַע שָׁאוּל֙ כִּֽי־שְׁמוּאֵ֣ל ה֔וּא וַיִּקֹּ֥ד אַפַּ֛יִם אַ֖רְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּֽחוּ׃ ס

Transliteration

And wayyōʾmer to her, What is his toʾŏrô? And wattōʾmer, An ʾîš zāqên ʿōleh, and he is ʿōṭeh a məʿîl. And wayyêdaʿ šāʾûl that šəmûʾêl he was, and wayyiqqōd ʾappayim ʾarṣāh and wayyištāḥû.

Grammar Details

• *wayyōʾmer*: consecutive imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *toʾŏrô*: masculine singular noun with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his form/appearance
• *wattōʾmer*: consecutive imperfect, 3rd feminine singular - and she said
• *ʾîš*: masculine singular noun - man
• *zāqên*: masculine singular adjective - old
• *ʿōleh*: masculine singular participle - coming up
• *ʿōṭeh*: masculine singular participle - wrapped in
• *məʿîl*: masculine singular noun - robe
• *wayyêdaʿ*: consecutive imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he knew
• *šāʾûl*: proper noun - Saul
• *šəmûʾêl*: proper noun - Samuel
• *wayyiqqōd*: consecutive imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he bowed
• *ʾappayim*: masculine dual noun - face
• *ʾarṣāh*: feminine singular noun with directional he - to the ground
• *wayyištāḥû*: consecutive imperfect, 3rd masculine singular, hishtaphel - and he prostrated himself

Word Meanings

• *toʾŏrô*: his form/appearance/figure
• *ʿōṭeh*: wrapped in/covered with/wearing
• *məʿîl*: robe/mantle/cloak
• *wayyiqqōd ʾappayim ʾarṣāh*: and he bowed with his face to the ground
• *wayyištāḥû*: and he prostrated himself/bowed down/worshipped

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And he said to her, What form does he have? And she said, An old man comes up, and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said{H559} unto her, What form{H8389} is he of? And she said,{H559} An old{H2205} man{H376} cometh up;{H5927} and he is covered{H5844} with a robe.{H4598} And Saul{H7586} perceived{H3045} that it was Samuel,{H8050} and he bowed{H6915} with his face{H639} to the ground,{H776} and did obeisance.{H7812}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said{H559}{(H8799)} unto her, What form{H8389} is he of? And she said{H559}{(H8799)}, An old{H2205} man{H376} cometh up{H5927}{(H8802)}; and he is covered{H5844}{(H8802)} with a mantle{H4598}. And Saul{H7586} perceived{H3045}{(H8799)} that it was Samuel{H8050}, and he stooped{H6915}{(H8799)} with his face{H639} to the ground{H776}, and bowed{H7812}{(H8691)} himself.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  He sayde: How is he shapened? She sayde: There commeth vp an olde man, and is clothed with a longe garment. Then perceaued Saul that it was Samuel, & bowed him selfe downe wt his face to the grounde, and worshiped him.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then he said vnto her, What facion is hee of? And she answered, An olde man commeth vp lapped in a mantel: and Saul knewe that it was Samuel, and he enclined his face to the grounde, and bowed him selfe.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  He saide vnto her againe: What fashion is he of? She aunswered: There cometh vp an olde man with a mantel vpon him. And Saul perceaued that it was Samuel, and he stowped with his face to the ground, and bowed him selfe.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And he said unto her, What form [is] he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he [is] covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it [was] Samuel, and he stooped with [his] face to the ground, and bowed himself.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He said to her, What form is he of? She said, An old man comes up; and he is covered with a robe. Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And he saith to her, `What `is' his form?' and she saith, `An aged man is coming up, and he `is' covered with an upper robe;' and Saul knoweth that he `is' Samuel, and boweth -- face to thee earth -- and doth obeisance.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, It is an old man coming up covered with a robe. And Saul saw that it was Samuel, and with his face bent down to the earth he gave him honour.

• World English Bible (2000)

  He said to her, "What does he look like?" She said, "An old man comes up. He is covered with a robe." Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  He said to her,“What about his appearance?” She said,“An old man is coming up! He is wrapped in a robe!”Then Saul realized it was Samuel, and he bowed his face toward the ground and kneeled down.

Referenced Verses

• 1 Sam 15:27 : 27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.
• 1 Sam 24:8 : 8 With these words, David restrained his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.
• 2 Kgs 2:8 : 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
• 2 Kgs 2:13-14 : 13 Elisha picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. 'Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?' he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.