And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

1 SAMUEL 9:25KJV
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1 Samuel 9:25 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 9:25 mean?

1 Samuel 9:25 describes how, after coming down from a place of worship, Samuel and Saul went into the city, and Samuel spoke privately with Saul on the rooftop of a house. This verse sets up a quiet, personal conversation between the prophet Samuel and Saul, away from the crowd.

Samuel is guiding Saul, who has just been searching for his father’s lost donkeys, through a significant moment in his life. The rooftop was a common place for private discussions in ancient Israel, and Samuel’s choice to speak with Saul there hints at the importance and confidentiality of what he is about to share.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 9:25

  • "down" (יָרַד, yarad): This word means to descend or go down. It emphasizes the movement from a higher, sacred place (the high place of worship) to the everyday setting of the city, marking a shift from public ceremony to private interaction.
  • "place" (בָּמָה, bamah): This refers to a high place, often used for worship or sacrifice. Mentioning the "high place" helps the reader understand that Saul and Samuel had just participated in a religious event before this private conversation.
  • "communed" (דָּבַר, dabar): This word means to speak or converse. It often carries the sense of a meaningful or weighty conversation, highlighting that Samuel’s words to Saul were significant and not just casual talk.
  • "house" (בַּיִת, bayit): This word means house or dwelling. The mention of the rooftop (a flat area on top of the house) shows the setting was private and suitable for an important conversation.

Why 1 Samuel 9:25 matters

  • This verse shows the transition from a public religious event to a private, personal moment, preparing the reader for the important message Samuel is about to give Saul.
  • The rooftop setting signals that what Samuel is about to say is confidential and significant, helping the reader anticipate a turning point in Saul’s life.
  • Understanding the original words for "high place" and "communed" adds depth, showing that this was not just any conversation, but a meaningful exchange after a sacred experience.

Where else these words appear

“house” Hebrew H1406 · used in 27 verses

  • Exodus 30:3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
  • 2 Samuel 11:2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
  • Proverbs 25:24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

“place” Hebrew H1116 · used in 92 verses

  • Leviticus 26:30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.
  • 2 Kings 16:4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
  • 2 Chronicles 33:3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.