King James Version

1 Samuel 15:17

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?

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…שְׁמוּאֵ֔לshemuelShemuelשְׁמוּאֵלnoun, proper name — “Shemuel”H8050Shemuel, the name of three IsraelitesSamuel, Shemuel.הֲל֗וֹאhalono , -r,לֹאparticle, interrogative, particle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…אִםimoh thatאִםconjunction — “oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…קָטֹ֤ןqatonleastקָטָןadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “least”, the ordinary formH6996abbreviated, i.e. diminutive, literally (in quantity, size or number) or figuratively (in age or importance)least, less(-er), little (one), small(-est, one, quantity, thing), young(-er, -est).אַתָּה֙atahtheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָbeeyneykhain eye , , -sightעַיִןpreposition, noun, common, both genders, dual, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “in eye , , -sight”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5869an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)affliction, outward appearance, [phrase] before, [phrase] think best, colour, conceit, [phrase] be content, countenance, [phrase] displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, [phrase] favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), [idiom] him…רֹ֛אשׁroshheadרֹאשׁnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “head”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7218the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.שִׁבְטֵ֥יshivtedartשֵׁבֶטnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “dart”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7626a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan[idiom] correction, dart, rod, sceptre, staff, tribe.יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.אָ֑תָּהatahtheeאַתָּהpronoun, personal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “thee”H859thou and thee, or (plural) ye and youthee, thou, ye, you.וַיִּמְשָׁחֲךָ֧vayimshachakhaand anointמָשַׁחconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and anoint”, the next action in the storyH4886to rub with oil, i.e. to anoint; by implication, to consecrate; also to paintanoint, paint.יְהוָ֛הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).לְמֶ֖לֶךְlemelekhto kingמֶלֶךְpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…יִשְׂרָאֵֽלyisraelIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלnoun, proper name — “Israel”H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterityIsrael.

Jewish translation (JPS 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;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

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;

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,

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;

Darby Translation

And Samuel said, Was it not when thou wast little in thine eyes that thou [becamest] the head of the tribes of Israel, and Jehovah anointed thee king over Israel?

Douay-Rheims

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.

Jewish Publication Society (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’s Septuagint (1851), English

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.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπε Σαμουὴλ πρὸς Σαούλ, οὐχὶ μικρὸς εἶ σὺ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, ἡγούμενος σκήπτρου φυλῆς Ἰσραήλ; καὶ ἔχρισέ σε Κύριος εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ἰσραήλ.