Greek Text · Translation · Interlinear · Discourse Structure

The First Book of Kingdoms, Chapter 9ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩΝ Α′ Θ′

Each verse opens with the running Greek, an English translation, and a discourse note (its connective, relation, and role in the argument). Below follows the word-by-word breakdown in six tiers: gloss, case (color), parsing, syntax, semantic force, and a lexical note.

Case Nominative Genitive Dative Accusative Vocative Verb (no case) Indeclinable

Discourse notes head each verse: relation · connective · clause-flow. Indentation marks prominence — flush-left = main line of argument; indented = supporting / subordinate material.

Theme

Saul's search for lost asses becomes the providential path to his calling as Israel's first king.

Translation & textual notes

The Greek text of 1 Kingdoms 9 (= 1 Samuel 9) follows the standard critical text of the Septuagint as established in the Rahlfs–Hanhart edition (Septuaginta, rev. ed. 2006), an ancient and public-domain text; the critical apparatus is not reproduced. The chapter is a leisurely, novelistic narrative — the longest sustained 'introduction of a hero' in the Books of Kingdoms — recounting how Saul son of Kish, εὐμεγέθης ('of great stature') and a head taller than all the people (vv. 1–2), is sent with a servant to recover his father's lost she-asses (αἱ ὄνοι, vv. 3–5). The search fails, and the servant proposes consulting the ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ ('man of God') resident in the nearby town (vv. 6–10). At v. 9 the narrator inserts a famous philological gloss: ὁ προφήτην ἐκάλει ὁ λαὸς ἔμπροσθεν ὁ βλέπων — what is now called 'the prophet' was formerly called 'the seer' (ὁ βλέπων, rendering Hebrew הָרֹאֶה). At the town the LORD has, the day before, opened Samuel's ear (ἀπεκάλυψεν τὸ ὠτίον Σαμουηλ, v. 15) — a Hebraism for גָּלָה אֶת אֹזֶן — announcing that he will send a man to be χρισμένος εἰς ἄρχοντα ('anointed for ruler', v. 16) over Israel; and when Saul appears, κύριος ἀπεκρίθη ('the LORD answered', v. 17): οὗτος ἄρξει ('this man shall rule'). Samuel honors the unwitting Saul at the high-place (Βαμα) feast with the reserved portion — the κωλέα ('thigh / leg') set aside εἰς μαρτύριον (vv. 22–24) — and the chapter ends on the rooftop at dawn (ἐπὶ τῷ δώματι, vv. 25–26), poised on the threshold of the secret anointing of chapter 10. Throughout, the LXX shows the heavy καί-parataxis and the participial genitive-absolute openings (αὐτῶν ἐλθόντων, v. 5; αὐτῶν ἀναβαινόντων, v. 11; αὐτῶν καταβαινόντων, v. 27) characteristic of the translator's close mirroring of Hebrew narrative syntax.

1

καὶ ἦν ἀνὴρ ἐξ υἱῶν Βενιαμιν καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Κις υἱὸς Αβιηλ υἱοῦ Σαρεδ υἱοῦ Βαχιρ υἱοῦ Αφεκ υἱοῦ ἀνδρὸς Ιεμιναίου ἀνὴρ δυνατός

And there was a man of the sons of Benjamin, and his name was Kish, son of Abiel, son of Sared, son of Bachir, son of Aphek, son of a Jeminite man, a man of power.

Narrative opening (hero-introduction formula)καὶ ἦν ἀνὴρ
The chapter opens with the classic biblical formula καὶ ἦν ἀνήρ ('and there was a man'; cf. 1:1; Job 1:1), introducing a new protagonist with a genealogical anchor. The five-generation pedigree culminating in the gentilic ἀνὴρ Ιεμιναῖος and the honorific ἀνὴρ δυνατός establishes Kish's social standing as a fitting father for Israel's first king.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis, chapter-initial)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: the standard LXX rendering of the Hebrew narrative waw; chapter-initial καί-parataxis ties the new episode into the running narrative and mirrors the Hebrew וַיְהִי-construction.
ἦνthere wasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (existential: 'there was a man')→ participant referenceεἰμί (impf. ἦν): the existential imperfect renders Hebrew וַיְהִי ('and there was'); the formula καὶ ἦν ἀνήρ is the standard biblical opening for introducing a key figure (cf. 1 Kgdms 1:1; Job 1:1).
ἀνὴρa manNominativesubject (existential predicate-nominative)→ participant prominenceἀνήρ: 'man / male / husband'; renders Hebrew אִישׁ; the indefinite ἀνήρ introduces Kish as a new and significant figure, his identity then unfolded through name and genealogy.
ἐξof / frompreposition + genitive (partitive: 'from among the sons')→ spatial or relational framingἐκ (ἐξ before vowel): 'out of / from'; here partitive, locating the man among the descendants of Benjamin; renders the Hebrew מִן.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivegenitive object of ἐξ (partitive: 'of the sons of Benjamin')→ relational specificationυἱός (pl. gen. υἱῶν): 'son'; the idiom υἱοὶ Βενιαμιν ('sons of Benjamin') renders בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן, a standard Hebraism for tribal membership.
ΒενιαμινBenjamingenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΒενιαμιν: transliteration of Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין ('son of the right hand / south'); indeclinable in the LXX; the smallest tribe (cf. v. 21), from which Israel's first king will paradoxically come.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing name-formula)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὄνομαnameNominativesubject of verbless naming-clause ('his name was Kish')→ participant prominenceὄνομα: 'name'; the verbless clause ὄνομα αὐτῷ Κις ('a name to him was Kish') renders the Hebrew naming-idiom וּשְׁמוֹ קִישׁ, the dative αὐτῷ functioning as a possessive ('his name').
αὐτῷto him / hisDativedative of possession ('a name belonging to him')→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): the dative of possession in the naming-formula renders the Hebrew possessive suffix in וּשְׁמוֹ ('and his name').
ΚιςKishpredicate of naming-clause (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΚις: transliteration of Hebrew קִישׁ; indeclinable in the LXX; the father of Saul, head of the genealogy that follows.
υἱὸςsonNominativeappositional nominative (beginning the genealogy: 'son of Abiel')→ participant prominenceυἱός: here heading the patrilineal chain υἱὸς Αβιηλ υἱοῦ Σαρεδ …, the standard LXX genealogical construction rendering Hebrew בֶּן … בֶּן.
ΑβιηλAbielgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΑβιηλ: transliteration of Hebrew אֲבִיאֵל ('my father is God'); indeclinable; grandfather of Saul.
υἱοῦsonGenitivegenitive in apposition (continuing the genealogy)→ relational specificationυἱός (gen. υἱοῦ): the repeated genitive υἱοῦ chains each ancestor to the next, a calque of the Hebrew construct genealogy.
ΣαρεδSaredgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαρεδ: transliteration of a Hebrew ancestral name (cf. MT צְרוֹר, Zeror); indeclinable in the LXX.
υἱοῦsonGenitivegenitive in apposition (continuing the genealogy)→ relational specificationυἱοῦ: meaning 'son'; it serves as genitive in apposition (continuing the genealogy).
ΒαχιρBachirgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΒαχιρ: transliteration of a Hebrew ancestral name (cf. MT בְּכוֹרַת, Becorath); indeclinable in the LXX.
υἱοῦsonGenitivegenitive in apposition (continuing the genealogy)→ relational specificationυἱοῦ: meaning 'son'; it serves as genitive in apposition (continuing the genealogy).
ΑφεκAphekgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΑφεκ: transliteration of a Hebrew ancestral name (cf. MT אֲפִיחַ, Aphiah); indeclinable in the LXX.
υἱοῦsonGenitivegenitive in apposition (final link of the genealogy)→ relational specificationυἱοῦ: meaning 'son'; it serves as genitive in apposition (final link of the genealogy).
ἀνδρὸςof a manGenitivegenitive of relationship (terminating the genealogy: 'son of a Jeminite man')→ relational specificationἀνήρ (gen. ἀνδρός): the genealogy closes not with a personal name but with the descriptive ἀνδρὸς Ιεμιναίου ('a Jeminite/Benjaminite man'), rendering the Hebrew אִישׁ יְמִינִי, marking the family's tribal stock.
ΙεμιναίουJeminiteGenitiveattributive adjective (gentilic, modifying ἀνδρὸς)→ relational specificationΙεμιναῖος: gentilic adjective rendering Hebrew יְמִינִי ('Benjaminite', lit. 'son of the right [hand]'); declinable in the LXX (gen. Ιεμιναίου), hence treated as a noun/adjective with case; the same gentilic recurs at v. 21 (υἱὸς ἀνδρὸς Ιεμιναίου).
ἀνὴρa manNominativenominative in apposition to the subject (closing characterization)→ participant prominenceἀνήρ: the verse closes by returning (ring-composition) to ἀνήρ, now qualified as δυνατός — Kish is reaffirmed as a man of substance.
δυνατόςpowerful / mightyNominativepredicate adjective (characterizing Kish: 'a man of power')→ participant prominenceδυνατός: 'powerful / capable / of substance'; renders Hebrew גִּבּוֹר חַיִל ('mighty man of valor / man of standing'); here connoting wealth, social influence, and capacity rather than martial prowess specifically — the honorable lineage that frames Saul's rise.
2

καὶ τούτῳ υἱός καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Σαουλ εὐμεγέθης ἀνὴρ ἀγαθός καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἐν υἱοῖς Ισραηλ ἀγαθὸς ὑπὲρ αὐτόν ὑπὲρ ὠμίαν καὶ ἐπάνω ὑψηλὸς ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν

And to this man there was a son, and his name was Saul, of great stature, a goodly man; and there was not among the sons of Israel one goodlier than he, from the shoulder and upward, taller than all the land.

Continuation of hero-introduction (Saul presented through his father)καὶ τούτῳ υἱός
v. 2 introduces Saul exactly as v. 1 introduced Kish — by the dative-of-possession naming-formula (τούτῳ υἱός … ὄνομα αὐτῷ Σαουλ). The double superlative — εὐμεγέθης ('of great stature') and ὑψηλὸς ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ('taller than all the land'), measured ὑπὲρ ὠμίαν καὶ ἐπάνω ('from the shoulder up') — gives Saul the imposing physical presence the people will later demand in a king (cf. 10:23–24).
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τούτῳto this manDativedative of possession (demonstrative: 'to this one [Kish] was a son')→ participant reference or interestοὗτος (dat. τούτῳ): the demonstrative refers back to Kish; the dative of possession (τούτῳ υἱός = 'this one had a son') parallels the naming-idiom of v. 1.
υἱόςa sonNominativesubject of verbless possession-clause→ participant prominenceυἱός: 'son'; the verbless clause τούτῳ υἱός ('to him a son') renders the Hebrew וְלוֹ הָיָה בֵן.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing name-formula)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὄνομαnameNominativesubject of naming-clause ('his name was Saul')→ participant prominenceὄνομα: the naming-formula ὄνομα αὐτῷ Σαουλ repeats the construction of v. 1 (ὄνομα αὐτῷ Κις).
αὐτῷto him / hisDativedative of possession ('his name')→ participant reference or interestαὐτῷ: meaning 'to him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as dative of possession ('his name').
ΣαουλSaulpredicate of naming-clause (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: transliteration of Hebrew שָׁאוּל ('asked / requested [of God]'); indeclinable in the LXX; the name's meaning ('asked') resonates with the people's 'asking' for a king in ch. 8.
εὐμεγέθηςof great statureNominativepredicate adjective (characterizing Saul's physique)→ participant prominenceεὐμεγέθης: 'of good size / tall / well-grown'; a compound (εὖ + μέγεθος) describing imposing physical stature; renders Hebrew בָּחוּר ('choice / in his prime'); anticipates ὑψηλός later in the verse and the kingly stature of 10:23.
ἀνὴρa manNominativeappositional nominative (with ἀγαθός: 'a goodly man')→ participant prominenceἀνήρ: here in the phrase ἀνὴρ ἀγαθός, characterizing Saul as a fine/goodly young man.
ἀγαθόςgood / goodlyNominativepredicate adjective (qualifying ἀνήρ)→ participant prominenceἀγαθός: 'good / fine / excellent'; here of physical and personal quality ('goodly'), rendering Hebrew טוֹב; the comparison ἀγαθὸς ὑπὲρ αὐτόν below makes the sense 'finer/handsomer than he'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing comparison)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἦν)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ (οὐκ before vowel): absolute negation; οὐκ ἦν … ἀγαθὸς ὑπὲρ αὐτόν = 'there was no one finer than he', a superlative-by-negation idiom.
ἦνwasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (existential, negated)→ participant referenceεἰμί (impf. ἦν): existential imperfect; with οὐκ frames the comparison as a state — no Israelite surpassed Saul.
ἐνamongpreposition + dative (locative: 'among')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in / among'; here locating the comparison within the population of Israel.
υἱοῖςsonsDativedative object of ἐν ('among the sons of Israel')→ sphere or referenceυἱός (dat. pl. υἱοῖς): the idiom υἱοὶ Ισραηλ renders בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, the standard designation of the covenant people.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliteration of Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל; indeclinable in the LXX; here the whole people among whom Saul is unmatched.
ἀγαθὸςgoodly / finerNominativepredicate adjective (subject of negated ἦν: 'no one finer')→ participant prominenceἀγαθός: repeated from above; the comparative force ('finer than he') is carried by the following ὑπὲρ αὐτόν.
ὑπὲρthan / abovepreposition + accusative (comparative: 'than him')→ spatial or relational framingὑπέρ + accusative: 'above / beyond / more than'; a Hebraizing comparative (rendering מִן of comparison); ἀγαθὸς ὑπὲρ αὐτόν = 'finer than he'.
αὐτόνhimAccusativeaccusative object of ὑπέρ (object of comparison)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): the standard of comparison — none was finer 'than him'.
ὑπὲρfrom / abovepreposition + accusative (measurement of height: 'from the shoulder')→ spatial or relational framingὑπέρ + accusative: here introducing the bodily measure ὑπὲρ ὠμίαν καὶ ἐπάνω ('from the shoulder and upward'), the LXX rendering of Hebrew מִשִּׁכְמוֹ וָמַעְלָה — Saul towered head-and-shoulders above the rest (cf. 10:23).
ὠμίανshoulderAccusativeaccusative object of ὑπέρ (bodily reference-point)→ object specificationὠμία: 'shoulder'; renders Hebrew שֶׁכֶם ('shoulder'); the measure 'from the shoulder upward' specifies exactly how Saul exceeded everyone — by a full head's height.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπάνωupward / aboveadverb of place (completing 'from the shoulder and upward')→ clausal contributionἐπάνω: 'above / upward'; renders Hebrew מַעְלָה; with ὑπὲρ ὠμίαν it forms the idiom for Saul's head-and-shoulders height.
ὑψηλὸςtall / highNominativepredicate adjective (characterizing Saul: 'taller')→ participant prominenceὑψηλός: 'high / tall / lofty'; renders Hebrew גָּבֹהַּ; the second stature-term (after εὐμεγέθης), here governing the comparative ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν.
ὑπὲρthan / abovepreposition + accusative (comparative: 'than all')→ spatial or relational framingὑπέρ + accusative: comparative again, governing πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν.
πᾶσανallAccusativeattributive adjective (modifying γῆν: 'all the land')→ object specificationπᾶς (fem. acc. πᾶσαν): 'all / whole'; with γῆν it forms the hyperbolic comparison 'taller than all the land'.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γῆν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆνland / peopleAccusativeaccusative object of ὑπέρ (standard of comparison: 'all the land')→ object specificationγῆ: 'earth / land'; here by metonymy 'all the land' = all the people of the land; the LXX renders Hebrew הָעָם ('the people') with γῆν, idiomatically 'taller than everyone in the land'.
3

καὶ ἀπώλοντο αἱ ὄνοι Κις πατρὸς Σαουλ καὶ εἶπεν Κις πρὸς Σαουλ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ λαβὲ μετὰ σεαυτοῦ ἓν τῶν παιδαρίων καὶ ἀνάστητε καὶ πορεύθητε καὶ ζητήσατε τὰς ὄνους

And the she-asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost; and Kish said to Saul his son, 'Take with yourself one of the servants, and arise and go and seek the she-asses.'

Inciting incident (the lost donkeys set the plot in motion)καὶ ἀπώλοντο αἱ ὄνοι
The plot's mainspring: the loss of the she-asses (αἱ ὄνοι) launches the quest that will providentially bring Saul to Samuel. Kish's command stacks four imperatives — λαβέ (sg., to Saul) then ἀνάστητε, πορεύθητε, ζητήσατε (pl., to Saul and the servant) — a brisk dispatch that propels the narrative forward.
Word-by-word analysis· 29 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπώλοντοwere lostAor Mid Indic 3 Pl · ἀπόλλυμιmain verb (the inciting event)→ verbal action or stateἀπόλλυμι (aor. mid. ἀπώλοντο): 'perish / be lost / go astray'; the middle here = 'got lost / went missing'; renders Hebrew אָבַד; the same root recurs in the genitive ἀπολωλυιῶν at v. 20 ('the lost donkeys').
αἱtheNominativearticle (with ὄνοι)→ noun-phrase markingαἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄνοιshe-assesNominativesubject (the lost animals)→ participant prominenceὄνος: 'donkey / ass'; the feminine article αἱ marks these as she-asses (Hebrew אֲתֹנוֹת); donkeys were valuable property, so their loss warrants a serious search; the motif recurs at vv. 5, 20.
Κιςof Kishgenitive of possession (indeclinable: 'Kish's')→ participant identificationΚις: indeclinable; here genitive of possession ('the she-asses of Kish').
πατρὸςfatherGenitivegenitive in apposition to Κις ('Kish, Saul's father')→ relational specificationπατήρ (gen. πατρός): 'father'; the apposition πατρὸς Σαουλ identifies Kish by relation to Saul, keeping the hero in view even when the donkeys are the grammatical subject.
Σαουλof Saulgenitive of relationship (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; genitive ('Saul's father').
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing speech)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): the standard narrative speech-introducer; here Kish commissions Saul.
ΚιςKishsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΚις: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject of εἶπεν (indeclinable proper noun).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + accusative: 'to / toward'; with verbs of speaking marks the addressee.
ΣαουλSaulaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable; addressee)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as accusative object of πρός (indeclinable; addressee).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with υἱὸν, in apposition to Σαουλ)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱὸνsonAccusativeaccusative in apposition to Σαουλ ('Saul his son')→ object specificationυἱός (acc. υἱόν): the apposition τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ stresses the father-son relationship that grounds the command.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his son')→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession ('his son').
λαβὲtakeAor Act Impv 2 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (imperative to Saul, singular)→ verbal action or stateλαμβάνω (aor. impv. λαβέ): 'take / take with'; the singular imperative is addressed to Saul personally, instructing him to take a servant along.
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + genitive: 'with / in company with'.
σεαυτοῦyourselfGenitivereflexive pronoun, object of μετά ('with yourself')→ relational specificationσεαυτοῦ: 2nd-person reflexive pronoun, 'of yourself'; μετὰ σεαυτοῦ = 'along with you'.
ἓνoneAccusativenumeral substantive, object of λαβέ ('one [of the servants]')→ measure or countεἷς, μία, ἕν (neut. acc. ἕν): 'one'; substantival here, 'one of the servant-lads'; agrees in gender with the neuter παιδάριον.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (partitive genitive with παιδαρίων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παιδαρίωνservant-ladsGenitivepartitive genitive ('one of the servant-boys')→ relational specificationπαιδάριον: 'young servant / lad / boy-attendant'; diminutive of παῖς; renders Hebrew נַעַר; this παιδάριον becomes Saul's companion and counselor throughout the chapter (vv. 5–10, 22, 27).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking imperatives)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνάστητεariseAor Act Impv 2 Pl · ἀνίστημιmain verb (plural imperative to Saul and servant)→ verbal action or stateἀνίστημι (aor. impv. ἀνάστητε): 'rise up / set out'; the plural now includes the servant; ἀνάστητε καὶ πορεύθητε is a stock LXX 'arise and go' idiom (rendering קוּם וְלֵךְ) launching a journey.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πορεύθητεgoAor Pass Impv 2 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (plural imperative)→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (aor. pass.-dep. impv. πορεύθητε): 'go / travel / set out'; deponent verb with aorist passive form but active sense; the second link in the 'arise–go–seek' command-chain.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ζητήσατεseekAor Act Impv 2 Pl · ζητέωmain verb (plural imperative; goal of the journey)→ verbal action or stateζητέω (aor. impv. ζητήσατε): 'seek / search for'; renders Hebrew בִּקֵּשׁ; the culminating command — the search for the donkeys that structures the whole episode.
τὰςtheAccusativearticle (with ὄνους)→ noun-phrase markingτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄνουςshe-assesAccusativedirect object of ζητήσατε→ object specificationὄνος (acc. pl. ὄνους): the lost she-asses, object of the search; the feminine article τάς confirms the gender.
4

καὶ διῆλθον δι᾿ ὄρους Εφραιμ καὶ διῆλθον διὰ τῆς γῆς Σελχα καὶ οὐχ εὗρον καὶ διῆλθον διὰ τῆς γῆς Εασακεμ καὶ οὐκ ἦν καὶ διῆλθον διὰ τῆς γῆς Ιακιμ καὶ οὐχ εὗρον

And they passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and they passed through the land of Selcha, and did not find them; and they passed through the land of Easakem, and there was nothing; and they passed through the land of Iakim, and did not find them.

