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1 Samuel 9:11

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Samuel 9:11 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
1 Samuel 9:11 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Samuel 9

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
8And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
9(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer; for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
10Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
11As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
12And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he is] before thee: make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the people have a sacrifice to-day in the high place:
13as soon as ye are come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he goeth up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat that are bidden. Now therefore get you up; for at this time ye shall find him.
14And they went up to the city; [and] as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And as they went up the hill to the city, etc.] For the city was built upon an hill, from whence it had the name of Ramah, which signifies high and lifted up: they found young maidens going out to draw water: going out of the city, to a fountain which was at the bottom of the hill; and this was the usual business of maidens in those countries to fetch water for the service of the family, (see Gill on “<012411>Genesis 24:11, 15, 16”). R. Akiba f182 makes this observation, that whenever a man meets maidens coming out of a city before he goes into it, it is a token of prosperity to him; and instances in the cases of Abraham’s servant, of Jacob, and of Moses, and here of Saul, who was informed…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“as they went up the hill--The modern village, Er-Rameh, lies on an eminence; and on their way they met a band of young maidens going out to the well, which, like all similar places in Palestine, was beyond the precincts of the town. From these damsels they learned that the day was devoted to a festival occasion, in honor of which Samuel had arrived in the city; that a sacrifice had been offered, which was done by prophets in extraordinary circumstances at a distance from the tabernacle, and that a feast was to follow--implying that it had been a peace offering; and that, according to the venerable practice of the Israelites, the man of God was expected to ask a special blessing on the food…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“the hill to the city: Heb. in the ascent of the city, found. Gen 24:11, Gen 24:18-20; Exo 2:16; Jdg 5:11 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 9:12”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“As they were going up to the high place of the town, they met maidens coming out of the town to draw water; and on asking them whether the seer was there, they received this answer: "Yes; behold, he is before thee: make haste, now, for he has come into the town to-day; for the people have a sacrifice to-day upon the high place." Bamah (in the singular) does not mean the height or hill generally; but throughout it signifies the high place, as a place of sacrifice or prayer. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 9:13”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification