1 Samuel 13:10 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 13:10 mean?

1 Samuel 13:10 brings Saul’s offering and Samuel’s arrival together at a decisive moment. Saul has just finished presenting the burnt offering when Samuel appears, and Saul goes out to greet him. The close timing sets up the conversation that follows.

The narrator tells the story; no one speaks in this verse. Saul’s approach is a greeting rather than the explanation he gives in the following verses. The burnt offering was an animal offering burned on an altar.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 13:10

• “offering” — עָלָה (ʿalah): This verb can carry the sense of “bringing up.” Here it refers to presenting the burnt offering on the altar.
• “salute” — בָּרַךְ (barakh): This word often means “bless,” but it can also be used for greeting someone. In this verse, the KJV uses “salute” for Saul’s greeting to Samuel.

Why 1 Samuel 13:10 matters

• The timing helps explain the disagreement that follows. Samuel arrives “as soon as” Saul finishes, and in verse 11 he asks Saul what he has done.
• Saul’s greeting opens a meeting, not a report of agreement. Samuel’s question in verse 11 shows that his response to Saul’s action is more serious than the initial greeting might suggest.