Itinerary sequence (the fruitless search across four regions)καὶ διῆλθον
v. 4 is built on fourfold anaphora of διῆλθον ('they passed through'), each region (Ephraim, Σελχα, Εασακεμ, Ιακιμ) met with a flat negative — οὐχ εὗρον … οὐκ ἦν … οὐχ εὗρον. The repetitive, accumulating failure heightens the sense of futility just before the providential redirection of vv. 5–6.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διῆλθονthey passed throughAor Act Indic 3 Pl · διέρχομαιmain verb (movement through territory)→ verbal action or stateδιέρχομαι (aor. διῆλθον): 'go through / traverse'; renders Hebrew עָבַר; the verb is repeated four times in this verse, mapping the wide and fruitless circuit of the search.
δι᾿throughpreposition + genitive (path/extent, elided before vowel)→ spatial or relational framingδιά + genitive: 'through / across'; marks the route of passage.
ὄρουςhill countryGenitivegenitive object of διά ('through the hill country')→ relational specificationὄρος (gen. ὄρους): 'mountain / hill country'; ὄρος Εφραιμ renders Hebrew הַר אֶפְרַיִם ('the hill country of Ephraim'), the central highland region.
ΕφραιμEphraimgenitive of relationship (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΕφραιμ: transliteration of Hebrew אֶפְרַיִם; indeclinable; the territory of the tribe of Ephraim, adjacent to Benjamin.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διῆλθονthey passed throughAor Act Indic 3 Pl · διέρχομαιmain verb (second traversal)→ verbal action or stateδιέρχομαι: 'pass through / go about'; renders עָבַר; the wild beasts merely 'pass by' — the thistle is crushed casually, incidentally, underscoring its insignificance.
διὰthroughpreposition + genitive (path)→ spatial or relational framingδιὰ: meaning 'through'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (path).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with γῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive object of διά ('through the land of')→ relational specificationγῆ (gen. γῆς): 'land / region'; the recurring formula διὰ τῆς γῆς + place-name renders Hebrew בְּאֶרֶץ, marking each successive district of the search.
ΣελχαSelchagenitive of relationship (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΣελχα: transliteration of a Hebrew region-name (cf. MT שָׁלִשָׁה, Shalishah); indeclinable in the LXX.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐχnotnegative particle (with εὗρον)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ (οὐχ before rough breathing): negation; οὐχ εὗρον = 'they did not find [them]', the first of the verse's three negative refrains.
εὗρονthey foundAor Act Indic 3 Pl · εὑρίσκωmain verb (negated: search fails)→ verbal action or stateεὑρίσκω (aor. εὗρον): 'find / discover'; renders Hebrew מָצָא; the negated εὗρον marks the failure of the search; contrast εὕρηνται ('they are found') at v. 20.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διῆλθονthey passed throughAor Act Indic 3 Pl · διέρχομαιmain verb (third traversal)→ verbal action or stateδιέρχομαι: 'pass through / go about'; renders עָבַר; the wild beasts merely 'pass by' — the thistle is crushed casually, incidentally, underscoring its insignificance.
διὰthroughpreposition + genitive (path)→ spatial or relational framingδιὰ: meaning 'through'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (path).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with γῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive object of διά→ relational specificationγῆς: meaning 'land'; it serves as genitive object of διά.
ΕασακεμEasakemgenitive of relationship (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΕασακεμ: transliteration of a Hebrew region-name (cf. MT שַׁעֲלִים, Shaalim); indeclinable in the LXX.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἦν)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ (οὐκ before vowel): negation; οὐκ ἦν = 'there was nothing / they were not [there]', a variant of the search-failure refrain.
ἦνthere wasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (existential, negated: 'there was nothing')→ participant referenceεἰμί (impf. ἦν): existential 'be / be present'; οὐκ ἦν here means the donkeys were not there to be found — terse narration of the empty result.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διῆλθονthey passed throughAor Act Indic 3 Pl · διέρχομαιmain verb (fourth traversal)→ verbal action or stateδιέρχομαι: 'pass through / go about'; renders עָבַר; the wild beasts merely 'pass by' — the thistle is crushed casually, incidentally, underscoring its insignificance.
διὰthroughpreposition + genitive (path)→ spatial or relational framingδιὰ: meaning 'through'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (path).
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with γῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive object of διά→ relational specificationγῆς: meaning 'land'; it serves as genitive object of διά.
ΙακιμIakimgenitive of relationship (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΙακιμ: transliteration of a Hebrew region-name (cf. MT יְמִינִי / בִּנְיָמִין tradition); indeclinable in the LXX.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
οὐχnotnegative particle (with εὗρον)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐχ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εὗρονthey foundAor Act Indic 3 Pl · εὑρίσκωmain verb (negated: search fails again)→ verbal action or stateεὑρίσκω (aor. εὗρον): the third and final failure-refrain closes the itinerary, leaving the quest unresolved and setting up Saul's proposal to turn back (v. 5).
5

αὐτῶν ἐλθόντων εἰς τὴν Σιφ καὶ Σαουλ εἶπεν τῷ παιδαρίῳ αὐτοῦ τῷ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ δεῦρο καὶ ἀναστρέψωμεν μὴ ἀνεὶς ὁ πατήρ μου τὰς ὄνους φροντίζῃ περὶ ἡμῶν

When they had come into the land of Ziph, then Saul said to his servant who was with him, 'Come, let us turn back, lest my father stop worrying about the she-asses and become anxious about us.'

Genitive-absolute temporal frame introducing the turning-pointαὐτῶν ἐλθόντων
The genitive absolute αὐτῶν ἐλθόντων ('when they had come') — one of three such openings in the chapter (cf. vv. 11, 27) — sets the temporal stage for Saul's proposal to abandon the search. Saul's concern is touchingly filial: he fears his father will transfer his anxiety from the donkeys to the searchers themselves. This is the homely pivot from failed quest to providential meeting.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
αὐτῶνthey / theirGenitivegenitive absolute (subject of ἐλθόντων)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): subject of the genitive-absolute construction; refers to Saul and his servant; the LXX favors this participial construction to render Hebrew temporal infinitives (כְּבֹאָם, 'as they came').
ἐλθόντωνhaving comeAor Act Ptc Gen Masc Pl · ἔρχομαιgenitive-absolute participle (temporal: 'when they had come')→ verbal action or stateἔρχομαι (aor. ptc. ἐλθόντων): 'come / arrive'; the aorist participle in the genitive absolute marks the arrival at Ziph as the temporal setting for Saul's words.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: 'into / to'; marks the goal of the participial 'coming'.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with Σιφ)→ noun-phrase markingἡ (acc. τήν): the feminine article governs the indeclinable place-name Σιφ, treating it as a feminine region/town.
ΣιφZiphobject of εἰς (indeclinable place-name, articular)→ participant identificationΣιφ: transliteration of a Hebrew place-name (cf. MT צוּף, Zuph); indeclinable in the LXX; the article τήν supplies the syntactic case-marking the noun itself cannot.
καὶthen / andapodotic καί (resuming after the genitive absolute)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here apodotic — after the temporal genitive-absolute clause, καί introduces the main clause ('when they came …, then Saul said'); a Hebraism rendering the waw of apodosis.
ΣαουλSaulsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject of εἶπεν (indeclinable proper noun).
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): introduces Saul's proposal to his servant.
τῷto theDativearticle (with παιδαρίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παιδαρίῳservant-ladDativedative indirect object (addressee of εἶπεν)→ sphere or referenceπαιδάριον (dat. παιδαρίῳ): the servant-lad of v. 3, now Saul's traveling companion and soon his counselor (v. 6).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his servant')→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession ('his servant').
τῷthe oneDativearticle (substantizing the following prepositional phrase)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (dat. τῷ): the article turns μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ into an attributive phrase ('the one with him'), a frequent LXX construction (also v. 7).
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + genitive: 'with'; the articular phrase τῷ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ = 'the one [who was] with him'.
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of μετά→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of μετά.
δεῦροcomeadverb used as exhortative interjection ('come!')→ clausal contributionδεῦρο: an adverb of place ('hither') used as a hortatory interjection 'come!'; renders Hebrew לְכָה; here it opens Saul's proposal, paired with the cohortative subjunctive ἀναστρέψωμεν.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀναστρέψωμενlet us turn backAor Act Subj 1 Pl · ἀναστρέφωmain verb (hortatory subjunctive)→ verbal action or stateἀναστρέφω (aor. subj. ἀναστρέψωμεν): 'turn back / return'; renders Hebrew שׁוּב; the cohortative 'let us return' marks Saul's readiness to abandon the fruitless search — the human decision that providence will overrule.
μὴlestnegative particle (introducing fear/precaution clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: introduces a clause of apprehension ('lest …') governing the subjunctive φροντίζῃ; renders Hebrew פֶּן ('lest').
ἀνεὶςhaving let go / ceasingAor Act Ptc Nom Masc Sg · ἀνίημιcircumstantial participle (modifying ὁ πατήρ: 'having ceased [from]')→ verbal action or stateἀνίημι (aor. ptc. ἀνείς): 'let go / give up / cease from'; here 'leaving off [worrying about] the donkeys'; the participle pictures the father shifting his concern from the lost animals to the missing son.
theNominativearticle (with πατήρ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατήρfatherNominativesubject of φροντίζῃ→ participant prominenceπατήρ: 'father'; Kish, whose anxiety Saul anticipates; ὁ πατήρ μου ('my father') keeps the filial relationship central to Saul's reasoning.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my father')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive pronoun.
τὰςtheAccusativearticle (with ὄνους; object of ἀνείς)→ noun-phrase markingτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄνουςshe-assesAccusativeobject of the participle ἀνείς ('letting go of the she-asses')→ object specificationὄνος (acc. pl. ὄνους): the lost donkeys, now the object that the father might cease worrying about.
φροντίζῃbe anxiousPres Act Subj 3 Sg · φροντίζωverb of the apprehension-clause (after μή)→ verbal action or stateφροντίζω (pres. subj. φροντίζῃ): 'be concerned / take thought / worry'; renders Hebrew דָּאַג ('be anxious'); the present aspect pictures the father's worry as ongoing — Saul fears Kish will fret about the searchers themselves.
περὶaboutpreposition + genitive (object of concern)→ spatial or relational framingπερί + genitive: 'about / concerning'; marks the object of the father's anxiety.
ἡμῶνusGenitivegenitive object of περί ('about us')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. pl. ἡμῶν): 'us'; Saul and his servant, the new object of the father's feared concern.
6

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὸ παιδάριον ἰδοὺ δὴ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἔνδοξος πᾶν ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσῃ παραγινόμενον παρέσται καὶ νῦν πορευθῶμεν ὅπως ἀπαγγείλῃ ἡμῖν τὴν ὁδὸν ἡμῶν ἐφ᾿ ἣν ἐπορεύθημεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν

And the servant said to him, 'Behold now, a man of God is in this city, and the man is held in honor; everything that he speaks comes surely to pass. Now then, let us go, that he may tell us our way on which we have gone.'

Servant's counter-proposal (turning point toward Samuel)καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὸ παιδάριον
The servant's reply is the providential hinge: instead of returning home, he proposes consulting the resident ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ ('man of God'). His commendation — ἔνδοξος ('honored') and reliably true (πᾶν ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσῃ … παρέσται) — frames Samuel as a trustworthy oracle. The deferential ἰδοὺ δή and the hortatory πορευθῶμεν advance the plot toward the divinely arranged encounter.
Word-by-word analysis· 38 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): introduces the servant's pivotal counsel.
αὐτῷto himDativedative indirect object (to Saul)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): the addressee, Saul.
τὸtheNominativearticle (with παιδάριον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παιδάριονservant-ladNominativesubject of εἶπεν→ participant prominenceπαιδάριον: the neuter noun (hence neuter article τό) for the servant-lad; here he takes the initiative, the lowly attendant becoming the agent of providence.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection (attention-marker)→ clausal contributionἰδού: 'behold / look'; frozen aorist imperative of εἶδον used as a presentative particle; renders Hebrew הִנֵּה; draws Saul's attention to the new possibility.
δὴnow / pleaseemphatic/entreating particle (with ἰδού)→ discourse linkage or contrastδή: 'now / indeed / please'; an emphasizing particle; ἰδοὺ δή renders Hebrew הִנֵּה־נָא, adding urgency and deference to the servant's suggestion.
ἄνθρωποςa manNominativesubject of verbless clause ('a man of God is …')→ participant prominenceἄνθρωπος: 'man / human being'; ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ ('man of God') is the LXX rendering of אִישׁ אֱלֹהִים, a standard title for a prophet (cf. 2:27); the phrase introduces Samuel without yet naming him.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitivegenitive of relationship ('man of God')→ relational specificationθεός (gen. θεοῦ): 'God'; the title ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ marks divine authorization; the recurring phrase (vv. 6, 7, 8, 10) keeps the prophet's divine commission in view.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; locating the man of God in the nearby town.
τῇtheDativearticle (with πόλει)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλειcityDativedative of place ('in this city')→ sphere or referenceπόλις (dat. πόλει): 'city / town'; renders Hebrew עִיר; the unnamed town to which the search now turns.
ταύτῃthisDativedemonstrative adjective (modifying πόλει)→ participant reference or interestοὗτος (dat. fem. ταύτῃ): 'this'; the deictic 'this city' implies a town visible or nearby in the narrative scene.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
theNominativearticle (with ἄνθρωπος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνθρωποςmanNominativesubject of verbless clause (predicate ἔνδοξος)→ participant prominenceἄνθρωπος: the resumptive ὁ ἄνθρωπος ('the man') refers to the man of God just mentioned, now characterized as honored.
ἔνδοξοςheld in honorNominativepredicate adjective ('the man is honored')→ participant prominenceἔνδοξος: 'honored / esteemed / of repute'; renders Hebrew נִכְבָּד; commends the man of God's reliability and standing — a reputation that warrants the consultation.
πᾶνeverythingNominativesubstantival adjective (subject of παρέσται, antecedent of ὅ)→ participant prominenceπᾶς (neut. πᾶν): 'all / everything'; πᾶν ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσῃ = 'everything whatever he speaks', a generalizing relative construction stressing the unfailing truth of his words.
whichNominativerelative pronoun (object within the ἐάν-clause)→ participant referenceὅς (neut. ὅ): relative pronoun; with ἐάν + subjunctive forms a generalizing clause ('whatever he may say').
ἐὰνever / -everconditional particle (generalizing relative: 'whatever')→ discourse linkage or contrastἐάν: here in its generalizing function (ὃ ἐάν = 'whatever'); takes the subjunctive λαλήσῃ.
λαλήσῃhe may speakAor Act Subj 3 Sg · λαλέωverb of generalizing relative clause→ verbal action or stateλαλέω (aor. subj. λαλήσῃ): 'speak / say'; in the generalizing relative clause it covers any pronouncement of the seer — all of which prove true.
παραγινόμενονcoming to passPres Mid Ptc Nom Neut Sg · παραγίνομαιpredicate participle (with παρέσται: 'comes surely to pass')→ verbal action or stateπαραγίνομαι (pres. ptc. παραγινόμενον): 'come / arrive / come about'; the participle παραγινόμενον with παρέσται forms an emphatic periphrasis ('coming-to-pass it will be present') = 'will surely come true', stressing the certainty of the seer's word; renders a Hebrew emphatic construction.
παρέσταιwill come to passFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · πάρειμιmain verb (predicate of πᾶν: 'will come to pass')→ verbal action or stateπάρειμι (fut. παρέσται): 'be present / be at hand / come to pass'; with παραγινόμενον it forms the emphatic assurance that whatever the man of God says will certainly be realized — the basis for trusting his guidance about the donkeys.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing exhortation)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (transitional: 'now then')→ adverbial qualificationνῦν: 'now'; καὶ νῦν ('and now / now then') is a standard LXX transition (rendering וְעַתָּה) moving from premise to proposal.
πορευθῶμενlet us goAor Pass Subj 1 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (hortatory subjunctive)→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (aor. subj. πορευθῶμεν): 'go / proceed'; the cohortative 'let us go' redirects the journey from homeward retreat (v. 5) to the man of God — the decisive reversal.
ὅπωςthatpurpose conjunction (introducing final clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅπως: 'so that / in order that'; with the subjunctive ἀπαγγείλῃ it states the purpose of going — to obtain guidance.
ἀπαγγείλῃhe may tellAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωverb of purpose clause→ verbal action or stateἀπαγγέλλω (aor. subj. ἀπαγγείλῃ): 'report / announce / tell'; renders Hebrew נָגַד (Hiphil); the hoped-for outcome — that the seer will disclose the way to the donkeys; the same verb recurs (fut. ἀπαγγελεῖ) at v. 8.
ἡμῖνusDativedative indirect object ('tell us')→ participant reference or interestἐγώ (dat. pl. ἡμῖν): the recipients of the seer's guidance.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with ὁδὸν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁδὸνwayAccusativedirect object of ἀπαγγείλῃ ('our way')→ object specificationὁδός (acc. ὁδόν): 'way / road / journey'; renders Hebrew דֶּרֶךְ; here 'our way' = the right course of the search — which way to go to find the donkeys.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession ('our way')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. pl. ἡμῶν): possessive ('our').
ἐφ᾿onpreposition + accusative (relative reference, elided)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί (ἐφ᾿ before rough breathing) + accusative: 'on / upon'; here introducing the relative clause referring to the journey.
ἣνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἐφ᾿, antecedent ὁδόν)→ participant referenceὅς (fem. acc. ἥν): relative pronoun agreeing with ὁδόν; the redundant resumptive ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν that follows is a Hebraism (the resumptive pronoun of the relative).
ἐπορεύθημενwe have goneAor Pass Indic 1 Pl · πορεύομαιverb of relative clause ('on which we have gone')→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (aor. ἐπορεύθημεν): 'go / travel'; describes the road they have already traveled in the fruitless search.
ἐπ᾿onpreposition + accusative (resumptive, elided)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί (ἐπ᾿ before vowel) + accusative: part of the resumptive ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν.
αὐτήνitAccusativeresumptive pronoun (Hebraism, restating the relative ἥν)→ participant referenceαὐτός (fem. acc. αὐτήν): the resumptive pronoun ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν ('upon it') redundantly restates the relative ἐφ᾿ ἥν — a calque of the Hebrew resumptive pronoun (אֲשֶׁר … עָלֶיהָ), characteristic LXX translation-Greek.
7

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ τῷ παιδαρίῳ αὐτοῦ τῷ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰδοὺ πορευσόμεθα καὶ τί οἴσομεν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι οἱ ἄρτοι ἐκλελοίπασιν ἐκ τῶν ἀγγείων ἡμῶν καὶ πλεῖον οὐκ ἔστιν μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν εἰσενεγκεῖν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ ὑπάρχον ἡμῖν

And Saul said to his servant who was with him, 'But behold, if we go, what shall we bring to the man of God? For the loaves have run out from our vessels, and there is nothing more with us to bring to the man of God of what we have.'

