This verse from 1 Samuel 9:4 describes the extensive and ultimately unsuccessful search for Saul's father's lost donkeys. Let's break it down:
"He passed through the hill country of Ephraim...": This indicates the search party (Saul and his servant) began in the territory of the tribe of Ephraim.
"...and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them.": Shalishah was a specific region within Ephraim or nearby. The crucial point is that the donkeys were not located there.
"Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they weren’t there.": The search party continued their efforts, moving to the land of Shaalim, but the donkeys remained missing.
"Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn’t find them.": The search extended into the territory of the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's own tribe, but still yielded no results.
In essence, the verse conveys:
The thoroughness of the search: Saul and his servant were actively trying to find the lost donkeys. The narrator emphasizes this by listing multiple regions they traversed.
The lack of success: Despite the extensive search, they were unable to locate the donkeys.
The journey is leading somewhere: This verse sets the stage for the divine encounter that will ultimately change Saul's life. It shows that his ordinary task (finding donkeys) will lead him to a far more important destiny.
It's important to note that this seemingly mundane task is significant because it's the event that leads Saul to the prophet Samuel, who will anoint him as the first king of Israel. The lost donkeys are the catalyst for a pivotal moment in Israelite history.
This verse from 1 Samuel 9:4 describes the extensive and ultimately unsuccessful search for Saul's father's lost donkeys. Let's break it down:
"He passed through the hill country of Ephraim...": This indicates the search party (Saul and his servant) began in the territory of the tribe of Ephraim.
"...and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them.": Shalishah was a specific region within Ephraim or nearby. The crucial point is that the donkeys were not located there.
"Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they weren’t there.": The search party continued their efforts, moving to the land of Shaalim, but the donkeys remained missing.
"Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn’t find them.": The search extended into the territory of the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's own tribe, but still yielded no results.
In essence, the verse conveys:
The thoroughness of the search: Saul and his servant were actively trying to find the lost donkeys. The narrator emphasizes this by listing multiple regions they traversed.
The lack of success: Despite the extensive search, they were unable to locate the donkeys.
The journey is leading somewhere: This verse sets the stage for the divine encounter that will ultimately change Saul's life. It shows that his ordinary task (finding donkeys) will lead him to a far more important destiny.
It's important to note that this seemingly mundane task is significant because it's the event that leads Saul to the prophet Samuel, who will anoint him as the first king of Israel. The lost donkeys are the catalyst for a pivotal moment in Israelite history.