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As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?”
1 Samuel 9:11 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
  • BSB And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?”
  • NKJV As they went up the hill to the city, they met some young women going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?”
  • NASB As they went up the slope to the city, they found young women going out to draw water, and they said to them, “Is the seer here?”
  • NLT As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

On the way up to the city they meet young women drawing water and ask for the seer.

Overview

The ordinary scene of women at the well becomes another link in God's providential timing. The travelers' question keeps them moving precisely toward Samuel. Such everyday details reveal how carefully the narrative traces God's unseen guidance.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 4

  • Gen 24:11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
  • Exod 2:16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
  • Judg 5:11Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, there they will rehearse Yahweh’s righteous acts, the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. “Then Yahweh’s people went down to the gates.
  • Gen 24:18–20She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 1 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 1 Samuel 9:11YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 1 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The rise of the anointed king after Israel's failed first choice points to the true Anointed One (Messiah means 'anointed'), the shepherd-king after God's own heart from Bethlehem.

How 1 Samuel 9:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.