Objection (Saul raises the problem of a fitting gift)καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ
Saul's reply raises a practical scruple: a man of God should not be approached empty-handed (cf. the custom reflected in 1 Kgdms 9:8; 2 Kgdms 8:8–9). The rhetorical question τί οἴσομεν ('what shall we bring?') and the explanatory ὅτι-clause (the bread is gone, nothing remains) momentarily stall the proposal — resolved at once by the servant's quarter-shekel in v. 8.
Word-by-word analysis· 41 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): introduces Saul's objection.
ΣαουλSaulsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject of εἶπεν (indeclinable proper noun).
τῷto theDativearticle (with παιδαρίῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παιδαρίῳservant-ladDativedative indirect object (addressee)→ sphere or referenceπαιδάριον (dat. παιδαρίῳ): the servant-lad again addressed.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
τῷthe oneDativearticle (substantizing μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (dat. τῷ): the articular attributive phrase τῷ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ('the one with him'), as in v. 5.
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + genitive: 'with'.
αὐτοῦhimGenitivegenitive object of μετά→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'him'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive object of μετά.
καὶbut / andconjunction (introducing direct speech with adversative nuance)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here opening Saul's reply with a mildly adversative/concessive force ('but, suppose we go …'); a Hebraizing use of waw at the head of a quoted objection.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection→ clausal contributionἰδού: 'behold'; here sets up the hypothetical ('behold, [if] we go …').
πορευσόμεθαwe shall goFut Mid Indic 1 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (hypothetical/concessive future)→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (fut. πορευσόμεθα): 'go'; the future here functions as a supposition ('granted we go') setting up the practical difficulty about the gift.
καὶand / thencoordinate conjunction (introducing the question)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τίwhatAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (object of οἴσομεν)→ participant referenceτίς (neut. τί): interrogative 'what?'; τί οἴσομεν = 'what shall we bring?' — the crux of Saul's objection.
οἴσομενshall we bringFut Act Indic 1 Pl · φέρωmain verb (deliberative future question)→ verbal action or stateφέρω (fut. οἴσομεν, suppletive): 'bring / carry'; the deliberative future asks what suitable present they could bring; reflects the custom of not approaching a man of God empty-handed.
τῷto theDativearticle (with ἀνθρώπῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνθρώπῳmanDativedative indirect object ('to the man of God')→ sphere or referenceἄνθρωπος (dat. ἀνθρώπῳ): the man of God, recipient of the contemplated gift.
τοῦofGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitivegenitive of relationship ('man of God')→ relational specificationθεός (gen. θεοῦ): the title ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ repeated (cf. v. 6).
ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (introducing reason)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; introduces the explanation of Saul's perplexity — their provisions are exhausted.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ἄρτοι)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄρτοιloavesNominativesubject of ἐκλελοίπασιν→ participant prominenceἄρτος (pl. ἄρτοι): 'bread / loaf'; renders Hebrew לֶחֶם; the bread (their travel-provision) is the natural gift, now exhausted.
ἐκλελοίπασινhave run outPf Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐκλείπωmain verb of causal clause→ verbal action or stateἐκλείπω (pf. ἐκλελοίπασιν): 'fail / give out / be exhausted'; the perfect stresses the present resultant state — the bread is gone and stays gone; renders Hebrew אָזַל / כָּלָה.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ + genitive: 'out of / from'; marks the emptied containers.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with ἀγγείων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀγγείωνvesselsGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ ('from our vessels')→ relational specificationἀγγεῖον (gen. pl. ἀγγείων): 'vessel / container / bag'; renders Hebrew כְּלִי; here the travel-bags or sacks that held their provisions, now empty.
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession ('our vessels')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. pl. ἡμῶν): possessive.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πλεῖονmoreNominativesubstantival comparative adjective (subject of ἔστιν: 'anything more')→ participant prominenceπλείων (neut. πλεῖον): 'more / further'; comparative of πολύς; πλεῖον οὐκ ἔστιν = 'there is nothing more / further'; emphasizes the total lack of any present to bring.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἔστιν)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ (οὐκ before vowel): negation.
ἔστινthere isPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (existential, negated: 'there is nothing more')→ verbal action or stateεἰμί (pres. ἔστιν): existential 'there is'; with οὐκ and πλεῖον = 'there is nothing more left'.
μεθ᾿withpreposition + genitive (possession, elided)→ spatial or relational framingμετά (μεθ᾿ before rough breathing) + genitive: 'with'; μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν = 'with us / in our possession'.
ἡμῶνusGenitivegenitive object of μεθ᾿ ('with us')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. pl. ἡμῶν).
εἰσενεγκεῖνto bring inAor Act Inf · εἰσφέρωepexegetical infinitive ('[anything] to bring to the man of God')→ verbal action or stateεἰσφέρω (aor. inf. εἰσενεγκεῖν): 'bring in / carry in / present'; the epexegetical infinitive specifies what is lacking — anything to bring as a gift; compounded form of φέρω with the same suppletive aorist stem (ἐνεγκ-).
τῷto theDativearticle (with ἀνθρώπῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνθρώπῳmanDativedative indirect object (recipient of the gift)→ sphere or referenceἄνθρωπος (dat. ἀνθρώπῳ): the man of God, recipient.
τοῦofGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitivegenitive of relationship ('man of God')→ relational specificationθεός (gen. θεοῦ): the threefold ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ in vv. 6–8 keeps the prophet's divine status before the reader as the gift-question is weighed.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with substantival participle ὑπάρχον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὑπάρχονwhat we havePres Act Ptc Acc Neut Sg · ὑπάρχωsubstantival participle (object: 'the thing belonging to us')→ verbal action or stateὑπάρχω (pres. ptc. ὑπάρχον): 'be / exist / belong'; the substantival τὸ ὑπάρχον ἡμῖν = 'what we have / our possession'; the idiom τὰ ὑπάρχοντα is the standard LXX/Koine term for one's goods or property; Saul laments having nothing of his own to offer.
ἡμῖνto usDativedative of possession (with ὑπάρχον: 'belonging to us')→ participant reference or interestἐγώ (dat. pl. ἡμῖν): dative of possession with ὑπάρχον — 'what is ours'.
8

καὶ προσέθετο τὸ παιδάριον ἀποκριθῆναι τῷ Σαουλ καὶ εἶπεν ἰδοὺ εὕρηται ἐν τῇ χειρί μου τέταρτον σίκλου ἀργυρίου καὶ δώσεις τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἀπαγγελεῖ ἡμῖν τὴν ὁδὸν ἡμῶν

And the servant again answered Saul and said, 'Behold, there is found in my hand a quarter of a shekel of silver, and you shall give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.'

Resolution of the objection (the servant supplies the fee)καὶ προσέθετο … ἀποκριθῆναι
The Hebraistic προσέθετο … ἀποκριθῆναι ('he added to answer' = 'answered again', rendering יָסַף + infinitive) marks the servant's renewed initiative. The quarter-shekel solves Saul's scruple and clears the last obstacle. The future commands δώσεις … ἀπαγγελεῖ ('you shall give … he will tell') confidently project the successful consultation, propelling the pair into the city (v. 10).
Word-by-word analysis· 30 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσέθετοagain / proceededAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · προστίθημιmain verb (auxiliary in Hebraistic 'added to do' idiom)→ verbal action or stateπροστίθημι (aor. mid. προσέθετο): 'add / proceed to do again'; the construction προσέθετο + infinitive (ἀποκριθῆναι) is a Hebraism rendering יָסַף ('he did again'), so 'he answered again / once more'; a hallmark of LXX translation-Greek.
τὸtheNominativearticle (with παιδάριον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παιδάριονservant-ladNominativesubject of προσέθετο→ participant prominenceπαιδάριον: the resourceful servant-lad again takes the lead.
ἀποκριθῆναιto answerAor Pass Inf · ἀποκρίνομαιcomplementary infinitive (with προσέθετο)→ verbal action or stateἀποκρίνομαι (aor. pass. inf. ἀποκριθῆναι): 'answer / reply'; deponent with passive aorist form; completes the Hebraistic 'added to answer' = 'answered again'.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Σαουλ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (dat. τῷ): the article supplies dative case to the indeclinable Σαουλ ('to Saul').
ΣαουλSauldative indirect object (indeclinable, articular)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; the article τῷ marks the dative.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): the redundant καὶ εἶπεν after ἀποκριθῆναι is a Hebraism (וַיֹּאמֶר following the verb of answering).
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection→ clausal contributionἰδού: 'behold'; presents the solution — the silver in his hand.
εὕρηταιis foundPf Mid Indic 3 Sg · εὑρίσκωmain verb ('there is found in my hand')→ verbal action or stateεὑρίσκω (pf. mid./pass. εὕρηται): 'be found / be available'; the perfect 'has been found / is to hand' stresses the present availability of the money; ironic foil to the donkeys that οὐχ εὗρον (v. 4) but εὕρηνται (v. 20).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; ἐν τῇ χειρί μου = 'in my hand', i.e. in my possession.
τῇtheDativearticle (with χειρί)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χειρίhandDativedative of place ('in my hand')→ sphere or referenceχείρ (dat. χειρί): 'hand'; renders Hebrew יָד; ἐν τῇ χειρί μου is a Hebraism for 'in my possession / at my disposal'.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my hand')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive.
τέταρτονa quarterNominativesubject of εὕρηται (ordinal/fractional numeral substantive)→ participant prominenceτέταρτος (neut. τέταρτον): 'fourth / a quarter'; τέταρτον σίκλου = 'a quarter-shekel', a small but sufficient consultation-fee; renders Hebrew רֶבַע שֶׁקֶל.
σίκλουof a shekelGenitivepartitive genitive (with τέταρτον: 'quarter of a shekel')→ relational specificationσίκλος (gen. σίκλου): 'shekel'; a Semitic loanword (Hebrew שֶׁקֶל) for a unit of weight/money; the quarter-shekel is a modest sum, fitting for the lowly searchers.
ἀργυρίουof silverGenitivegenitive of material (with σίκλου: 'of silver')→ relational specificationἀργύριον (gen. ἀργυρίου): 'silver / money'; renders Hebrew כֶּסֶף; specifies the metal of the shekel — silver coin/weight.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing instruction)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
δώσειςyou shall giveFut Act Indic 2 Sg · δίδωμιmain verb (volitive future = command to Saul)→ verbal action or stateδίδωμι (fut. δώσεις): 'give'; the future with imperatival force ('you are to give it') directs Saul to present the silver as the fee; renders Hebrew נָתַתָּ (waw-consecutive perfect with command sense).
τῷto theDativearticle (with ἀνθρώπῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνθρώπῳmanDativedative indirect object ('to the man of God')→ sphere or referenceἄνθρωπος (dat. ἀνθρώπῳ): the man of God, recipient of the fee.
τοῦofGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitivegenitive of relationship ('man of God')→ relational specificationθεός (gen. θεοῦ): the fourth occurrence of ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ in three verses.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (result)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπαγγελεῖhe will tellFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωmain verb (predicted outcome)→ verbal action or stateἀπαγγέλλω (fut. ἀπαγγελεῖ): 'report / tell'; the confident future answers the purpose-clause hope of v. 6 (ἀπαγγείλῃ) — the gift secured, the disclosure is assured.
ἡμῖνusDativedative indirect object ('tell us')→ participant reference or interestἐγώ (dat. pl. ἡμῖν).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with ὁδὸν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὁδὸνwayAccusativedirect object of ἀπαγγελεῖ ('our way')→ object specificationὁδός (acc. ὁδόν): 'way / road'; the object of disclosure — the right course to recover the donkeys (cf. v. 6).
ἡμῶνourGenitivegenitive of possession ('our way')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. pl. ἡμῶν).
9

καὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἐν Ισραηλ τάδε ἔλεγεν ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι ἐπερωτᾶν τὸν θεόν δεῦρο πορευθῶμεν πρὸς τὸν βλέποντα ὅτι τὸν προφήτην ἐκάλει ὁ λαὸς ἔμπροσθεν ὁ βλέπων

(Now formerly in Israel, thus each man would say when he went to inquire of God, 'Come, let us go to the seer'; for the prophet the people formerly called 'the seer.')

Narratorial antiquarian parenthesis (philological gloss)καὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἐν Ισραηλ
v. 9 is a famous narrator's aside, an antiquarian gloss explaining an obsolete term: what is now called ὁ προφήτης ('the prophet') was in earlier times called ὁ βλέπων ('the seer', rendering Hebrew הָרֹאֶה). The twofold ἔμπροσθεν ('formerly') brackets the note, marking it as the narrator's own time-distancing comment, set apart from the dialogue of vv. 8 and 10.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
καὶand / nownarrative conjunction (introducing parenthetical aside)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here opening a narratorial parenthesis; functions almost like 'now' to mark a digression from the storyline.
ἔμπροσθενformerlytemporal adverb ('in former times')→ clausal contributionἔμπροσθεν: properly 'in front / before' (of place), here temporal 'formerly / in earlier times'; renders Hebrew לְפָנִים; the word frames the whole gloss and is repeated at its end (ring-composition).
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; ἐν Ισραηλ = 'in Israel', locating the old custom.
ΙσραηλIsraelobject of ἐν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; the people among whom the older usage prevailed.
τάδεthus / these thingsAccusativedemonstrative pronoun (object of ἔλεγεν: content of the saying)→ participant referenceὅδε (neut. pl. τάδε): 'these things / thus'; anticipates the quoted saying that follows (δεῦρο πορευθῶμεν …); cf. the messenger-formula τάδε λέγει.
ἔλεγενwould sayImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (customary imperfect)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (impf. ἔλεγεν): the iterative imperfect 'used to say / would say' depicts the habitual former custom — fitting for the antiquarian note.
ἕκαστοςeach oneNominativesubject of ἔλεγεν (distributive)→ participant prominenceἕκαστος: 'each / every one'; distributive subject — the saying was the common idiom of every individual seeking God.
ἐνin / whenpreposition + articular infinitive (temporal: 'when going')→ spatial or relational framingἐν + articular infinitive (τῷ πορεύεσθαι): 'in / while / when going'; a temporal construction calquing Hebrew בְּ + infinitive construct (בְּלֶכְתּוֹ).
τῷtheDativearticle (with the infinitive πορεύεσθαι)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (dat. τῷ): the article substantivizes the infinitive in the temporal ἐν τῷ + inf. construction.
πορεύεσθαιgoingPres Mid Inf · πορεύομαιarticular infinitive (temporal: 'when one went')→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (pres. inf. πορεύεσθαι): 'go'; in the ἐν τῷ-construction = 'when going / as one set out [to inquire]'.
ἐπερωτᾶνto inquire ofPres Act Inf · ἐπερωτάωinfinitive of purpose ('to inquire of God')→ verbal action or stateἐπερωτάω (pres. inf. ἐπερωτᾶν): 'ask / inquire of / consult'; renders Hebrew דָּרַשׁ ('seek / inquire of' God); the technical term for consulting an oracle or prophet; the purpose of the journey to the seer.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with θεόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεόνGodAccusativedirect object of ἐπερωτᾶν ('inquire of God')→ object specificationθεός (acc. θεόν): 'God'; the object of inquiry; consulting the seer was understood as consulting God himself through him.
δεῦροcomehortatory interjection (opening the quoted saying)→ clausal contributionδεῦρο: 'come!'; opens the quoted customary saying, exactly as in Saul's words (vv. 5, 10).
πορευθῶμενlet us goAor Pass Subj 1 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb of quoted saying (hortatory subjunctive)→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (aor. subj. πορευθῶμεν): the cohortative 'let us go' is the fixed phrase of the old idiom — 'come, let us go to the seer'.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + accusative: 'to / toward'; direction of the consultation-journey.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with substantival participle βλέποντα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βλέπονταseerPres Act Ptc Acc Masc Sg · βλέπωsubstantival participle (object of πρός: 'the seer')→ verbal action or stateβλέπω (pres. ptc. βλέποντα): 'see / look'; substantivized ὁ βλέπων = 'the seer', the LXX rendering of Hebrew הָרֹאֶה — the older title for a prophet, the very term the gloss explains.
ὅτιforcausal/explanatory conjunction (introducing the gloss proper)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; introduces the explanatory heart of the parenthesis — the terminological equivalence.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with προφήτην)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
προφήτηνprophetAccusativedirect object of ἐκάλει (the later term, fronted)→ object specificationπροφήτης (acc. προφήτην): 'prophet'; renders Hebrew נָבִיא; the current term, here fronted for emphasis: 'the [one now called] prophet, the people formerly called the seer'.
ἐκάλειwould callImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · καλέωmain verb (customary imperfect)→ verbal action or stateκαλέω (impf. ἐκάλει): 'call / name'; the iterative imperfect 'used to call' fits the antiquarian gloss — describing the people's former naming-practice.
theNominativearticle (with λαὸς)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸςpeopleNominativesubject of ἐκάλει→ participant prominenceλαός: 'people'; renders Hebrew עָם; the collective subject — the people of Israel, who set the linguistic custom.
ἔμπροσθενformerlytemporal adverb ('in former times', closing the gloss)→ clausal contributionἔμπροσθεν: 'formerly'; the second occurrence forms a temporal inclusio around the parenthesis, sealing it as a note about the past.
theNominativearticle (with substantival participle βλέπων)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βλέπωνseerPres Act Ptc Nom Masc Sg · βλέπωpredicate nominative (the old title: 'the seer')→ verbal action or stateβλέπω (pres. ptc. βλέπων): substantivized ὁ βλέπων ('the seer'), the predicate of the gloss — the very term the people formerly used for the prophet; recurs as Saul's actual word at vv. 11, 18.
10

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς τὸ παιδάριον αὐτοῦ ἀγαθὸν τὸ ῥῆμα δεῦρο καὶ πορευθῶμεν καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν οὗ ἦν ἐκεῖ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ

And Saul said to his servant, 'The word is good; come, let us go'; and they went to the city where the man of God was.

