1 Kings 13:27 — Word Study
WLCוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֶל־ בָּנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חִבְשׁוּ־ לִ֖י אֶֽת־ הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַֽיַּחֲבֹֽשׁוּ׃
BSAThen the old prophet instructeddâbar▸ [a man of God, inspired prophet, spoke to, commanded] his sonsbên [descendants, young ones] Saddlechâbash [tie, bind] the donkeychămôwr [male donkey] So they saddled [it]châbash▸ [tied, bound]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר | and he spoke | Verb, Piel, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אֶל־ | to | Preposition |
| בָּנָיו֙ | sons his | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | saying | Preposition, verb qal infinitive construct common |
| חִבְשׁוּ־ | saddle | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine plural |
| לִ֖י | for me | Preposition, suffix |
| אֶֽת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| הַחֲמ֑וֹר | the donkey | Particle, noun common both singular absolute |
| וַֽיַּחֲבֹֽשׁוּ׃ | and they saddled [it] | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it, |
| KJV | And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. |
| ASV | And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled it. |
| YLT | And he speaketh unto his sons saying, 'Saddle for me the ass,' and they saddle [it]. |
| WEB | He said to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they saddled it. |
| BBE | And he said to his sons, Make ready the ass for me. And they did so. |
Where they part company is חִבְשׁוּ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a subordinate infinitive phrase, showing the action instructed and the response to that instruction.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbדָבַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — 1 Kings 13:27
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Old Prophet's Instructionsgenerated
1 Kings 13:27 describes a moment where the old prophet instructs his sons to saddle a donkey for him. This follows a significant event where the man of God disobeyed a divine command, leading to his demise. The old prophet's actions reflect a response to the unfolding events, as he prepares to retrieve the body of the man of God, demonstrating the continuity of prophetic authority and responsibility.
Cross References
The Key Word — חִבְשׁוּ, chiv.shu-generated
The verb חָבַשׁ (chabash) means to bind or tie, specifically in the context of saddling an animal. It implies a physical action of preparing the donkey for use, which is essential for the journey ahead.
This verb is in the imperative form, indicating a direct command given by the old prophet to his sons. The action of saddling is not merely practical; it signifies readiness and the importance of obedience in fulfilling the prophet's needs.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר, and he spoke, governs the entire sentence, indicating the prophet's command. Following this verb, there are clauses that provide details about the action and its object.
The structure emphasizes the imperative nature of the prophet's instruction, with the direct object הַחֲמ֑וֹר, the donkey, clearly marked by the object marker אֶת־, the object marker, which helps clarify what is being saddled.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Kings 13:27 shows the old prophet telling his sons to saddle a donkey for him. This instruction comes after a serious event where a man of God disobeyed the Lord, leading to his death. The old prophet's command is significant as it prepares for the next steps in the narrative.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies the importance of obedience and readiness in fulfilling the responsibilities of a prophet, especially in light of recent events.
Saddling the donkey represents preparation for a journey, indicating the prophet's intent to retrieve the body of the man of God.
The term 'sons' refers to the descendants of the prophet, highlighting the familial and generational aspect of prophetic authority.
This verse connects to the broader narrative by showing the consequences of disobedience and the ongoing role of prophecy in Israel.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about obedience from the old prophet's instruction to his sons?
- How does the action of preparing a donkey reflect the themes of readiness and responsibility in our lives?
- In what ways do family relationships influence our understanding of authority and obedience?
- What are some modern parallels to the actions of the old prophet in responding to divine commands?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Kings 13:27 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd he spoke to his sons, saying, saddle me the ass,.... For it seems he had more than one, for he had sent away the man of God with one before: and they saddled him; the ass he commonly rode on.
Read John Gill on 1 Kings 13 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Kings 13 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleBeing secure as to himself, because so many others had been there without any harm; and because he perceived the prophet’ s death was a judgment of God, and that for special reasons.
Read Matthew Poole on 1 Kings 13 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments1 Kings 13:27 And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled [him].Ver. 27. And they saddled him.] See 1 Kings 13:13.
Read John Trapp on 1 Kings 13 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible27. Saddle me the ass — Another ass, belonging probably to the sons of the old prophet.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 1 Kings 13 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it,
He said to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they saddled it.
Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it,
He told his sons, “Saddle my donkey,” and they did so.
Tyndale line
And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.
And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled it.
And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled it.
And he spoke to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him .
And he spake to his sonnes, saying, Saddle me the asse. And they sadled him.
Strictly literal
And he spoke to his sons saying, Saddle me the ass; and they saddled it.
And he speaketh unto his sons saying, 'Saddle for me the ass,' and they saddle [it].
And he speaks to his sons saying, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they saddle [it].
And he spoke to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.
So the old prophet spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle my donkey,” and they saddled it.
