What Does 1 Samuel 9:7 Mean in the King James?

Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?

1 Samuel 9:7 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

When the bread and gift are gone, the question shifts from what they can bring to what they still have.

THE MEANING

Scarcity is spoken plainly: the bread is spent, and there is no gift to offer. Yet the thought does not end there; it turns to the question, “what have we?” The verse lets what is missing be real while keeping what remains in view.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

It undoes the belief that when the expected provision is gone, nothing remains to offer. The verse names the lack, then asks what is still with them.

THE ROOT

נָבִיא

nāḇîʾ

GROWS FROM

בוא

b-w-ʾ

To come, enter, or arrive; in the causative form, to cause something to come.

Both “what shall we bring” and “there is no present to bring” use forms of ⁨בוא⁩, “come.” What they lack is something they can cause to arrive before the man; the verse then turns toward what is already with them.

ALSO GROWS

bôʾ: Come, enter, arrive.

בּוֹא

This is the seed sense beneath “bring”: the action centers on something coming to its destination.

hēḇîʾ: Bring, cause to come.

הֵבִיא

This causative form makes the verse’s repeated question concrete: what can they make arrive as a gift?

אָזַל

ʾāzal

GROWS FROM

אזל

ʾ-z-l

To go away, be gone, or run out.

“spent” in this verse is ʾāzal. The Hebrew says the bread has gone from their vessels: depletion is movement, what was there has left. The same root describes power that is gone in Deuteronomy 32:36, so the word reaches beyond food to what has run out of strength.

ALSO GROWS

ʾāzal: Go away, be gone, run out.

אָזַל

The bread is not merely judged insufficient; the word says it is gone from their stores.

ʾozlat yād: The hand’s power is gone.

אָזְלַת יָד

Deuteronomy 32:36 uses the same root for power running out, linking this verse’s empty provisions with depleted strength.

THE PATTERN

When expected provisions run out, the question turns toward what remains present.

And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

Exodus 4:2 · KJVThe question brings attention to what is already in hand when the way forward is uncertain.

And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

2 Kings 4:2 · KJVA household facing lack is asked what remains within it, and the answer names what has not run out.

There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

John 6:9 · KJVThe question measures the small amount present against the apparent need, keeping both in view.

THE THREAD

For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.

Deuteronomy 32:36 · KJV

“Spent” in 1 Samuel and “gone” in Deuteronomy share the Hebrew root ⁨אָזַל⁩ (ʾāzal), meaning to go away or run out. In both verses, depletion is named directly; here, the question “what have we?” turns toward what remains.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us