Agreement and execution (resumes the narrative after the v. 9 gloss)καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ
After the parenthesis of v. 9, the narrative resumes with Saul's assent — ἀγαθὸν τὸ ῥῆμα ('the word/proposal is good') — and the journey is finally executed (ἐπορεύθησαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν). The relative οὗ … ἐκεῖ ('where … there') is a Hebraism (אֲשֶׁר … שָׁם) closing the unit on the destination: the town of the man of God.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (resuming after parenthesis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): introduces Saul's assent.
ΣαουλSaulsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: transliterated proper name rendered in Greek letters; here it functions as subject of εἶπεν (indeclinable proper noun).
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + accusative: marks the addressee.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with παιδάριον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παιδάριονservant-ladAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (addressee)→ object specificationπαιδάριον: the servant-lad whose counsel Saul now accepts.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
ἀγαθὸνgoodNominativepredicate adjective (of ῥῆμα: 'the word is good')→ participant prominenceἀγαθός (neut. ἀγαθόν): 'good'; ἀγαθὸν τὸ ῥῆμα = 'the proposal is good', a verbless assent-formula; renders Hebrew טוֹב הַדָּבָר.
τὸtheNominativearticle (with ῥῆμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμαwordNominativesubject of verbless clause ('the word is good')→ participant prominenceῥῆμα: 'word / saying / matter'; renders Hebrew דָּבָר; here 'the proposal' (the servant's advice); the same word recurs at vv. 21, 27.
δεῦροcomehortatory interjection→ clausal contributionδεῦρο: 'come!'; Saul echoes the customary phrase of v. 9, signalling his full agreement.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πορευθῶμενlet us goAor Pass Subj 1 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb of speech (hortatory subjunctive)→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (aor. subj. πορευθῶμεν): 'let us go'; the decision is made — they will go to the seer.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (executing the resolve)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπορεύθησανthey wentAor Pass Indic 3 Pl · πορεύομαιmain verb (narrative: the journey executed)→ verbal action or stateπορεύομαι (aor. ἐπορεύθησαν): 'go / travel'; the resolve of v. 6 (πορευθῶμεν) is now carried out — the pair go up to the town.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: 'into / to'; goal of the journey.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πόλιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (destination)→ object specificationπόλις (acc. πόλιν): 'city'; the destination, where the man of God resides.
οὗwhererelative adverb of place ('where')→ participant referenceοὗ: relative adverb 'where'; with the resumptive ἐκεῖ ('there') it forms the Hebraism οὗ … ἐκεῖ (אֲשֶׁר … שָׁם), 'the city where … there [was]'.
ἦνwasImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίverb of relative clause ('where the man of God was')→ participant referenceεἰμί (impf. ἦν): 'was [present]'; locates the man of God in the city.
ἐκεῖthereresumptive adverb of place (Hebraism with οὗ)→ adverbial qualificationἐκεῖ: 'there'; the redundant resumptive adverb after οὗ calques the Hebrew relative-plus-adverb construction אֲשֶׁר … שָׁם — characteristic translation-Greek.
theNominativearticle (with ἄνθρωπος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνθρωποςmanNominativesubject of ἦν ('the man of God')→ participant prominenceἄνθρωπος: the man of God (Samuel), the goal of the journey; the title closes the unit, keeping the prophet's divine commission in view (cf. vv. 6–8).
τοῦofGenitivearticle (with θεοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεοῦGodGenitivegenitive of relationship ('man of God')→ relational specificationθεός (gen. θεοῦ): the title ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ for the last time before Samuel is named (v. 14).
11

αὐτῶν ἀναβαινόντων τὴν ἀνάβασιν τῆς πόλεως καὶ αὐτοὶ εὑρίσκουσιν τὰ κοράσια ἐξεληλυθότα ὑδρεύσασθαι ὕδωρ καὶ λέγουσιν αὐταῖς εἰ ἔστιν ἐνταῦθα ὁ βλέπων

As they were going up the ascent to the city, they themselves found young women who had come out to draw water, and they said to them, 'Is the seer here?'

Genitive-absolute temporal frame (the approach to the town)αὐτῶν ἀναβαινόντων
The second genitive-absolute opening of the chapter (αὐτῶν ἀναβαινόντων, cf. v. 5) frames the climb to the town. The historic presents εὑρίσκουσιν and λέγουσιν give the scene vividness. The encounter with the water-drawing maidens is a stock 'meeting at the well' motif, here repurposed for directions rather than betrothal; their question uses the old title ὁ βλέπων ('the seer', v. 9).
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
αὐτῶνthey / theirGenitivegenitive absolute (subject of ἀναβαινόντων)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): subject of the genitive-absolute; Saul and his servant ascending to the town.
ἀναβαινόντωνgoing upPres Act Ptc Gen Masc Pl · ἀναβαίνωgenitive-absolute participle (temporal: 'as they were going up')→ verbal action or stateἀναβαίνω (pres. ptc. ἀναβαινόντων): 'go up / ascend'; renders Hebrew עָלָה; the present aspect pictures the climb in progress; the verb governs a cognate accusative (τὴν ἀνάβασιν).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with ἀνάβασιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνάβασινascentAccusativecognate accusative (with ἀναβαινόντων: 'going up the ascent')→ object specificationἀνάβασις (acc. ἀνάβασιν): 'ascent / way up / slope'; cognate with ἀναβαίνω; the cognate-accusative construction (ascending the ascent) stresses the uphill approach to the town, set on a height.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive (with ἀνάβασιν: 'the ascent of the city')→ relational specificationπόλις (gen. πόλεως): 'city'; the town to which the slope leads up.
καὶthen / andapodotic καί (after the genitive absolute)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: apodotic, introducing the main clause after the temporal genitive-absolute (cf. v. 5); a Hebraism for the waw of apodosis.
αὐτοὶthey themselvesNominativeintensive pronoun subject (of εὑρίσκουσιν)→ participant referenceαὐτός (nom. pl. αὐτοί): here intensive/resumptive 'they themselves'; resumes the subject after the genitive-absolute, a Hebraizing redundancy (cf. וְהֵמָּה).
εὑρίσκουσινthey findPres Act Indic 3 Pl · εὑρίσκωmain verb (historic present)→ verbal action or stateεὑρίσκω (pres. εὑρίσκουσιν): 'find / meet'; the historic present enlivens the scene; ironically the searchers who could not 'find' the donkeys (v. 4) now 'find' the maidens who will set them on course.
τὰtheAccusativearticle (with κοράσια)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κοράσιαyoung womenAccusativedirect object of εὑρίσκουσιν→ object specificationκοράσιον (pl. κοράσια): 'girl / young woman / maiden'; diminutive of κόρη; renders Hebrew נַעֲרוֹת; the water-drawing maidens of the 'meeting at the well' type-scene.
ἐξεληλυθόταhaving come outPf Act Ptc Acc Neut Pl · ἐξέρχομαιattributive participle (modifying κοράσια: 'who had come out')→ verbal action or stateἐξέρχομαι (pf. ptc. ἐξεληλυθότα): 'come/go out'; the perfect participle marks the maidens as already outside the town (having come out to the spring); agrees with the neuter plural κοράσια.
ὑδρεύσασθαιto drawAor Mid Inf · ὑδρεύομαιinfinitive of purpose ('to draw water')→ verbal action or stateὑδρεύομαι (aor. inf. ὑδρεύσασθαι): 'draw water'; renders Hebrew שָׁאַב; the purpose for which the maidens came out — the classic well-scene activity.
ὕδωρwaterAccusativedirect object of ὑδρεύσασθαι→ object specificationὕδωρ: 'water'; cognate object of the water-drawing verb; renders Hebrew מַיִם.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the question)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
λέγουσινthey sayPres Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (historic present, speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (pres. λέγουσιν): the historic present continues the lively narration; Saul and the servant address the maidens.
αὐταῖςto themDativedative indirect object (the maidens)→ sphere or referenceαὐτός (dat. fem. pl. αὐταῖς): the maidens addressed.
εἰwhether / isinterrogative particle (introducing direct question)→ discourse linkage or contrastεἰ: properly 'if', here introducing a direct question ('is …?'); a Hebraism (הֲ-interrogative rendered by εἰ); 'Is the seer here?'
ἔστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb of the question (existential: 'is [present]')→ verbal action or stateεἰμί (pres. ἔστιν): 'is / is present'; the question asks whether the seer is currently in the town.
ἐνταῦθαhereadverb of place ('here / in this place')→ adverbial qualificationἐνταῦθα: 'here / in this place'; locates the inquiry — 'is the seer here [in town]?'
theNominativearticle (with substantival participle βλέπων)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βλέπωνseerPres Act Ptc Nom Masc Sg · βλέπωsubject of ἔστιν (substantival: 'the seer')→ verbal action or stateβλέπω (pres. ptc. βλέπων): substantivized ὁ βλέπων ('the seer'); Saul uses precisely the old title the narrator glossed in v. 9, lending realism to the dialogue.
12

καὶ ἀπεκρίθη τὰ κοράσια αὐτοῖς καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτοῖς ἔστιν ἰδοὺ κατὰ πρόσωπον ὑμῶν νῦν διὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἥκει εἰς τὴν πόλιν ὅτι θυσία σήμερον τῷ λαῷ ἐν Βαμα

And the young women answered them and said to them, 'He is; behold, he is right ahead of you. Now, because of the day, he has come to the city, for there is a sacrifice today for the people at the high place.'

Reply to the inquiry (the maidens' directions)καὶ ἀπεκρίθη τὰ κοράσια
The maidens answer affirmatively (ἔστιν, 'he is [here]') and give precise, urgent directions: the seer is just ahead (κατὰ πρόσωπον ὑμῶν), come to town that very day for a sacrifice (θυσία) at the high place (Βαμα). The combination ἀπεκρίθη … καὶ λέγουσιν (singular aorist + plural present) is loose, Hebraizing concord; the urgency (νῦν … σήμερον) hurries the searchers toward the meeting.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπεκρίθηansweredAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποκρίνομαιmain verb (speech-introduction; sg. with neuter pl. subject)→ verbal action or stateἀποκρίνομαι (aor. pass. ἀπεκρίθη): 'answer'; the singular verb with the neuter-plural subject τὰ κοράσια follows the classical rule (neuter plural + singular verb), though the following λέγουσιν reverts to plural — loose Hebraizing concord.
τὰtheNominativearticle (with κοράσια)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κοράσιαyoung womenNominativesubject of ἀπεκρίθη / λέγουσιν→ participant prominenceκοράσιον (pl. κοράσια): the maidens of v. 11, now replying with directions.
αὐτοῖςthemDativedative indirect object (Saul and servant)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. masc. pl. αὐτοῖς): the two men addressed.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
λέγουσινthey sayPres Act Indic 3 Pl · λέγωmain verb (historic present; pl. concord)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (pres. λέγουσιν): the redundant 'answered … and say' is a Hebraism; the present plural shifts from the singular ἀπεκρίθη to plural concord with κοράσια.
αὐτοῖςto themDativedative indirect object→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. masc. pl. αὐτοῖς).
ἔστινhe isPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (affirmative answer: 'he is [here]')→ verbal action or stateεἰμί (pres. ἔστιν): the bare affirmative 'he is [present]' directly answers Saul's εἰ ἔστιν … ὁ βλέπων (v. 11).
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection→ clausal contributionἰδού: 'behold'; points to the seer's nearness ('look, he's right ahead').
κατὰbefore / ahead ofpreposition + accusative (in the idiom 'in front of')→ spatial or relational framingκατά + accusative: in the idiom κατὰ πρόσωπον ('before the face of / in front of'), rendering Hebrew לִפְנֵי; = 'right ahead of you'.
πρόσωπονfaceAccusativeaccusative in the prepositional idiom κατὰ πρόσωπον→ spatial or relational framingπρόσωπον: 'face / presence'; κατὰ πρόσωπον ὑμῶν = 'before your face / right in front of you', a Hebraism for immediate proximity.
ὑμῶνyourGenitivegenitive (with πρόσωπον: 'your face')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. pl. ὑμῶν): 'your'; the searchers, before whose path the seer now is.
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (urgency)→ adverbial qualificationνῦν: 'now'; underlines the timeliness — the seer is present just now, on this very day.
διὰbecause ofpreposition + accusative (causal)→ spatial or relational framingδιά + accusative: 'because of / on account of'; διὰ τὴν ἡμέραν = 'because of the day' (i.e. the festal/sacrifice day that brought him to town).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with ἡμέραν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέρανdayAccusativeaccusative object of διά (causal: 'because of the day')→ object specificationἡμέρα (acc. ἡμέραν): 'day'; διὰ τὴν ἡμέραν refers to the special sacrifice-day that has brought the seer into town; the same phrase recurs at v. 13.
ἥκειhe has comePres Act Indic 3 Sg · ἥκωmain verb (resultative present: 'he has arrived')→ verbal action or stateἥκω (pres. ἥκει): 'have come / be present'; the verb has perfect force ('he has arrived and is here'); renders Hebrew בָּא; the seer has just come into town for the feast.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (goal)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: 'into / to'; goal of the seer's coming.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πόλιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς→ object specificationπόλις (acc. πόλιν): 'city'; the town the seer has entered for the sacrifice.
ὅτιforcausal conjunction (giving the reason)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; introduces the reason for the seer's presence — the sacrifice.
θυσίαa sacrificeNominativesubject of verbless clause ('there is a sacrifice')→ participant prominenceθυσία: 'sacrifice / offering'; renders Hebrew זֶבַח; the communal sacrifice at the high place, to be blessed by the seer (v. 13), at which Saul will be honored (v. 24).
σήμερονtodaytemporal adverb→ clausal contributionσήμερον: 'today'; the sacrifice is this very day — reinforcing the providential timing of Saul's arrival; recurs at vv. 19, 20, 24.
τῷfor theDativearticle (with λαῷ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαῷpeopleDativedative of advantage ('for the people')→ sphere or referenceλαός (dat. λαῷ): 'people'; the communal beneficiaries of the sacrificial feast.
ἐνat / inpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in / at'; locates the sacrifice at the high place.
ΒαμαBama (the high place)object of ἐν (indeclinable, transliterated)→ participant identificationΒαμα: transliteration of Hebrew בָּמָה ('high place / cultic platform'); the LXX here treats the common noun as an indeclinable place-name rather than translating it (contrast ὁ ὑψηλὸς τόπος elsewhere); the local sanctuary where the sacrifice and feast are held (recurs vv. 13, 14, 19, 25).
13

ὡς ἂν εἰσέλθητε τὴν πόλιν οὕτως εὑρήσετε αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ πόλει πρὶν ἀναβῆναι αὐτὸν εἰς Βαμα τοῦ φαγεῖν ὅτι οὐ μὴ φάγῃ ὁ λαὸς ἕως τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτόν ὅτι οὗτος εὐλογεῖ τὴν θυσίαν καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐσθίουσιν οἱ ξένοι καὶ νῦν ἀνάβητε ὅτι διὰ τὴν ἡμέραν εὑρήσετε αὐτόν

As you enter the city, so you will find him in the city, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice, and after that the guests eat. Now then, go up, for this very day you will find him.

Continued directions (the maidens explain the timing)ὡς ἂν εἰσέλθητε
The maidens' directions become detailed: enter, and you will catch him before he ascends to the Βαμα, for nothing begins until he blesses the sacrifice. The emphatic double negative οὐ μὴ φάγῃ ('will certainly not eat') and the urgent καὶ νῦν ἀνάβητε ('now, go up!') with διὰ τὴν ἡμέραν εὑρήσετε create a sense of providential timing pressing the searchers forward to the very moment of Samuel's emergence (v. 14).
Word-by-word analysis· 48 words
ὡςastemporal conjunction ('as / when', with ἄν + subj.)→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as / when'; with ἄν + aorist subjunctive forms an indefinite temporal clause ('as soon as you enter').
ἂνevermodal particle (with subjunctive in indefinite temporal clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastἄν: modal particle marking indefiniteness; ὡς ἄν + subjunctive = 'whenever / as soon as'.
εἰσέλθητεyou enterAor Act Subj 2 Pl · εἰσέρχομαιverb of indefinite temporal clause→ verbal action or stateεἰσέρχομαι (aor. subj. εἰσέλθητε): 'enter / go in'; renders Hebrew בּוֹא; the entry into the city is the condition for finding the seer; takes the bare accusative τὴν πόλιν (Hebraizing, without εἰς).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πόλιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative of goal (with εἰσέλθητε, without preposition: Hebraizing)→ spatial or relational framingπόλις (acc. πόλιν): 'city'; the bare accusative of goal after εἰσέρχομαι reflects Hebrew syntax (entering the city).
οὕτωςso / thuscorrelative adverb (apodosis: 'so [then]')→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'so / thus'; correlative with ὡς, marking the apodosis ('as you enter … so you will find').
εὑρήσετεyou will findFut Act Indic 2 Pl · εὑρίσκωmain verb (apodosis: assured finding)→ verbal action or stateεὑρίσκω (fut. εὑρήσετε): 'find'; the maidens promise success — they will find the seer; the verb is repeated at the verse's end, framing the directions (you will find him).
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of εὑρήσετε (the seer)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): the seer, object of finding.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; locating the finding within the town.
τῇtheDativearticle (with πόλει)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλειcityDativedative of place ('in the city')→ sphere or referenceπόλις (dat. πόλει): 'city'; he is to be found in the town, before ascending to the high place.
πρὶνbeforetemporal conjunction (with infinitive: 'before he goes up')→ discourse linkage or contrastπρίν: 'before'; with the accusative-plus-infinitive (ἀναβῆναι αὐτόν) it expresses 'before he goes up'.
ἀναβῆναιto go upAor Act Inf · ἀναβαίνωinfinitive with πρίν (temporal: 'before going up')→ verbal action or stateἀναβαίνω (aor. inf. ἀναβῆναι): 'go up / ascend'; the seer's ascent to the high place; the window of opportunity is before this ascent.
αὐτὸνhe / himAccusativeaccusative subject of the infinitive ἀναβῆναι→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): subject of the πρίν-infinitive ('before he goes up').
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: goal of the ascent.
ΒαμαBama (the high place)object of εἰς (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΒαμα: the high place (cf. v. 12); the destination of the seer's ascent for the sacrificial meal.
τοῦtoGenitivearticle (with articular infinitive of purpose φαγεῖν)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (gen. τοῦ): the article forms the genitive articular infinitive τοῦ φαγεῖν ('in order to eat'), a purpose construction common in the LXX (rendering Hebrew לֶאֱכֹל).
φαγεῖνto eatAor Act Inf · ἐσθίωarticular infinitive of purpose ('to eat')→ verbal action or stateἐσθίω (aor. inf. φαγεῖν, suppletive): 'eat'; the purpose of going up — to share the sacrificial meal at the high place.
ὅτιforcausal conjunction (reason for the timing)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; explains why he is still in town — the people wait for him.
οὐnotnegative particle (part of emphatic οὐ μή)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: with μή forms the emphatic double negative οὐ μή ('by no means / certainly not').
μὴnotnegative particle (with οὐ + subjunctive: emphatic denial)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: the second element of οὐ μή + subjunctive, the strongest form of negation in Greek.
φάγῃwill eatAor Act Subj 3 Sg · ἐσθίωmain verb (emphatic future denial: 'will certainly not eat')→ verbal action or stateἐσθίω (aor. subj. φάγῃ): 'eat'; with οὐ μή = 'will by no means eat' — the people will absolutely not begin until the seer blesses the sacrifice; underscores his cultic authority.
theNominativearticle (with λαὸς)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸςpeopleNominativesubject of φάγῃ→ participant prominenceλαός: 'people'; the assembled worshippers, who defer to the seer's blessing.
ἕωςuntiltemporal conjunction (with articular infinitive: 'until he comes')→ discourse linkage or contrastἕως: 'until'; with the genitive articular infinitive τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν it means 'until his coming'.
τοῦof / —Genitivearticle (with articular infinitive εἰσελθεῖν)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (gen. τοῦ): forms the temporal articular infinitive ἕως τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν ('until the coming').
εἰσελθεῖνcomesAor Act Inf · εἰσέρχομαιarticular infinitive (temporal: 'until he comes in')→ verbal action or stateεἰσέρχομαι (aor. inf. εἰσελθεῖν): 'come in / arrive'; the people wait until the seer arrives at the feast.
αὐτόνhe / himAccusativeaccusative subject of the infinitive εἰσελθεῖν→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): subject of the articular infinitive ('until he comes').
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (reason the people wait)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because'; gives the ground — only the seer may bless the offering.
οὗτοςthis one / heNominativedemonstrative subject (emphatic: 'he [alone]')→ participant referenceοὗτος: 'this one'; emphatic — it is he (and no other) who blesses the sacrifice, marking his unique cultic role.
εὐλογεῖblessesPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εὐλογέωmain verb (customary present: his regular function)→ verbal action or stateεὐλογέω (pres. εὐλογεῖ): 'bless / give thanks over'; renders Hebrew בֵּרַךְ; the seer's pronouncing of the blessing over the sacrifice consecrates the meal — the customary present marks it as his regular office.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with θυσίαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυσίανsacrificeAccusativedirect object of εὐλογεῖ→ object specificationθυσία (acc. θυσίαν): 'sacrifice / offering'; the communal offering the seer blesses before the feast.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
μετὰafterpreposition + accusative (temporal)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + accusative: 'after'; μετὰ ταῦτα = 'after these things / afterward'.
ταῦταthese thingsAccusativeaccusative object of μετά (temporal: 'after this')→ object specificationοὗτος (neut. pl. ταῦτα): 'these things'; μετὰ ταῦτα marks the sequence — only after the blessing do the guests eat.
ἐσθίουσινeatPres Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐσθίωmain verb (customary present)→ verbal action or stateἐσθίω (pres. ἐσθίουσιν): 'eat'; the guests' eating follows the blessing — the customary order of the sacrificial meal.
οἱtheNominativearticle (with ξένοι)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ξένοιguests / invitedNominativesubject of ἐσθίουσιν→ participant prominenceξένος (pl. ξένοι): 'stranger / guest'; here 'the invited guests' at the feast; renders Hebrew הַקְּרֻאִים ('the called/invited'); the same guests are counted at v. 22 (ἑβδομήκοντα ἀνδρῶν).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing exhortation)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
νῦνnowtemporal adverb (transitional urgency)→ adverbial qualificationνῦν: 'now'; καὶ νῦν ('now then') urges immediate action.
ἀνάβητεgo upAor Act Impv 2 Pl · ἀναβαίνωmain verb (imperative to the searchers)→ verbal action or stateἀναβαίνω (aor. impv. ἀνάβητε): 'go up!'; the maidens urge the men to ascend at once to catch the seer; the urgency serves the providential timing.
ὅτιforcausal conjunction (reason for haste)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for'; gives the reason — they will find him this very day.
διὰbecause of / this verypreposition + accusative (temporal-causal)→ spatial or relational framingδιά + accusative: in διὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ('because of the day / this very day'); the festal day guarantees his presence.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with ἡμέραν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέρανdayAccusativeaccusative object of διά ('this very day')→ object specificationἡμέρα (acc. ἡμέραν): 'day'; διὰ τὴν ἡμέραν echoes v. 12 — because of this special day the seer is sure to be found.
εὑρήσετεyou will findFut Act Indic 2 Pl · εὑρίσκωmain verb (closing assurance)→ verbal action or stateεὑρίσκω (fut. εὑρήσετε): the repeated promise of finding (cf. earlier in the verse) frames the maidens' speech and propels the searchers onward.
αὐτόνhimAccusativedirect object of εὑρήσετε (the seer)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): the seer, object of the assured finding.
14