From the Latin
And he said to his sons: Saddle me an ass. And when they had saddled it,
Simplified
The prophet told his sons, “Saddle up a donkey for me.” So they saddled a donkey,
And he said to his sons, Make ready the ass for me. And they did so.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text presents the verse as it stands, while the Septuagint matches 8 of the 9 words from the Hebrew. This indicates a close relationship between the two texts, although the Septuagint's wording and structure differ from the Hebrew.
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֶל־ בָּנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חִבְשׁוּ־ לִ֖י אֶֽת־ הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַֽיַּחֲבֹֽשׁוּ׃
8 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in 1 Kings 13:27
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
דָבַר (dabar) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to speak.' It encompasses a range of actions including declaring, commanding, and conversing. The root suggests a figurative use of words, with some entries noting a rare destructive sense of subduing. Various forms of the verb indicate different nuances, such as speaking with one another or making promises.
[דָבַר] 1142 vb. speak (original mng. dub.)
Qal speak
Niph. reciprocal sense, speak with one another, talk
Pi. speak
Pu. in the day when she may be spoken for
Hithp. speaking this word
Hiph. either leads subject, or puts to flight, fig. for subdues
base
H1696 דָבַר speak (original mng. dub.)
1696 dabar daw-bar'
a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used
figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive
sense) to subdue:--answer, appoint, bid, command, commune,
declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse,
say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think,
use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: speak.
: speak/tell/command
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: subdue.
: subdue
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight
דָבַר (da.var) — to speak: promise.
: promise/declare
1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
1a) (Qal) to speak
1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to speak
1c2) to promise
1d) (Pual) to be spoken
1e) (Hithpael) to speak
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vpw3ms
spok (1Ki 7:33).
See SEA, THE MOLTEN.
The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),
prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place
Where the limit is actually entered, into
Of direction towards anything
Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
Of rule or standard according to (rare)
Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
base
H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place
. Where the limit is actually entered, into
. Of direction towards anything
. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
413 'el ale
(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});
a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but
occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or
among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,
against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,
by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,
over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,
with(-in).
אֶל (el) — to(wards).
1) to, toward, unto (of motion)
2) into (limit is actually entered)
2a) in among
3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)
4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)
5) in addition to, to
6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of
7) according to (rule or standard)
8) at, by, against (of one's presence)
9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
HR — PrepositionHR
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3ms
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
HR/Vqcc — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct commonHR/Vqcc
חָבַשׁ (chabash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to bind, tie, or saddle. It covers a range of actions from physically binding something up to metaphorically governing or restraining. The word appears in various forms, including Qal (to bind) and Piel (to restrain). The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to binding and governance.
[חָבַשׁ] vb. bind, bind on, bind up
Qal
bind, bind on
bind up
Pi. bind, restrain
Pu. be bound up
base
H2280 חָבַשׁ bind, bind on, bind up
2280 chabash khaw-bash'
a primitive root; to wrap firmly (especially a turban,
compress, or saddle); figuratively, to stop, to rule:--bind
(up), gird about, govern, healer, put, saddle, wrap about.
חָבַשׁ (cha.vash) — to saddle/tie.
1) to tie, bind, bind on, bind up, saddle, restrain, bandage, govern
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bind, bind on
1a2) to bind up
1b) (Piel) to bind, restrain
1c) (Pual) to be bound up
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine pluralHVqv2mp
נִי (ni) — me.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
חֲמוֹר (chamor) refers to a male donkey, derived from a root meaning 'to be red' or 'dun.' The term is consistently translated as 'ass' or 'donkey' across various lexicons, indicating its specific reference to this animal in the Old Testament.
חֲמוֹר n.m. (he)-ass
base
H2543 חֲמוֹר (he)-ass
2543 chamowr kham-ore'
or (shortened) chamor {kham-ore}; from 2560; a male ass (from
its dun red):--(he)ass.
see HEBREW for 02560
חֲמוֹר (cha.mor) — donkey.
(he) ass
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common both singular absoluteHTd/Ncbsa
חָבַשׁ (chabash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to bind, tie, or saddle. It covers a range of actions from physically binding something up to metaphorically governing or restraining. The word appears in various forms, including Qal (to bind) and Piel (to restrain). The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to binding and governance.
[חָבַשׁ] vb. bind, bind on, bind up
Qal
bind, bind on
bind up
Pi. bind, restrain
Pu. be bound up
base
H2280 חָבַשׁ bind, bind on, bind up
2280 chabash khaw-bash'
a primitive root; to wrap firmly (especially a turban,
compress, or saddle); figuratively, to stop, to rule:--bind
(up), gird about, govern, healer, put, saddle, wrap about.
חָבַשׁ (cha.vash) — to saddle/tie.
1) to tie, bind, bind on, bind up, saddle, restrain, bandage, govern
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bind, bind on
1a2) to bind up
1b) (Piel) to bind, restrain
1c) (Pual) to be bound up
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp