1 Samuel 15:17

KJV1611 – Modern English

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?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל הֲל֗וֹא אִם־קָטֹ֤ן אַתָּה֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ רֹ֛אשׁ שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אָ֑תָּה וַיִּמְשָׁחֲךָ֧ יְהוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Transliteration

And wāʾōmer Šᵊmûʾēl, hǎlôʾ if qāṭōn you in bᵊʿêneyḵā, rōʾš šiḇṭê Yiśrāʾēl you; and wayyimšāḥăḵā YHWH for meleḵ over Yiśrāʾēl.

Grammar Details

• *wāʾōmer*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *Šᵊmûʾēl*: proper noun, masculine - Samuel
• *hǎlôʾ*: interrogative particle - is not/were not
• *qāṭōn*: adjective, masculine singular - small/little/insignificant
• *bᵊʿêneyḵā*: preposition + noun, dual construct + 2nd masculine singular suffix - in your eyes
• *rōʾš*: noun, masculine singular construct - head/chief of
• *šiḇṭê*: noun, masculine plural construct - tribes of
• *Yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - Israel
• *wayyimšāḥăḵā*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular + 2nd masculine singular suffix - and he anointed you
• *YHWH*: proper noun, divine name - Yahweh/LORD
• *meleḵ*: noun, masculine singular - king

Word Meanings

• *hǎlôʾ*: is it not?/were you not?
• *qāṭōn*: small/little/insignificant
• *bᵊʿêneyḵā*: in your own estimation/in your sight
• *rōʾš*: head/chief/leader
• *šiḇṭê*: tribes/clans
• *wayyimšāḥăḵā*: and he anointed you/consecrated you

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Samuel said, 'Although you were small in your own eyes, were you not made the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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?

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Samuel{H8050} said,{H559} Though thou wast little{H6996} in thine own sight,{H5869} wast thou not made the head{H7218} of the tribes{H7626} of Israel?{H3478} And Jehovah{H3068} anointed{H4886} thee king{H4428} over Israel;{H3478}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Samuel{H8050} said{H559}{(H8799)}, When thou wast little{H6996} in thine own sight{H5869}, wast thou not made the head{H7218} of the tribes{H7626} of Israel{H3478}, and the LORD{H3068} anointed{H4886}{(H8799)} thee king{H4428} over Israel{H3478}?

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Samuel sayde: Whan thou wast but small in thine awne eyes, wast thou not ye heade amoge the trybes of Israel? & the LORDE anoynted the to be kynge ouer Israel?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then Samuel saide, When thou wast litle in thine owne sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? For the Lord anointed thee King ouer Israel.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Samuel said: When thou wast litle in thyne owne sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lorde annoynted thee kyng ouer Israel?

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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?

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  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;

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  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,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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;

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And Samuel said, Though you may seem little to yourself, are you not head of the tribes of Israel? for the Lord with the holy oil made you king over Israel,

• World English Bible (2000)

  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;

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  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.

Referenced Verses

• 1 Sam 9:21 : 21 And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? why then do you speak so to me?
• 1 Sam 10:22 : 22 Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come there. And the LORD answered, Behold, he has hidden himself among the equipment.
• 1 Sam 15:1-3 : 1 Samuel also said to Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint you to be king over His people, over Israel: now therefore listen to the voice of the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts, I remember what Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him on the way, when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.
• Hos 13:1 : 1 When Ephraim spoke trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.
• Matt 18:4 : 4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
• 1 Sam 10:1 : 1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD has anointed you to be captain over His inheritance?
• Judg 6:15 : 15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.