καὶ ἀναβαίνουσιν τὴν πόλιν αὐτῶν εἰσπορευομένων εἰς μέσον τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἰδοὺ Σαμουηλ ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτῶν τοῦ ἀναβῆναι εἰς Βαμα

And they went up to the city; and as they were entering into the midst of the city, behold, Samuel came out to meet them, on his way up to the high place.

Convergence (the searchers and Samuel meet)καὶ ἀναβαίνουσιν
The providentially timed meeting: the historic present ἀναβαίνουσιν and a genitive absolute (αὐτῶν εἰσπορευομένων) set the scene, and the dramatic καὶ ἰδού introduces Samuel — named here for the first time — coming out precisely as they enter. The convergence εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτῶν ('to meet them') just as he was about to ascend to the Βαμα underscores the divine choreography prepared in v. 15.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀναβαίνουσινthey go upPres Act Indic 3 Pl · ἀναβαίνωmain verb (historic present)→ verbal action or stateἀναβαίνω (pres. ἀναβαίνουσιν): 'go up'; the historic present continues the lively style; they obey the maidens' ἀνάβητε (v. 13) and ascend; bare accusative τὴν πόλιν (Hebraizing).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with πόλιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλινcityAccusativeaccusative of goal (with ἀναβαίνουσιν, without preposition)→ spatial or relational framingπόλις (acc. πόλιν): 'city'; bare accusative of goal after a verb of motion, a Hebraism.
αὐτῶνthey / theirGenitivegenitive absolute (subject of εἰσπορευομένων)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): subject of the genitive-absolute construction.
εἰσπορευομένωνenteringPres Mid Ptc Gen Masc Pl · εἰσπορεύομαιgenitive-absolute participle (temporal: 'as they were entering')→ verbal action or stateεἰσπορεύομαι (pres. ptc. εἰσπορευομένων): 'enter / go in'; the present participle in the genitive absolute marks the moment of entry as the precise occasion of the meeting.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: 'into'; goal of the entering.
μέσονthe midstAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς (idiomatic: 'into the midst of')→ object specificationμέσος (neut. μέσον): 'middle / midst'; εἰς μέσον τῆς πόλεως ('into the midst of the city') renders Hebrew בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר; recurs at v. 18.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive (with μέσον: 'the midst of the city')→ relational specificationπόλις (gen. πόλεως): 'city'; the interior of the town where the meeting occurs.
καὶandapodotic καί (introducing the climactic meeting)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: apodotic, after the genitive absolute, introducing the dramatic encounter (with ἰδού).
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection (dramatic surprise)→ clausal contributionἰδού: 'behold'; heightens the drama of the timely meeting — just as they enter, there is Samuel.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of ἐξῆλθεν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: transliteration of Hebrew שְׁמוּאֵל ('name of God' / 'asked of God'); indeclinable in the LXX; here named for the first time in the chapter, revealed to be the 'man of God / seer' of the preceding verses.
ἐξῆλθενcame outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (Samuel's emergence)→ verbal action or stateἐξέρχομαι (aor. ἐξῆλθεν): 'come/go out'; Samuel emerges from within toward them — the convergence is mutual and exact.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (purpose, in idiom 'to meet')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: in the idiom εἰς ἀπάντησιν ('to meet / to a meeting').
ἀπάντησινa meetingAccusativeaccusative in idiom (εἰς ἀπάντησιν: 'to meet')→ object specificationἀπάντησις (acc. ἀπάντησιν): 'meeting / encounter'; εἰς ἀπάντησιν renders Hebrew לִקְרַאת ('to meet'); the same idiom describes purposeful encounter (cf. εἰς ἀπάντησιν in NT eschatology, 1 Thess 4:17).
αὐτῶνthemGenitivegenitive object (with ἀπάντησιν: 'to meet them')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): those met — Saul and his servant.
τοῦtoGenitivearticle (with articular infinitive of purpose ἀναβῆναι)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (gen. τοῦ): forms the genitive articular infinitive τοῦ ἀναβῆναι ('in order to go up').
ἀναβῆναιto go upAor Act Inf · ἀναβαίνωarticular infinitive of purpose ('on his way up')→ verbal action or stateἀναβαίνω (aor. inf. ἀναβῆναι): 'go up'; Samuel was setting out to ascend to the Βαμα — exactly the window the maidens described (v. 13).
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: goal of the ascent.
ΒαμαBama (the high place)object of εἰς (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΒαμα: the high place; Samuel's destination, where the feast and the honoring of Saul will take place.
15

καὶ κύριος ἀπεκάλυψεν τὸ ὠτίον Σαμουηλ ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὸν Σαουλ λέγων

Now the LORD had uncovered Samuel's ear one day before Saul came to him, saying:

Narratorial flashback (the prior divine revelation)καὶ κύριος ἀπεκάλυψεν
The narrator steps back a day to disclose the providential frame: the LORD had already 'uncovered Samuel's ear' (ἀπεκάλυψεν τὸ ὠτίον, a Hebraism for private revelation, גָּלָה אֶת אֹזֶן) the day before Saul's arrival. This pluperfect-sense flashback explains why Samuel will instantly recognize the significance of the stranger, and grounds the meeting of v. 14 in divine prearrangement.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
καὶnow / andnarrative conjunction (introducing flashback)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here introducing a narratorial flashback ('now the LORD had …'); the context gives the aorist a pluperfect sense.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἀπεκάλυψεν→ participant prominenceκύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; here YHWH himself is the agent of the revelation to Samuel — not a human master; the divine name grounds the whole episode in God's initiative.
ἀπεκάλυψενhad uncovered / revealedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποκαλύπτωmain verb (divine revelation; pluperfect sense in context)→ verbal action or stateἀποκαλύπτω (aor. ἀπεκάλυψεν): 'uncover / reveal / disclose'; the idiom ἀπεκάλυψεν τὸ ὠτίον ('uncovered the ear') renders Hebrew גָּלָה אֶת אֹזֶן ('disclosed to the ear of'), a vivid Hebraism for granting private revelation; the context ('one day before') gives the aorist pluperfect force.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ὠτίον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὠτίονearAccusativedirect object of ἀπεκάλυψεν (idiom: 'uncovered the ear')→ object specificationὠτίον: 'ear' (diminutive of οὖς); renders Hebrew אֹזֶן; in the idiom ἀπεκάλυψεν τὸ ὠτίον it denotes private disclosure — God whispered the secret into Samuel's ear, as it were.
Σαμουηλof Samuelgenitive of possession (indeclinable: 'Samuel's ear')→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable; here genitive of possession ('Samuel's ear'), the recipient of the revelation.
ἡμέρᾳdayDativedative of time (with μιᾷ: 'one day')→ sphere or referenceἡμέρα (dat. ἡμέρᾳ): 'day'; ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ ('on one day') = 'a day [before]'; dative of point of time.
μιᾷoneDativenumeral adjective (with ἡμέρᾳ: 'one day')→ measure or countεἷς (fem. dat. μιᾷ): 'one'; ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ = 'one day [before]', specifying the timing of the revelation relative to Saul's coming.
ἔμπροσθενbeforepreposition + articular infinitive (temporal: 'before … came')→ spatial or relational framingἔμπροσθεν: here temporal 'before' (with the genitive articular infinitive τοῦ ἐλθεῖν); 'one day before Saul came to him'.
τοῦGenitivearticle (with articular infinitive ἐλθεῖν)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (gen. τοῦ): forms the temporal articular infinitive ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ('before the coming').
ἐλθεῖνcameAor Act Inf · ἔρχομαιarticular infinitive (temporal: 'before Saul came')→ verbal action or stateἔρχομαι (aor. inf. ἐλθεῖν): 'come'; Saul's arrival, which the revelation anticipated by a day.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + accusative: 'to / toward'; Saul's coming 'to him' (Samuel).
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (Samuel)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): Samuel, to whom Saul comes.
ΣαουλSaulaccusative subject of the infinitive ἐλθεῖν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; subject of the articular infinitive ('before Saul came').
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptc Nom Masc Sg · λέγωparticiple of speaking (introducing direct divine speech)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (pres. ptc. λέγων): 'saying'; the participle λέγων introducing direct speech is a Hebraism rendering לֵאמֹר; it sets up the LORD's oracle in v. 16, referring back to κύριος as the speaker.
16

ὡς ὁ καιρὸς αὔριον ἀποστελῶ πρὸς σὲ ἄνδρα ἐκ γῆς Βενιαμιν καὶ χρίσεις αὐτὸν εἰς ἄρχοντα ἐπὶ τὸν λαόν μου Ισραηλ καὶ σώσει τὸν λαόν μου ἐκ χειρὸς ἀλλοφύλων ὅτι ἐπέβλεψα ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τοῦ λαοῦ μου ὅτι ἦλθεν βοὴ αὐτῶν πρός με

'About this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him as ruler over my people Israel, and he will save my people from the hand of the foreigners; for I have looked upon the affliction of my people, because their cry has come to me.'

Divine oracle (content of the LORD's revelation to Samuel)ὡς ὁ καιρὸς αὔριον
The oracle is the theological center of the chapter: YHWH announces the sending of a man from Benjamin (ἄνδρα ἐκ γῆς Βενιαμιν), commands his anointing as ruler (χρίσεις … εἰς ἄρχοντα — notably ἄρχων, not yet βασιλεύς), and promises deliverance from the Philistines (ἀλλοφύλων). The double ὅτι-clause grounds the act in YHWH's compassion (ἐπέβλεψα ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν) and the people's cry (βοὴ αὐτῶν), echoing the Exodus deliverance-language (cf. Exod 3:7–9).
Word-by-word analysis· 43 words
ὡςabout / astemporal particle (approximation: 'about [this time]')→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: here temporal-approximative, 'about'; ὡς ὁ καιρός = 'about this [same] time', rendering Hebrew כָּעֵת ('about the time').
theNominativearticle (with καιρὸς)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καιρὸςtime / seasonNominativenominative in temporal phrase ('about this time')→ participant prominenceκαιρός: 'appointed time / season / moment'; renders Hebrew עֵת; ὡς ὁ καιρὸς αὔριον = 'about this time tomorrow', specifying the divinely fixed moment of the sending.
αὔριονtomorrowtemporal adverb→ clausal contributionαὔριον: 'tomorrow'; renders Hebrew מָחָר; pins the divine appointment to the next day — the very day Saul actually arrives (v. 14).
ἀποστελῶI will sendFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀποστέλλωmain verb (divine first-person announcement)→ verbal action or stateἀποστέλλω (fut. ἀποστελῶ): 'send / commission'; renders Hebrew שָׁלַח; YHWH is the sender of the future king — even Saul's 'chance' arrival is divine sending.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + accusative: 'to'; the man is sent to Samuel.
σὲyouAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (Samuel)→ participant referenceσύ (acc. σέ): 'you'; Samuel, the recipient to whom the man is sent for anointing.
ἄνδραa manAccusativedirect object of ἀποστελῶ (the man to be anointed)→ object specificationἀνήρ (acc. ἄνδρα): 'man'; the still-unnamed king-elect (Saul); the indefinite ἄνδρα keeps the suspense — Samuel will identify him only by divine word (v. 17).
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (origin)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ + genitive: 'from / out of'; marks the man's tribal origin.
γῆςlandGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ ('from the land of')→ relational specificationγῆ (gen. γῆς): 'land'; ἐκ γῆς Βενιαμιν = 'from the land of Benjamin', identifying the man's tribe — confirming Saul's lineage of vv. 1–2.
ΒενιαμινBenjamingenitive of relationship (indeclinable place/tribe name)→ participant identificationΒενιαμιν: indeclinable; the tribe of the coming king — the smallest tribe (v. 21), yet the source of Israel's first ruler.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing command)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
χρίσειςyou shall anointFut Act Indic 2 Sg · χρίωmain verb (imperatival future: command to Samuel)→ verbal action or stateχρίω (fut. χρίσεις): 'anoint'; renders Hebrew מָשַׁח, the root of מָשִׁיחַ ('Messiah / anointed one'); the imperatival future commands Samuel to perform the anointing (carried out secretly at 10:1) — the constitutive act of Israelite kingship.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativedirect object of χρίσεις (the man)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. αὐτόν): the man to be anointed (Saul).
εἰςas / to bepreposition + accusative (predicative: 'as ruler')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: predicative 'as / to be' (rendering Hebrew לְ of result/office); χρίσεις … εἰς ἄρχοντα = 'anoint as ruler'.
ἄρχονταrulerAccusativepredicative accusative (office: 'as ruler')→ object specificationἄρχων (acc. ἄρχοντα): 'ruler / leader / prince'; renders Hebrew נָגִיד ('ruler / prince-designate'), notably not βασιλεύς ('king') — the LXX preserves the Hebrew distinction: Saul is first 'ruler/prince', the title βασιλεύς coming later (10:24); cognate with ἄρξει in v. 17.
ἐπὶoverpreposition + accusative (authority: 'over')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + accusative: 'over'; marks the sphere of rule — over the people.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with λαόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαόνpeopleAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί ('over my people')→ object specificationλαός (acc. λαόν): 'people'; τὸν λαόν μου ('my people') stresses that Israel is YHWH's own — Saul rules as YHWH's appointee over YHWH's people.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my people')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): the repeated μου ('my people', ×3 in this verse) underlines YHWH's covenantal ownership of Israel.
ΙσραηλIsraelaccusative in apposition to λαόν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; in apposition to τὸν λαόν μου ('my people Israel').
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
σώσειhe will saveFut Act Indic 3 Sg · σῴζωmain verb (the king's mission)→ verbal action or stateσῴζω (fut. σώσει): 'save / deliver / rescue'; renders Hebrew יָשַׁע (Hiphil); Saul's God-given mission is military deliverance from the Philistines — the deliverer-role of the judges now vested in the king.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with λαόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαόνpeopleAccusativedirect object of σώσει ('my people')→ object specificationλαός (acc. λαόν): the second 'my people' — the object of the promised salvation.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my people')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (separation/deliverance)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ + genitive: 'out of / from'; ἐκ χειρός = 'from the hand/power of', a Hebraism (מִיַּד) for deliverance from an enemy's grip.
χειρὸςhandGenitivegenitive object of ἐκ (idiom: 'from the hand of')→ relational specificationχείρ (gen. χειρός): 'hand / power'; ἐκ χειρὸς ἀλλοφύλων = 'from the power of the foreigners', a standard idiom for liberation from oppression.
ἀλλοφύλωνforeigners / PhilistinesGenitivegenitive (with χειρός: 'of the foreigners')→ relational specificationἀλλόφυλος (gen. pl. ἀλλοφύλων): lit. 'of another tribe / foreigner'; the standard LXX rendering of Hebrew פְּלִשְׁתִּים ('Philistines'); the chief external threat to Israel in this period and the focus of Saul's deliverance-mandate.
ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (motivation of the deliverance)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; introduces the divine motive — YHWH's compassion on the afflicted people; echoes Exod 3:7.
ἐπέβλεψαI have lookedAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἐπιβλέπωmain verb of causal clause (divine regard)→ verbal action or stateἐπιβλέπω (aor. ἐπέβλεψα): 'look upon / regard / take notice of'; renders Hebrew רָאָה; YHWH's looking on the affliction is the language of saving compassion (cf. Exod 2:25; 3:7), grounding the raising of a deliverer-king.
ἐπὶuponpreposition + accusative (object of regard)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + accusative: 'upon'; with ἐπιβλέπω marks what YHWH regards — the people's affliction.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with ταπείνωσιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ταπείνωσινaffliction / humiliationAccusativeaccusative object of ἐπί (what is regarded)→ object specificationταπείνωσις (acc. ταπείνωσιν): 'humiliation / affliction / low estate'; renders Hebrew עֳנִי ('affliction'); the same word voices Israel's oppression (cf. Exod 3:7, 17) — and later Mary's 'low estate', Luke 1:48.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with λαοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαοῦpeopleGenitivegenitive (with ταπείνωσιν: 'affliction of my people')→ relational specificationλαός (gen. λαοῦ): the third 'my people' in the verse — the afflicted covenant nation.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my people')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive.
ὅτιbecausecausal conjunction (second ground)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because'; the second causal clause — the people's cry has reached YHWH (cf. Exod 3:9, ἡ κραυγὴ … ἥκει πρός με).
ἦλθενhas comeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἔρχομαιmain verb of second causal clause→ verbal action or stateἔρχομαι (aor. ἦλθεν): 'come'; ἦλθεν βοὴ αὐτῶν πρός με ('their cry has come to me') closely echoes the Exodus deliverance-formula (Exod 3:9), framing Saul's kingship as a new act of YHWH's saving attention.
βοὴcry / outcryNominativesubject of ἦλθεν→ participant prominenceβοή: 'cry / shout / outcry'; renders Hebrew צְעָקָה / זְעָקָה; the cry of the oppressed people that moves YHWH to act — Exodus-typology applied to the Philistine crisis.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession ('their cry')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): the people's; 'their cry'.
πρόςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + accusative: 'to'; the cry has come 'to me' (YHWH).
μεmeAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (YHWH)→ participant referenceἐγώ (acc. με): 'me'; YHWH, to whom the people's cry has ascended.
17

καὶ Σαμουηλ εἶδεν τὸν Σαουλ καὶ κύριος ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὃν εἶπά σοι οὗτος ἄρξει ἐν τῷ λαῷ μου

And Samuel saw Saul, and the LORD answered him, 'Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you; this one shall rule over my people.'

Divine identification (the oracle of v. 16 applied to Saul)καὶ Σαμουηλ εἶδεν τὸν Σαουλ
The flashback (vv. 15–16) now meets the present: the moment Samuel lays eyes on Saul, the LORD answers (κύριος ἀπεκρίθη) with the identification ἰδοὺ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ('behold the man'). The demonstrative οὗτος ἄρξει ('this one shall rule') pinpoints Saul; ἄρξει (cognate with ἄρχοντα, v. 16) confirms the office. The divine word does what no human inquiry could — names the chosen man.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of εἶδεν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable; the seer, who now sees the man the LORD foretold.
εἶδενsawAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὁράωmain verb (Samuel's seeing)→ verbal action or stateὁράω (aor. εἶδεν, suppletive): 'see'; appropriately the βλέπων ('seer') εἶδεν ('saw') Saul — a pointed play on the seer's title; his physical sight is at once interpreted by divine word.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Σαουλ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (acc. τόν): supplies accusative case to the indeclinable Σαουλ (object of εἶδεν).
ΣαουλSauldirect object of εἶδεν (indeclinable, articular)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; the article τόν marks him as the object.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing divine response)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ἀπεκρίθη→ participant prominenceκύριος: the Tetragrammaton יהוה; YHWH himself answers Samuel inwardly, identifying Saul — divine speech, not human surmise; the second of the chapter's two κύριος-occurrences (cf. v. 15).
ἀπεκρίθηansweredAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποκρίνομαιmain verb (divine reply to Samuel)→ verbal action or stateἀποκρίνομαι (aor. pass. ἀπεκρίθη): 'answer / respond'; the LORD 'answers' Samuel's silent recognition — perhaps responding to the seer's unspoken question 'is this the man?'
αὐτῷhimDativedative indirect object (Samuel)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): Samuel, the recipient of the divine word.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection (pointing out Saul)→ clausal contributionἰδού: 'behold'; the LORD points Saul out to Samuel — 'there he is, the man'.
theNominativearticle (with ἄνθρωπος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄνθρωποςmanNominativenominative (predicate of presentation: 'the man')→ participant prominenceἄνθρωπος: 'man'; ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὃν εἶπά σοι ('the man of whom I told you') links back to ἄνδρα of v. 16 — the prophecy now incarnate before Samuel's eyes.
ὃνof whomAccusativerelative pronoun (object of εἶπά: 'whom I mentioned')→ participant referenceὅς (acc. ὅν): relative pronoun; the relative clause ὃν εἶπά σοι identifies Saul with the man of the oracle (v. 16).
εἶπάI spoke / toldAor Act Indic 1 Sg · λέγωverb of relative clause ('whom I spoke of')→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπα, Koine α-form): 'say / tell'; the first-person εἶπά refers back to the LORD's own announcement of v. 16; the α-ending (εἶπα for εἶπον) is characteristic of Koine/LXX.
σοιto youDativedative indirect object (Samuel)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): 'to you'; Samuel, to whom the oracle was given.
οὗτοςthis oneNominativedemonstrative subject (emphatic: 'this very man')→ participant referenceοὗτος: 'this one'; the emphatic demonstrative pins the prophecy on the man now present — 'this is he who shall rule'.
ἄρξειshall ruleFut Act Indic 3 Sg · ἄρχωmain verb (the divine designation of Saul's office)→ verbal action or stateἄρχω (fut. ἄρξει): 'rule / govern'; cognate with ἄρχων (v. 16); renders Hebrew עָצַר ('restrain / govern'); confirms Saul's God-given rule over Israel — the climactic identification.
ἐνover / amongpreposition + dative (sphere of rule)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dative: 'among / over'; ἄρξει ἐν τῷ λαῷ ('rule among/over the people'), a Hebraizing construction (rendering בְּ) for governing authority.
τῷtheDativearticle (with λαῷ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαῷpeopleDativedative object of ἐν ('over my people')→ sphere or referenceλαός (dat. λαῷ): 'people'; τῷ λαῷ μου ('my people') again stresses YHWH's ownership — Saul rules over a people that remains God's own.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession ('my people')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): possessive; the LORD's claim on Israel persists even under the new monarchy.
18

καὶ προσήγαγεν Σαουλ πρὸς Σαμουηλ εἰς μέσον τῆς πόλεως καὶ εἶπεν ἀπάγγειλον δὴ ποῖος ὁ οἶκος τοῦ βλέποντος

And Saul approached Samuel in the midst of the city and said, 'Tell me, please, which is the house of the seer?'

Saul's approach and inquiry (dramatic irony)καὶ προσήγαγεν Σαουλ
Dramatic irony peaks: Saul approaches the very seer he seeks and — not recognizing him — asks the way to the seer's house. The polite imperative ἀπάγγειλον δή ('tell me, please') and the interrogative ποῖος ('which / what sort') heighten the irony, since the unknown 'seer' has already been told by God that this questioner will be king.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσήγαγενapproached / drew nearAor Act Indic 3 Sg · προσάγωmain verb (Saul's approach)→ verbal action or stateπροσάγω (aor. προσήγαγεν): properly 'bring to', but here intransitive 'draw near / approach' (rendering Hebrew נָגַשׁ); Saul comes up to Samuel — the unwitting meeting of king and king-maker.
ΣαουλSaulsubject of προσήγαγεν (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; here the subject (nominative function) of the approach.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + accusative: 'to / toward'; Saul approaches toward Samuel.
ΣαμουηλSamuelaccusative object of πρός (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable; the one approached — still unrecognized by Saul.
εἰςin / intopreposition + accusative (location of the encounter)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: in the idiom εἰς μέσον ('into/in the midst'); the encounter happens within the town.
μέσονthe midstAccusativeaccusative in idiom (εἰς μέσον: 'in the midst of')→ object specificationμέσος (neut. μέσον): 'midst'; εἰς μέσον τῆς πόλεως ('in the middle of the city'), repeating the locale of v. 14 — likely the open space at the city gate.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive (with μέσον: 'the midst of the city')→ relational specificationπόλις (gen. πόλεως): 'city'; the public space where the inquiry takes place.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing speech)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): introduces Saul's ironic question.
ἀπάγγειλονtellAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωmain verb (polite imperative request)→ verbal action or stateἀπαγγέλλω (aor. impv. ἀπάγγειλον): 'tell / report / inform'; Saul politely asks for directions to the seer's house — unaware he addresses the seer himself.
δὴplease / nowentreating particle (softening the imperative)→ discourse linkage or contrastδή: 'now / please'; with the imperative it adds courtesy/urgency ('do tell me, please'); renders Hebrew נָא.
ποῖοςwhich / whereNominativeinterrogative adjective (predicate: 'which is the house?')→ participant prominenceποῖος: 'of what kind / which'; here in the indirect/direct question 'which/where is the house of the seer?'; renders Hebrew אֵי־זֶה ('where').
theNominativearticle (with οἶκος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἶκοςhouseNominativesubject of the verbless question ('the house of the seer')→ participant prominenceοἶκος: 'house / household'; renders Hebrew בַּיִת; Saul asks where the seer lodges, intending to consult him there — the irony being that the seer stands before him.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with substantival participle βλέποντος)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
βλέποντοςseerPres Act Ptc Gen Masc Sg · βλέπωsubstantival participle (possessive genitive: 'of the seer')→ verbal action or stateβλέπω (pres. ptc. βλέποντος): substantivized ὁ βλέπων ('the seer'); Saul uses the title glossed in v. 9 — addressing the seer while asking for the seer, the chapter's sharpest dramatic irony.
19

καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Σαμουηλ τῷ Σαουλ καὶ εἶπεν ἐγώ εἰμι αὐτός ἀνάβηθι ἔμπροσθέν μου εἰς Βαμα καὶ φάγε μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ σήμερον καὶ ἐξαποστελῶ σε πρωὶ καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἀπαγγελῶ σοι

And Samuel answered Saul and said, 'I am he; go up before me to the high place, and eat with me today, and in the morning I will send you off, and all that is in your heart I will tell you.'

Self-disclosure and invitationκαὶ ἀπεκρίθη Σαμουηλ
Samuel's reply resolves the irony: ἐγώ εἰμι αὐτός ('I am he'). He then issues a cascade of warm imperatives and promises — ascend, eat with me, and in the morning I will send you off, telling you all that is in your heart (πάντα τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου). The hospitality and the promise of disclosure prepare both the honoring at the feast (vv. 22–24) and the private revelation that will climax in the anointing (ch. 10).
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπεκρίθηansweredAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποκρίνομαιmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateἀποκρίνομαι (aor. pass. ἀπεκρίθη): 'answer'; Samuel responds to Saul's question with self-revelation.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of ἀπεκρίθη (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable; the seer now identifies himself.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Σαουλ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (dat. τῷ): supplies dative case to the indeclinable Σαουλ.
ΣαουλSauldative indirect object (indeclinable, articular)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; the article τῷ marks the dative ('to Saul').
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (redundant speech-introduction, Hebraism)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): the redundant 'answered … and said' is a Hebraism (וַיַּעַן … וַיֹּאמֶר).
ἐγώINominativeemphatic subject pronoun (with εἰμι: 'I am')→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic personal pronoun; ἐγώ εἰμι αὐτός ('I am he / I am the one') is Samuel's emphatic self-identification, dissolving the dramatic irony.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula ('I am')→ verbal action or stateεἰμί (pres. εἰμι): 'be'; the copula of self-identification; ἐγώ εἰμι αὐτός = 'I myself am [he]'.
αὐτόςhe / the very oneNominativeintensive predicate pronoun ('[I am] he himself')→ participant referenceαὐτός: intensive 'himself / the very one'; ἐγώ εἰμι αὐτός answers ποῖος ὁ … βλέπων (v. 18) — 'I am he, the seer'.
ἀνάβηθιgo upAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀναβαίνωmain verb (hospitable imperative)→ verbal action or stateἀναβαίνω (aor. impv. ἀνάβηθι): 'go up'; Samuel directs Saul to ascend ahead of him to the high place — the first of a warm series of invitations.
ἔμπροσθένbeforepreposition + genitive (position: 'ahead of me')→ spatial or relational framingἔμπροσθεν + genitive: here spatial 'in front of / ahead of'; ἔμπροσθέν μου = 'before me / ahead of me', an honor — Saul precedes the seer.
μουmeGenitivegenitive object of ἔμπροσθεν ('ahead of me')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): Samuel; Saul is to go up ahead of him.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (goal)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: goal of the ascent.
ΒαμαBama (the high place)object of εἰς (indeclinable place-name)→ participant identificationΒαμα: the high place; site of the sacrificial feast (cf. vv. 12–14).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking invitations)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
φάγεeatAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἐσθίωmain verb (hospitable imperative)→ verbal action or stateἐσθίω (aor. impv. φάγε): 'eat'; the invitation to share the sacrificial meal — a signal honor for an unknown traveler, prefiguring the reserved portion of v. 24.
μετ᾿withpreposition + genitive (accompaniment, elided)→ spatial or relational framingμετά (μετ᾿) + genitive: 'with'; μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ = 'with me', at the seer's own table.
ἐμοῦmeGenitivegenitive object of μετ᾿ ('with me')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. ἐμοῦ, emphatic): 'me'; Saul will eat with Samuel himself.
σήμερονtodaytemporal adverb→ clausal contributionσήμερον: 'today'; the feast is this same providential day (cf. vv. 12, 13).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξαποστελῶI will send offFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἐξαποστέλλωmain verb (promise)→ verbal action or stateἐξαποστέλλω (fut. ἐξαποστελῶ): 'send away / dismiss'; the intensive compound (ἐξ-απο-) means to send off completely; Samuel promises to release Saul in the morning — fulfilled at v. 26; the same verb recurs there.
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἐξαποστελῶ→ participant referenceσύ (acc. σε): 'you'; Saul, to be sent off in the morning.
πρωὶin the morningtemporal adverb→ clausal contributionπρωΐ: 'early / in the morning'; renders Hebrew בַּבֹּקֶר; the dismissal is set for dawn — realized at vv. 26–27.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the promise of disclosure)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πάνταallAccusativesubstantival adjective (object of ἀπαγγελῶ: 'all things')→ object specificationπᾶς (neut. pl. πάντα): 'all things'; πάντα τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου = 'all that is in your heart', the comprehensive disclosure Samuel promises — far beyond the lost donkeys.
τὰthe thingsAccusativearticle (substantizing the prepositional phrase)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (neut. pl. τά): the article turns ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου into a substantive ('the things in your heart').
ἐνinpreposition + dative (locative)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: 'in'; ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου = 'in your heart'.
τῇtheDativearticle (with καρδίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρδίᾳheartDativedative of place ('in your heart')→ sphere or referenceκαρδία (dat. καρδίᾳ): 'heart'; renders Hebrew לֵב; the seat of thought, will, and concern; Samuel's promise to reveal 'all in your heart' marks his prophetic insight; the word recurs at v. 20 (μὴ θῇς τὴν καρδίαν σου).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your heart')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): possessive.
ἀπαγγελῶI will tellFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἀπαγγέλλωmain verb (promise of disclosure)→ verbal action or stateἀπαγγέλλω (fut. ἀπαγγελῶ): 'tell / declare'; Samuel promises full disclosure — the very thing Saul came hoping the man of God would do (vv. 6, 8), now offered abundantly.
σοιto youDativedative indirect object ('tell you')→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): 'to you'; Saul, recipient of the promised revelation.
20

καὶ περὶ τῶν ὄνων σου τῶν ἀπολωλυιῶν σήμερον τριταίων μὴ θῇς τὴν καρδίαν σου αὐταῖς ὅτι εὕρηνται καὶ τίνι τὰ ὡραῖα τοῦ Ισραηλ οὐ σοὶ καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρός σου

'And as for your she-asses lost three days ago today, do not set your heart on them, for they are found. And to whom belongs all the desire of Israel? Is it not to you and to all your father's house?'

Reassurance and cryptic hint of destinyκαὶ περὶ τῶν ὄνων σου
Samuel first disposes of the trivial errand — the donkeys are found (εὕρηνται), so Saul need not 'set his heart' on them — then drops a weighty hint of destiny: to whom is all the desire of Israel (τὰ ὡραῖα τοῦ Ισραηλ) if not to Saul and his father's house? The rhetorical question οὐ σοί ('is it not to you?') gestures toward the kingship without yet naming it, baffling and intriguing Saul (whose protest follows in v. 21).
Word-by-word analysis· 31 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (within speech)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
περὶconcerningpreposition + genitive (topic: 'as for')→ spatial or relational framingπερί + genitive: 'concerning / as for'; topicalizes the donkeys ('now as for your she-asses …').
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with ὄνων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄνωνshe-assesGenitivegenitive object of περί ('concerning your she-asses')→ relational specificationὄνος (gen. pl. ὄνων): 'donkey / ass'; the lost she-asses, the original object of the quest, now resolved by Samuel's word.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your she-asses')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): possessive.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with participle ἀπολωλυιῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀπολωλυιῶνlostPf Act Ptc Gen Fem Pl · ἀπόλλυμιattributive participle (modifying ὄνων: 'that were lost')→ verbal action or stateἀπόλλυμι (pf. act. ptc. ἀπολωλυιῶν): 'be lost / have perished'; the feminine perfect participle agrees with the she-asses; cognate with ἀπώλοντο (v. 3) — the loss that launched everything, now reversed.
σήμερονtodaytemporal adverb (with τριταίων: 'three days ago today')→ clausal contributionσήμερον: 'today'; with τριταίων specifies the duration of the loss — three days as of today.
τριταίωνthree days [lost]Genitivepredicative adjective (with ὄνων: 'gone three days')→ relational specificationτριταῖος (gen. pl. τριταίων): 'on the third day / for three days'; an adjective of duration agreeing with the she-asses ('three days lost'); renders the Hebrew temporal note (שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַיָּמִים).
μὴdo notnegative particle (with prohibitive subjunctive)→ discourse linkage or contrastμή: prohibitive negative with the aorist subjunctive θῇς ('do not …').
θῇςsetAor Act Subj 2 Sg · τίθημιmain verb (prohibitive subjunctive)→ verbal action or stateτίθημι (aor. subj. θῇς): 'put / set / place'; μὴ θῇς τὴν καρδίαν σου αὐταῖς = 'do not set your heart on them', a Hebraism (אַל תָּשֶׂם לֵב) meaning 'do not be concerned about them'.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with καρδίαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
καρδίανheartAccusativedirect object of θῇς ('set your heart')→ object specificationκαρδία (acc. καρδίαν): 'heart'; in the idiom 'set the heart on' = give concern/attention to; Samuel relieves Saul of worry about the donkeys (cf. v. 19, the heart Samuel can read).
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your heart')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): possessive.
αὐταῖςon themDativedative (object of concern: 'on them' = the donkeys)→ sphere or referenceαὐτός (dat. fem. pl. αὐταῖς): the she-asses; dative of the thing one's heart is set upon.
ὅτιforcausal conjunction (reason not to worry)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; gives the reason — the donkeys are recovered.
εὕρηνταιthey are foundPf Mid Indic 3 Pl · εὑρίσκωmain verb of causal clause ('they have been found')→ verbal action or stateεὑρίσκω (pf. mid./pass. εὕρηνται): 'be found'; the perfect declares the present settled fact — the donkeys are found; the triumphant reversal of the threefold οὐχ εὗρον / οὐκ ἦν of v. 4; Samuel's supernatural knowledge authenticates him.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the cryptic question)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τίνιto whomDativeinterrogative pronoun (dative of possession: 'to whom belongs')→ participant reference or interestτίς (dat. τίνι): interrogative 'to whom?'; the dative of possession opens the rhetorical question 'to whom belongs all the desire of Israel?' — a veiled pointer to Saul's destiny.
τὰtheNominativearticle (with ὡραῖα)→ noun-phrase markingτὰ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὡραῖαdesirable things / desireNominativesubject of the verbless possession-question ('the desirable things')→ participant prominenceὡραῖος (neut. pl. ὡραῖα): 'beautiful / desirable / choice'; τὰ ὡραῖα τοῦ Ισραηλ ('the desirable things / the desire of Israel') renders Hebrew כָּל־חֶמְדַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל ('all that is desirable in Israel'); a cryptic phrase pointing to the kingship and all Israel's longing now converging on Saul.
τοῦofGenitivearticle (with Ισραηλ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable: 'of Israel')→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; the article τοῦ supplies the genitive ('the desire of Israel').
οὐnotnegative particle (in rhetorical question expecting 'yes')→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ: negation introducing a rhetorical question that expects affirmation ('is it not to you?').
σοὶto youDativedative of possession (answer to τίνι: 'to you')→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοί, emphatic): 'to you'; the rhetorical answer — the desire of Israel belongs to Saul and his house; an oblique announcement of his destiny.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῷto theDativearticle (with οἴκῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἴκῳhouseDativedative of possession ('to your father's house')→ sphere or referenceοἶκος (dat. οἴκῳ): 'house / household / family'; the destiny extends to Saul's whole family — the founding of a royal house.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with πατρός)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πατρόςfatherGenitivegenitive of relationship ('your father's house')→ relational specificationπατήρ (gen. πατρός): 'father'; Kish's household — the family of the king-elect.
σουyourGenitivegenitive of possession ('your father')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): possessive.
21

καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Σαουλ καὶ εἶπεν οὐχὶ ἀνδρὸς υἱὸς Ιεμιναίου ἐγώ εἰμι τοῦ μικροῦ σκήπτρου φυλῆς Ισραηλ καὶ τῆς φυλῆς τῆς ἐλαχίστης ἐξ ὅλου σκήπτρου Βενιαμιν καὶ ἵνα τί ἐλάλησας πρὸς ἐμὲ κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο

And Saul answered and said, 'Am I not a Benjaminite, of the smallest tribe of Israel, and of the least clan of all the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me according to this word?'

Self-deprecating protest (Saul's humility)καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Σαουλ
Saul responds with a conventional yet sincere protest of unworthiness: he is a mere Benjaminite (echoing ἀνδρὸς Ιεμιναίου of v. 1), of the smallest tribe and least clan. The double superlative (μικροῦ … ἐλαχίστης) and the puzzled ἵνα τί ('why?') express his bewilderment at Samuel's grand words — a humility-topos that paradoxically marks him as a fit, divinely chosen candidate (cf. Gideon, Judg 6:15).
Word-by-word analysis· 35 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπεκρίθηansweredAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποκρίνομαιmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateἀποκρίνομαι (aor. pass. ἀπεκρίθη): 'answer'; Saul replies to Samuel's cryptic word with self-deprecation.
ΣαουλSaulsubject of ἀπεκρίθη (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (redundant speech-introduction, Hebraism)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): the 'answered … and said' pairing is Hebraic.
οὐχὶam I not?interrogative negative (rhetorical question expecting 'yes')→ clausal contributionοὐχί: emphatic form of οὐ; introduces a rhetorical question expecting the answer 'yes' — 'am I not [merely] a Benjaminite?'
ἀνδρὸςof a manGenitivegenitive of origin (with Ιεμιναίου: 'son of a Jeminite man')→ relational specificationἀνήρ (gen. ἀνδρός): 'man'; ἀνδρὸς … Ιεμιναίου ('a Jeminite man') deliberately echoes v. 1 (ἀνδρὸς Ιεμιναίου), Saul defining himself by his humble tribal stock.
υἱὸςsonNominativepredicate nominative ('[I am] a son')→ participant prominenceυἱός: 'son'; υἱὸς ἀνδρὸς Ιεμιναίου = 'a son of a Benjaminite man', a Hebraism for 'a Benjaminite'.
ΙεμιναίουJeminite / BenjaminiteGenitiveattributive gentilic (modifying ἀνδρὸς)→ relational specificationΙεμιναῖος (gen. Ιεμιναίου): gentilic 'Benjaminite' (Hebrew יְמִינִי); declinable, hence 'n' with case; Saul stresses his membership in the smallest tribe — the same gentilic as v. 1.
ἐγώINominativeemphatic subject pronoun (with εἰμι)→ participant referenceἐγώ: emphatic; 'I [myself] am' — Saul presses his own lowliness.
εἰμιamPres Act Indic 1 Sg · εἰμίcopula ('I am')→ verbal action or stateεἰμί (pres. εἰμι): 'be'; the copula of self-description.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with σκήπτρου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μικροῦsmall / leastGenitiveattributive adjective (modifying σκήπτρου: 'the small tribe')→ relational specificationμικρός (gen. μικροῦ): 'small / little'; here of the tribe's insignificance; renders Hebrew קָטֹן; Benjamin was the smallest tribe (cf. Judg 21).
σκήπτρουtribe / scepterGenitivegenitive of relationship ('of the smallest tribe')→ relational specificationσκῆπτρον (gen. σκήπτρου): lit. 'staff / scepter', here by metonymy 'tribe' (a tribal staff representing a tribe); the LXX uses σκῆπτρον to render Hebrew שֵׁבֶט ('rod / tribe'); a striking idiom — Saul belongs to the least 'scepter' yet is destined for the royal one.
φυλῆςtribeGenitivegenitive (in apposition/partitive with σκήπτρου: 'tribe of Israel')→ relational specificationφυλή (gen. φυλῆς): 'tribe / clan'; the more usual term for 'tribe'; here φυλῆς Ισραηλ ('of the tribe[s] of Israel') situates Benjamin's smallness among all Israel.
ΙσραηλIsraelgenitive of relationship (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (intensifying the humility)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with φυλῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλῆςclan / tribeGenitivegenitive of relationship ('of the clan')→ relational specificationφυλή (gen. φυλῆς): here in the narrower sense 'clan / family-group' within Benjamin (Hebrew מִשְׁפָּחָה); Saul's family is the least within the least tribe.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with ἐλαχίστης)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἐλαχίστηςleast / smallestGenitivesuperlative adjective (modifying φυλῆς: 'the least clan')→ relational specificationἐλάχιστος (gen. ἐλαχίστης): 'least / smallest'; superlative of μικρός; renders Hebrew הַצְּעִרָה ('the youngest/smallest'); the superlative caps Saul's self-abasement — least family, least tribe.
ἐξof / frompreposition + genitive (partitive)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ (ἐξ) + genitive: partitive 'out of / among'; ἐξ ὅλου σκήπτρου Βενιαμιν = 'of the whole tribe of Benjamin'.
ὅλουwhole / allGenitiveattributive adjective (modifying σκήπτρου: 'the whole tribe')→ relational specificationὅλος (gen. ὅλου): 'whole / entire'; 'of all the tribe of Benjamin' — Saul's clan is the smallest in the entire tribe.
σκήπτρουtribeGenitivegenitive (with ἐξ: 'of the tribe of Benjamin')→ relational specificationσκῆπτρον (gen. σκήπτρου): 'tribe' (metonymy, as above); the repetition of σκῆπτρον for 'tribe' is striking given its royal-scepter overtones.
ΒενιαμινBenjamingenitive of relationship (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΒενιαμιν: indeclinable; Saul's tribe, the smallest of Israel.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the question)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἵναwhyinterrogative (with τί: 'why? / to what end?')→ clausal contributionἵνα: in the idiom ἵνα τί ('for what purpose? why?'), an elliptical 'in order that what [should happen]?'; renders Hebrew לָמָּה ('why').
τίwhatAccusativeinterrogative pronoun (with ἵνα: 'why')→ participant referenceτίς (neut. τί): 'what'; ἵνα τί = 'why / to what end' — Saul's bewildered query at Samuel's elevated words.
ἐλάλησαςhave you spokenAor Act Indic 2 Sg · λαλέωmain verb of the question→ verbal action or stateλαλέω (aor. ἐλάλησας): 'speak'; Saul asks why Samuel has addressed him with such grand words — not grasping the destiny implied.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρός + accusative: 'to'; the addressee of the speech.
ἐμὲmeAccusativeaccusative object of πρός (emphatic: 'to me')→ participant referenceἐγώ (acc. ἐμέ, emphatic): 'me'; the emphatic form underscores Saul's sense of his own insignificance ('to me, of all people').
κατὰaccording topreposition + accusative (norm/manner)→ spatial or relational framingκατά + accusative: 'according to'; κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο = 'in this manner / with such a word'.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with ῥῆμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ῥῆμαwordAccusativeaccusative object of κατά ('this word')→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / saying / matter'; renders Hebrew דָּבָר; τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο = 'this word' — Samuel's startling pronouncement of v. 20.
τοῦτοthisAccusativedemonstrative adjective (modifying ῥῆμα)→ participant referenceοὗτος (neut. τοῦτο): 'this'; points to Samuel's specific cryptic words about the desire of Israel.
22

καὶ ἔλαβεν Σαμουηλ τὸν Σαουλ καὶ τὸ παιδάριον αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ κατάλυμα καὶ ἔθετο αὐτοῖς τόπον ἐν πρώτοις τῶν κεκλημένων ὡσεὶ ἑβδομήκοντα ἀνδρῶν

And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those invited, about seventy men.

Honoring at the feast (action resumes)καὶ ἔλαβεν Σαμουηλ
The scene shifts to the feast. Samuel seats Saul and his servant ἐν πρώτοις ('at the head / in the chief place') among the invited guests — a public honor for the unknown traveler. The number ὡσεὶ ἑβδομήκοντα ('about seventy') guests fills in the realistic detail of the high-place banquet anticipated by the maidens (v. 13).
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔλαβενtookAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (Samuel's action)→ verbal action or stateλαμβάνω (aor. ἔλαβεν): 'take / take along'; Samuel personally conducts Saul and his servant to the place of honor.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of ἔλαβεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Σαουλ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (acc. τόν): supplies accusative case to indeclinable Σαουλ.
ΣαουλSauldirect object of ἔλαβεν (indeclinable, articular)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with παιδάριον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
παιδάριονservant-ladAccusativedirect object of ἔλαβεν (coordinate with Σαουλ)→ object specificationπαιδάριον: the servant-lad, included in the honor — taken to the feast with his master.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession ('his servant')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. αὐτοῦ): Saul's.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἰσήγαγενbrought inAor Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰσάγωmain verb (bringing into the hall)→ verbal action or stateεἰσάγω (aor. εἰσήγαγεν): 'bring in / lead in'; Samuel ushers them into the banquet hall.
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object of εἰσήγαγεν→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. pl. αὐτούς): Saul and his servant.
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: 'into'.
τὸtheAccusativearticle (with κατάλυμα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κατάλυμαhall / chamberAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς ('into the hall')→ object specificationκατάλυμα: 'lodging / guest-room / dining-hall'; renders Hebrew לִשְׁכָּה ('chamber / hall'); here the banqueting hall at the high place; the same word denotes the 'inn/guest-room' at Luke 2:7; 22:11.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔθετοgave / assignedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · τίθημιmain verb (assigning a place)→ verbal action or stateτίθημι (aor. mid. ἔθετο): 'put / set / assign'; the middle 'set for them / assigned them' a place; Samuel personally arranges the seating of honor.
αὐτοῖςto themDativedative indirect object ('for them')→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. pl. αὐτοῖς): Saul and servant.
τόπονa placeAccusativedirect object of ἔθετο ('a place / seat')→ object specificationτόπος (acc. τόπον): 'place / seat / position'; renders Hebrew מָקוֹם; the assigned seat of honor at the feast.
ἐνamong / atpreposition + dative (position)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dative: 'among / at'; ἐν πρώτοις = 'among the first / at the head'.
πρώτοιςthe chief / firstDativesubstantival adjective (position of honor: 'at the head')→ sphere or referenceπρῶτος (dat. pl. πρώτοις): 'first / chief / foremost'; ἐν πρώτοις τῶν κεκλημένων = 'at the head of the invited' — the place of highest honor (cf. the 'chief seats' of Luke 14:7–8); a public elevation of the unknown Saul.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with participle κεκλημένων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κεκλημένωνthe invitedPf Mid Ptc Gen Masc Pl · καλέωsubstantival participle (partitive genitive: 'of those invited')→ verbal action or stateκαλέω (pf. mid./pass. ptc. κεκλημένων): 'call / invite'; οἱ κεκλημένοι ('the invited / the guests') = the ξένοι of v. 13; the perfect marks their settled status as bidden guests (cf. the κεκλημένοι of the parable, Luke 14:17).
ὡσεὶaboutadverb of approximation (with numeral)→ clausal contributionὡσεί: 'about / approximately'; renders Hebrew כְּ before a number; introduces the rounded count of guests.
ἑβδομήκονταseventycardinal numeral (modifying ἀνδρῶν)→ measure or countἑβδομήκοντα: 'seventy'; indeclinable cardinal; the symbolically resonant number seventy (cf. the seventy elders, Exod 24:1; Num 11:16) gives the feast a quasi-official, representative character.
ἀνδρῶνmenGenitivepartitive genitive (with ἑβδομήκοντα: 'seventy men')→ relational specificationἀνήρ (gen. pl. ἀνδρῶν): 'men'; the genitive of the counted noun with the numeral — about seventy men at the banquet.
23

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ τῷ μαγείρῳ δός μοι τὴν μερίδα ἣν ἔδωκά σοι ἣν εἶπά σοι θεῖναι αὐτὴν παρὰ σοί

And Samuel said to the cook, 'Give me the portion that I gave you, of which I said to you, "Set it aside with you."'

Command to the cook (the reserved portion)καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ τῷ μαγείρῳ
Samuel calls for the portion (μερίς) he had deliberately set aside in advance — a detail confirming that the whole honoring was prearranged (cf. the prior revelation, vv. 15–16). The double relative (ἣν ἔδωκά … ἣν εἶπά) and the embedded command θεῖναι … παρὰ σοί ('set it aside with you') stress that this was kept back intentionally for the destined guest.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): introduces Samuel's command to the cook.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
τῷto theDativearticle (with μαγείρῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μαγείρῳcookDativedative indirect object (addressee)→ sphere or referenceμάγειρος (dat. μαγείρῳ): 'cook / butcher'; renders Hebrew טַבָּח; the one who prepared and portioned the sacrificial meat; addressed to fetch the reserved cut.
δόςgiveAor Act Impv 2 Sg · δίδωμιmain verb (imperative to the cook)→ verbal action or stateδίδωμι (aor. impv. δός): 'give'; Samuel orders the cook to bring out the reserved portion.
μοιmeDativedative indirect object ('give me')→ participant reference or interestἐγώ (dat. μοι): 'to me'; Samuel, who will present it to Saul.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with μερίδα)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μερίδαportionAccusativedirect object of δός ('the portion')→ object specificationμερίς (acc. μερίδα): 'portion / share'; renders Hebrew מָנָה; the special cut of sacrificial meat reserved for the honored guest — identified as the κωλέα ('thigh') in v. 24.
ἣνwhichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of ἔδωκά)→ participant referenceὅς (fem. acc. ἥν): relative pronoun agreeing with μερίδα ('the portion which …').
ἔδωκάI gaveAor Act Indic 1 Sg · δίδωμιverb of relative clause ('which I gave you')→ verbal action or stateδίδωμι (aor. ἔδωκα, Koine α-form): 'give / entrust'; Samuel had earlier handed the portion to the cook to keep — evidence of premeditated honoring.
σοιyouDativedative indirect object (the cook)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): 'to you'; the cook, entrusted with the portion.
ἣνof whichAccusativerelative pronoun (object of the embedded command)→ participant referenceὅς (fem. acc. ἥν): the second relative, introducing Samuel's earlier instruction about the portion.
εἶπάI said / toldAor Act Indic 1 Sg · λέγωverb of relative clause ('of which I told you')→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπα, Koine α-form): 'say / tell'; Samuel recalls his prior order to keep the portion aside.
σοιyouDativedative indirect object (the cook)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): the cook.
θεῖναιto set / putAor Act Inf · τίθημιinfinitive (content of the prior command: 'set it aside')→ verbal action or stateτίθημι (aor. inf. θεῖναι): 'put / set / lay aside'; the infinitive expresses Samuel's earlier instruction — to keep the portion in reserve.
αὐτὴνitAccusativedirect object of θεῖναι (the portion; Hebraizing resumptive)→ participant referenceαὐτός (fem. acc. αὐτήν): the portion; the explicit object after the relative ἥν is a Hebraizing resumptive pronoun (אֲשֶׁר … אֹתָהּ).
παρὰwith / besidepreposition + dative (position: 'with you')→ spatial or relational framingπαρά + dative: 'beside / with / in the keeping of'; παρὰ σοί = 'with you / in your charge'.
σοίyouDativedative object of παρά ('with you')→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοί, emphatic): 'you'; the cook, in whose keeping the portion was set aside.
24

καὶ ὕψωσεν ὁ μάγειρος τὴν κωλέαν καὶ παρέθηκεν αὐτὴν ἐνώπιον Σαουλ καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ τῷ Σαουλ ἰδοὺ ὑπόλειμμα παράθες αὐτὸ ἐνώπιόν σου καὶ φάγε ὅτι εἰς μαρτύριον τέθειταί σοι παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀπόκνιζε καὶ ἔφαγεν Σαουλ μετὰ Σαμουηλ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ

And the cook lifted up the thigh and set it before Saul, and Samuel said to Saul, 'Behold, what is reserved; set it before you and eat, for it has been kept for you as a testimony beyond the others. Take a piece!' And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.

Presentation of the honored portion (climax of the feast)καὶ ὕψωσεν ὁ μάγειρος
The cook lifts the κωλέα ('thigh / leg') and sets it before Saul. Samuel's words — εἰς μαρτύριον τέθειταί σοι ('it has been set aside for you as a testimony') — make the meal a public sign of Saul's election, kept παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους ('beyond the others'). The brusque ἀπόκνιζε ('take a piece / break off') and the closing notice that Saul ate with Samuel ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ seal the day's honoring.
Word-by-word analysis· 42 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὕψωσενlifted upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ὑψόωmain verb (the cook's act)→ verbal action or stateὑψόω (aor. ὕψωσεν): 'lift up / raise'; renders Hebrew רוּם (Hiphil); the cook raises the reserved cut — perhaps a ceremonial 'heaving' of the priestly portion (cf. the תְּרוּמָה).
theNominativearticle (with μάγειρος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μάγειροςcookNominativesubject of ὕψωσεν→ participant prominenceμάγειρος: 'cook'; obeys Samuel's order of v. 23, bringing out the reserved thigh.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with κωλέαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κωλέανthigh / legAccusativedirect object of ὕψωσεν (the honored cut)→ object specificationκωλέα (acc. κωλέαν): 'thigh / leg / haunch'; renders Hebrew שׁוֹק ('thigh'), the priestly portion of the peace-offering (Lev 7:32–33); presenting it to Saul confers priestly/royal honor — the choice cut for the destined king.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παρέθηκενset beforeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · παρατίθημιmain verb (serving)→ verbal action or stateπαρατίθημι (aor. παρέθηκεν): 'set before / serve'; renders Hebrew שִׂים לִפְנֵי; the technical verb for placing food before a diner; cognate παράθες follows in Samuel's speech.
αὐτὴνitAccusativedirect object of παρέθηκεν (the thigh)→ participant referenceαὐτός (fem. acc. αὐτήν): the κωλέα.
ἐνώπιονbeforepreposition + genitive (position: 'before Saul')→ spatial or relational framingἐνώπιον + genitive: 'before / in front of'; renders Hebrew לִפְנֵי; the portion is set 'before Saul' — publicly, in view of all.
ΣαουλSaulgenitive object of ἐνώπιον (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; the honored recipient.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing speech)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): introduces Samuel's words explaining the honor.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Σαουλ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (dat. τῷ): supplies dative case to indeclinable Σαουλ.
ΣαουλSauldative indirect object (indeclinable, articular)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection→ clausal contributionἰδού: 'behold'; presents the reserved portion to Saul's attention.
ὑπόλειμμαwhat is reserved / remainderNominativenominative (predicate of presentation: 'behold the reserved [portion]')→ participant prominenceὑπόλειμμα: 'remnant / what is left over / reserved part'; from ὑπολείπω ('leave behind'); here 'the portion kept back / reserved'; Samuel points to the deliberately retained cut — kept precisely for Saul.
παράθεςset beforeAor Act Impv 2 Sg · παρατίθημιmain verb (imperative to Saul)→ verbal action or stateπαρατίθημι (aor. impv. παράθες): 'set before / place'; Samuel bids Saul set the portion before himself — cognate with παρέθηκεν above; the gesture invites him to partake of the honor.
αὐτὸitAccusativedirect object of παράθες (the portion)→ participant referenceαὐτός (neut. acc. αὐτό): the portion (neuter agreeing with ὑπόλειμμα).
ἐνώπιόνbeforepreposition + genitive (position: 'before you')→ spatial or relational framingἐνώπιον + genitive: 'before'; ἐνώπιόν σου = 'before yourself'.
σουyouGenitivegenitive object of ἐνώπιον ('before you')→ relational specificationσύ (gen. σου): Saul.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
φάγεeatAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἐσθίωmain verb (imperative to Saul)→ verbal action or stateἐσθίω (aor. impv. φάγε): 'eat'; Samuel urges Saul to eat the honored portion — fulfilling the invitation of v. 19.
ὅτιforcausal conjunction (reason for the honor)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'for / because'; explains the significance of the portion — it is a testimony kept for him.
εἰςas / forpreposition + accusative (purpose: 'for a testimony')→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: purpose/result 'for / as'; εἰς μαρτύριον = 'as a testimony / sign'.
μαρτύριονa testimonyAccusativeaccusative of purpose (εἰς μαρτύριον: 'as a testimony')→ object specificationμαρτύριον: 'witness / testimony / sign'; renders Hebrew עֵדוּת / מוֹעֵד; the reserved portion is a public token witnessing to Saul's special status — a sign before all the guests of his election.
τέθειταίit has been setPf Mid Indic 3 Sg · τίθημιmain verb of causal clause (resultative perfect)→ verbal action or stateτίθημι (pf. mid./pass. τέθειται): 'be set / be appointed'; the perfect stresses the abiding, deliberate reservation — 'it has been (and stands) set aside for you'; the divine prearrangement made tangible in food.
σοιfor youDativedative of advantage ('reserved for you')→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. σοι): 'for you'; Saul, for whom the portion was kept.
παρὰbeyond / more thanpreposition + accusative (comparison: 'beyond the others')→ spatial or relational framingπαρά + accusative: here comparative 'beyond / above / more than'; παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους = 'above the rest', marking Saul out for distinctive honor.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with ἄλλους)→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἄλλουςothersAccusativesubstantival adjective (object of παρά: 'the others')→ object specificationἄλλος (acc. pl. ἄλλους): 'other'; οἱ ἄλλοι = 'the other [guests]'; Saul is honored above all the rest at the table.
ἀπόκνιζεtake a piece! / break off!Pres Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀποκνίζωmain verb (brusque imperative to eat)→ verbal action or stateἀποκνίζω (pres. impv. ἀπόκνιζε): 'pinch off / break off (a morsel)'; a vivid, homely verb — 'break off a piece and eat'; the rare term gives the dialogue rustic immediacy as Samuel urges the hesitant Saul to dig in.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (resuming after speech)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔφαγενateAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐσθίωmain verb (Saul accepts the honor)→ verbal action or stateἐσθίω (aor. ἔφαγεν): 'eat'; Saul partakes of the honored portion with Samuel — the public meal sealing his election; suppletive aorist of ἐσθίω.
ΣαουλSaulsubject of ἔφαγεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + genitive: 'with'; μετὰ Σαμουηλ = 'with Samuel', at the seer's own table — the fulfilment of the invitation φάγε μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ (v. 19).
ΣαμουηλSamuelgenitive object of μετά (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
ἐνonpreposition + dative (temporal)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dative: temporal 'on / in'; ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ = 'on that day'.
τῇtheDativearticle (with ἡμέρᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέρᾳdayDativedative of time ('on that day')→ sphere or referenceἡμέρα (dat. ἡμέρᾳ): 'day'; the providential day of the feast and honoring; the phrase closes the banquet scene.
ἐκείνῃthatDativedemonstrative adjective (modifying ἡμέρᾳ: 'that day')→ sphere or referenceἐκεῖνος (fem. dat. ἐκείνῃ): 'that'; ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ('on that day') marks the memorable day of Saul's first honoring, the eve of his anointing.
25

καὶ κατέβη ἐκ τῆς Βαμα ἐν τῇ πόλει καὶ διέστρωσαν τῷ Σαουλ ἐπὶ τῷ δώματι

And he came down from the high place into the city, and they spread a bed for Saul on the roof.

Transition from feast to lodging (descent and bedding)καὶ κατέβη ἐκ τῆς Βαμα
The descent (κατέβη) from the Βαμα balances the repeated ascents (ἀναβαίνω) of the chapter, marking the shift from the public feast to private lodging. A bed is spread for Saul ἐπὶ τῷ δώματι ('on the roof') — the cool, open sleeping-place of an honored guest, and the setting for the dawn conversation (v. 26) on the threshold of the anointing.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κατέβηcame downAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καταβαίνωmain verb (descent from the high place)→ verbal action or stateκαταβαίνω (aor. κατέβη): 'go down / descend'; renders Hebrew יָרַד; the descent from the Βαμα into the town reverses the ascents of vv. 11, 13, 14, 19; the subject is Samuel (with Saul; cf. v. 27's plural καταβαινόντων).
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (source)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ + genitive: 'from / out of'; the starting-point of the descent.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with Βαμα)→ noun-phrase markingἡ (gen. τῆς): the feminine article supplies genitive case to the indeclinable Βαμα.
ΒαμαBama (the high place)genitive object of ἐκ (indeclinable, articular)→ participant identificationΒαμα: the high place; the article τῆς marks the genitive ('from the Bama').
ἐνinto / inpreposition + dative (locative used for goal: 'into the city')→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dative: here for goal/result ('into the city'); the LXX often uses ἐν where motion-toward is meant, reflecting Hebrew בְּ.
τῇtheDativearticle (with πόλει)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλειcityDativedative object of ἐν ('into/in the city')→ sphere or referenceπόλις (dat. πόλει): 'city'; the town below the high place, where Saul will lodge.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διέστρωσανthey spread [a bed]Aor Act Indic 3 Pl · διαστρωννύωmain verb (impersonal plural: 'a bed was spread')→ verbal action or stateδιαστρώννυμι / διαστρωννύω (aor. διέστρωσαν): 'spread out / make up (a bed)'; the impersonal plural ('they spread') = 'a bed was made' for Saul; renders the Hebrew of preparing a sleeping-place on the roof.
τῷforDativearticle (with Σαουλ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (dat. τῷ): supplies dative case to indeclinable Σαουλ.
ΣαουλSauldative of advantage ('for Saul', indeclinable, articular)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable; the bed is made for him as honored guest.
ἐπὶonpreposition + dative (position)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + dative: 'on / upon'; ἐπὶ τῷ δώματι = 'on the roof'.
τῷtheDativearticle (with δώματι)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δώματιroofDativedative of place (ἐπὶ τῷ δώματι: 'on the roof')→ sphere or referenceδῶμα (dat. δώματι): 'housetop / flat roof'; renders Hebrew גָּג; the flat roof was the cool, private place for sleeping and confidential conversation (cf. v. 26); recurs in this verse and the next.
26

καὶ ἐκοιμήθη καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἀνέβαινεν ὁ ὄρθρος καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Σαμουηλ τὸν Σαουλ ἐπὶ τῷ δώματι λέγων ἀνάστα καὶ ἐξαποστελῶ σε καὶ ἀνέστη Σαουλ καὶ ἐξῆλθεν αὐτὸς καὶ Σαμουηλ ἕως ἔξω

And he lay down to sleep; and it happened, as the dawn was coming up, that Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, 'Rise, and I will send you off.' And Saul rose, and he and Samuel went out, together, outside.

Dawn summons and departureκαὶ ἐκοιμήθη … καὶ ἐγένετο
The Hebraizing καὶ ἐγένετο ('and it came to pass', rendering וַיְהִי) with the temporal clause ὡς ἀνέβαινεν ὁ ὄρθρος ('as the dawn was rising') frames the daybreak summons. Samuel calls Saul to rise so he may send him off (ἐξαποστελῶ, fulfilling the promise of v. 19), and the two go out together (αὐτὸς καὶ Σαμουηλ) to the edge of the town — the immediate prelude to the private word of v. 27.
Word-by-word analysis· 31 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκοιμήθηhe lay down / sleptAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · κοιμάομαιmain verb (Saul sleeps)→ verbal action or stateκοιμάομαι (aor. pass. ἐκοιμήθη): 'lie down / sleep'; renders Hebrew שָׁכַב; Saul beds down on the roof (cf. v. 25); deponent with passive aorist form.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing the Hebraizing 'and it came to pass')→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγένετοit came to passAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · γίνομαιmain verb (Hebraizing temporal frame)→ verbal action or stateγίνομαι (aor. ἐγένετο): 'become / happen'; καὶ ἐγένετο ('and it came to pass') is the classic LXX rendering of Hebrew וַיְהִי, a narrative formula introducing a temporal clause and a new event.
ὡςas / whentemporal conjunction ('as / when')→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as / when'; introduces the temporal clause locating the summons at daybreak.
ἀνέβαινενwas coming upImpf Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀναβαίνωverb of temporal clause (durative)→ verbal action or stateἀναβαίνω (impf. ἀνέβαινεν): 'go up / rise'; here of the dawn 'coming up'; the imperfect pictures the gradual breaking of day — a vivid touch.
theNominativearticle (with ὄρθρος)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ὄρθροςdawn / daybreakNominativesubject of ἀνέβαινεν→ participant prominenceὄρθρος: 'dawn / daybreak / early morning'; renders Hebrew שַׁחַר / הַשַּׁחַר עָלָה; the rising dawn fulfils Samuel's promise to send Saul off πρωΐ ('in the morning', v. 19).
καὶthen / andapodotic καί (after καὶ ἐγένετο + temporal clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: apodotic, completing the καὶ ἐγένετο … καί construction (the waw after the temporal clause).
ἐκάλεσενcalledAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καλέωmain verb (Samuel summons Saul)→ verbal action or stateκαλέω (aor. ἐκάλεσεν): 'call / summon'; Samuel calls up to Saul on the roof to rouse him for the dawn departure.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of ἐκάλεσεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with Σαουλ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (acc. τόν): supplies accusative case to indeclinable Σαουλ.
ΣαουλSauldirect object of ἐκάλεσεν (indeclinable, articular)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
ἐπὶonpreposition + dative (position)→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + dative: 'on'; ἐπὶ τῷ δώματι = 'on the roof', where Saul slept.
τῷtheDativearticle (with δώματι)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δώματιroofDativedative of place ('on the roof')→ sphere or referenceδῶμα (dat. δώματι): 'roof'; the rooftop sleeping-place (cf. v. 25).
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptc Nom Masc Sg · λέγωparticiple of speaking (Hebraizing speech-introducer)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (pres. ptc. λέγων): 'saying'; the participle introducing Samuel's words is a Hebraism (לֵאמֹר).
ἀνάσταrise / get upAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀνίστημιmain verb (imperative to Saul)→ verbal action or stateἀνίστημι (aor. impv. ἀνάστα, athematic 2 sg.): 'rise / get up'; renders Hebrew קוּם; Samuel rouses Saul; the short form ἀνάστα (for ἀνάστηθι) is common in the LXX.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξαποστελῶI will send offFut Act Indic 1 Sg · ἐξαποστέλλωmain verb (fulfilment of the promise of v. 19)→ verbal action or stateἐξαποστέλλω (fut. ἐξαποστελῶ): 'send off / dismiss'; Samuel fulfils his word of v. 19 (ἐξαποστελῶ σε πρωΐ) — sending Saul off at dawn, now with a secret purpose (the anointing of ch. 10).
σεyouAccusativedirect object of ἐξαποστελῶ→ participant referenceσύ (acc. σε): Saul.
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Saul obeys)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀνέστηroseAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀνίστημιmain verb (Saul's obedient rising)→ verbal action or stateἀνίστημι (aor. ἀνέστη): 'rise / get up'; Saul obeys the imperative ἀνάστα — the prompt obedience of the rising king.
ΣαουλSaulsubject of ἀνέστη (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξῆλθενwent outAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξέρχομαιmain verb (departure; sg. with compound subject)→ verbal action or stateἐξέρχομαι (aor. ἐξῆλθεν): 'go out'; the singular verb with the compound subject (αὐτὸς καὶ Σαμουηλ) agrees with the nearer/first subject — they leave the house together.
αὐτὸςheNominativesubject (intensive: 'he himself', = Saul)→ participant prominenceαὐτός (nom. αὐτός): 'he himself'; resumes Saul as subject before the compound 'he and Samuel'.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the compound subject)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ΣαμουηλSamuelsecond member of compound subject (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable; 'he and Samuel' go out together.
ἕωςas far aspreposition (with adverb ἔξω: 'to the outside')→ spatial or relational framingἕως: here 'as far as / up to'; ἕως ἔξω = 'to the outside / to the edge [of the town]'.
ἔξωoutsideadverb of place (with ἕως: 'to the outside')→ clausal contributionἔξω: 'outside / out'; ἕως ἔξω marks their going out to the outskirts of the town — the discreet place for the private word and (in ch. 10) the secret anointing.
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αὐτῶν καταβαινόντων εἰς μέρος τῆς πόλεως καὶ Σαμουηλ εἶπεν τῷ Σαουλ εἰπὸν τῷ νεανίσκῳ καὶ διελθέτω ἔμπροσθεν ἡμῶν καὶ σὺ στῆθι ὡς σήμερον καὶ ἄκουσον ῥῆμα θεοῦ

As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, 'Tell the young man to pass on ahead of us — and let him pass on — but you, stand still as of today, and hear a word of God.'

Closing genitive-absolute frame (threshold of revelation)αὐτῶν καταβαινόντων
The chapter ends as it advanced — with a genitive-absolute frame (αὐτῶν καταβαινόντων, cf. vv. 5, 11). At the edge of the town Samuel arranges privacy: the servant is sent ahead so that Saul alone may 'hear a word of God' (ἄκουσον ῥῆμα θεοῦ). The command σὺ στῆθι ('but you, stand still') and the deferred ῥῆμα θεοῦ leave the narrative poised exactly on the threshold of the secret anointing in ch. 10 — a deliberate cliff-hanger.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
αὐτῶνthey / theirGenitivegenitive absolute (subject of καταβαινόντων)→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl. αὐτῶν): subject of the closing genitive-absolute — Saul and Samuel descending together.
καταβαινόντωνgoing downPres Act Ptc Gen Masc Pl · καταβαίνωgenitive-absolute participle (temporal: 'as they were going down')→ verbal action or stateκαταβαίνω (pres. ptc. καταβαινόντων): 'go down / descend'; the present participle frames the moment of descent toward the town's edge as the setting for Samuel's final instruction; balances the ascents of the chapter.
εἰςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + accusative: 'to'; toward the edge of the town.
μέροςedge / extremityAccusativeaccusative object of εἰς ('to the edge of the city')→ object specificationμέρος (acc. μέρος): 'part / portion / edge'; here 'the outskirts / outer part' of the city (Hebrew קְצֵה הָעִיר, 'the edge of the town') — the discreet place for the private word.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πόλεως)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πόλεωςcityGenitivegenitive (with μέρος: 'the edge of the city')→ relational specificationπόλις (gen. πόλεως): 'city'; the town whose edge they reach.
καὶthen / andapodotic καί (after the genitive absolute)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: apodotic, introducing the main clause after the temporal genitive-absolute (cf. vv. 5, 11).
ΣαμουηλSamuelsubject of εἶπεν (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαμουηλ: indeclinable.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. εἶπεν): introduces Samuel's final, climactic instruction.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Σαουλ)→ noun-phrase markingὁ (dat. τῷ): supplies dative case to indeclinable Σαουλ.
ΣαουλSauldative indirect object (indeclinable, articular)→ participant identificationΣαουλ: indeclinable.
εἰπὸνtell / sayAor Act Impv 2 Sg · λέγωmain verb (imperative to Saul)→ verbal action or stateλέγω (aor. impv. εἰπόν): 'say / tell'; Samuel directs Saul to send the servant ahead; the imperative εἰπόν (alongside εἰπέ) is a Koine/LXX form.
τῷtheDativearticle (with νεανίσκῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
νεανίσκῳyoung man / servantDativedative indirect object (the servant to be told)→ sphere or referenceνεανίσκος (dat. νεανίσκῳ): 'young man / youth'; here the servant-lad (the παιδάριον of earlier verses), now called νεανίσκος; renders Hebrew נַעַר; he is sent ahead so Saul may receive the word privately.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing third-person command)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διελθέτωlet him pass onAor Act Impv 3 Sg · διέρχομαιmain verb (third-person imperative)→ verbal action or stateδιέρχομαι (aor. impv. 3 sg. διελθέτω): 'pass through / go on ahead'; the third-person imperative 'let him pass on' instructs the servant to go forward, leaving Saul and Samuel alone; same verb as the search-itinerary of v. 4 (διῆλθον).
ἔμπροσθενahead ofpreposition + genitive (position: 'ahead of us')→ spatial or relational framingἔμπροσθεν + genitive: spatial 'in front of / ahead of'; ἔμπροσθεν ἡμῶν = 'ahead of us' (Saul and Samuel).
ἡμῶνusGenitivegenitive object of ἔμπροσθεν ('ahead of us')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. pl. ἡμῶν): Saul and Samuel, ahead of whom the servant is to go.
καὶbut / andcoordinate conjunction (mild adversative: 'but you')→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here with mildly adversative force, setting Saul off from the departing servant ('but you, stand').
σὺyouNominativeemphatic subject pronoun (contrast: 'but you')→ participant referenceσύ (nom. σύ): emphatic 'you'; the contrastive pronoun singles Saul out — the servant goes on, but Saul must remain for the secret word.
στῆθιstand stillAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἵστημιmain verb (imperative to Saul)→ verbal action or stateἵστημι (aor. impv. στῆθι): 'stand / stand still'; renders Hebrew עֲמֹד; Saul is to halt and remain for the divine word — the posture of one about to receive revelation.
ὡςasparticle (in temporal idiom 'as of today')→ discourse linkage or contrastὡς: 'as'; ὡς σήμερον ('as today / at this time') renders Hebrew כַּיּוֹם ('today / now'); = 'right now, this day'.
σήμερονtodaytemporal adverb (with ὡς: 'as of today')→ clausal contributionσήμερον: 'today'; ὡς σήμερον = 'this very day / just now'; the climactic 'today' on which Saul hears God's word — the day of his secret designation.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing final imperative)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἄκουσονhearAor Act Impv 2 Sg · ἀκούωmain verb (climactic imperative to Saul)→ verbal action or stateἀκούω (aor. impv. ἄκουσον): 'hear / listen'; renders Hebrew שְׁמַע; the final, weighty command — Saul is to hear 'a word of God', the chapter's last note, suspending the narrative on the brink of revelation.
ῥῆμαa wordAccusativedirect object of ἄκουσον ('a word of God')→ object specificationῥῆμα: 'word / utterance'; renders Hebrew דָּבָר; ῥῆμα θεοῦ ('a word of God') is the divine message Samuel will deliver — the secret revelation of Saul's kingship (10:1); the term frames the chapter's deepest purpose (cf. vv. 10, 21).
θεοῦof GodGenitivegenitive of source/origin (with ῥῆμα: 'a word of God')→ relational specificationθεός (gen. θεοῦ): 'God'; the genitive marks the divine origin of the word — what Saul hears is not Samuel's opinion but God's own message; the chapter ends, fittingly, with θεοῦ ('of God'), the source of all that has unfolded.