1 Samuel 10:13 — Word Study
WLCוַיְכַל֙ מֵֽהִתְנַבּ֔וֹת וַיָּבֹ֖א הַבָּמָֽה׃
BSAAnd when Saul had finishedkâlâh▸ [come to an end, ceased from] prophesyingnâbâʼ [speaking under divine influence, declaring God's message] he went upbôwʼ▸ to the high placebâmâh [elevated area, cultic platform]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיְכַל֙ | and he finished | Verb, Piel, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| מֵֽהִתְנַבּ֔וֹת | from prophesying | Preposition, verb hithpael infinitive construct common |
| וַיָּבֹ֖א | and he came | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| הַבָּמָֽה׃ | the high place | Particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | And when Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the high place. |
| KJV | And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. |
| ASV | And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. |
| YLT | And he ceaseth from prophesying, and cometh in to the high place, |
| WEB | When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place. |
| BBE | Then going away from the prophets, he came to the house. |
The translations are consistent in rendering כָּלָה as finished — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with a subordinate prepositional phrase and a subsequent action, creating a clear narrative flow.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbכָּלָה
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 Samuel 10:13
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 Anointing of Saulgenerated
1 Samuel 10:13 describes the moment after Saul prophesies, highlighting a significant transition in his life and role. This event follows a series of prophetic encounters, illustrating the divine influence on Saul as he begins his journey as king. The context emphasizes the recognition of Saul's prophetic abilities and the implications of his actions thereafter, as he ascends to a high place, symbolizing his new status.
Cross References
The Key Word — כָּלָה, vay.Khalgenerated
The verb כָּלָה (*kalah*) is a Piel form meaning to finish or come to an end. It indicates the completion of an action, much like fulfilling a task or reaching a conclusion. In this verse, it marks the end of Saul's prophetic activity, suggesting a significant moment of transition.
The Piel stem often implies a more intensive action, indicating that Saul has not merely stopped prophesying but has fully completed that act, emphasizing the finality of the moment.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, we examine the verse as rendered in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses finished to convey the completion of Saul's prophesying, a term also found in the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb in the verse is כָּלָה, he finished, which governs the action of the sentence. It is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating what he finished, and another clause describing his subsequent action.
The structure emphasizes the sequential nature of Saul's actions: first, he completes the act of prophesying, and then he proceeds to the high place, indicating a clear progression in the narrative.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the Greek word συνετέλεσεν to translate כָּלָה, which also means 'to finish' but can imply a sense of fulfillment or completion. This choice reflects a similar understanding of the act of finishing as significant.
The translation choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on the completion of Saul's prophetic task.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
1 Samuel 10:13 tells us that after Saul finished prophesying, he went up to a high place. This moment marks a transition in Saul's life as he steps into his role as king, having experienced a significant prophetic event.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies the completion of an important spiritual experience where Saul spoke under divine influence, marking a pivotal moment in his life.
The high place often represents a location of worship or a place of significance, indicating Saul's elevation in status after his prophetic experience.
This event illustrates the divine endorsement of Saul's kingship, as he is empowered by the Spirit to prophesy before taking on his royal duties.
Saul's experience teaches us about the importance of divine influence in leadership and the transitions that come with fulfilling one's calling.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to be influenced by the divine spirit in our own lives?
- How can we recognize moments of transition in our own journeys?
- In what ways can we seek to fulfill our own callings with the same dedication as Saul?
- What significance do high places hold in our spiritual practices today?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Gregory the Dialogist and Bede draw from this verse to discuss the significance of prophecy and its implications for Saul's kingship.
29. He comes to a high place after the ministry of prophecy, who raises his mind to the heavenly joys which he preaches, and lifts himself up by loving those things which he displays by speaking.Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 10 →
But he ceased to prophesy, etc. However, Jesus ceased to be considered a prophet, and began to be believed as Almighty God, of whom Isaiah to the pursuing peoples said: "Therefore desist from man, whose breath is in his nostrils,Early Church Fathers on 1 Samuel 10 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on 1 Samuel 10:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd when he had made an end of prophesying,.... For, as Procopius Gazaeus observes, he had not the gift of prophecy always; it did not continue with him, but, like that of the seventy elders in the
Read John Gill on 1 Samuel 10 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Samuel 10 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleReturning thither with the prophets, there to praise God for these wonderful favours, and to beg counsel and help from God in this high business.
Read Matthew Poole on 1 Samuel 10 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments1 Samuel 10:13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.Ver. 13. He came to the high place.] Ut animum colligeret, et Deo gratias ageret, to bless God, to pray for his blessing, and better bethink himself of his business. Tostat.
Read John Trapp on 1 Samuel 10 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(13) He came to the high place.—After he had spent his fervour in the hymn, and probably ecstatic prayer, Saul, before he went to his home, we read, betook himself at once to the high place of Gibeah, whence the sons of the prophets had just come down when he met them on the hill-side. He went there, no doubt, because, conscious of the change that had passed over him, and aware of his new powers, he felt a desire for solitary communing in the quiet of a holy sanctuary with God, who had come so near him.
Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Samuel 10 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 13. He came to the high place.] I suppose this to mean the place where Saul's father lived; as it is evident the next verse shows him to be at home.
Read AdamClarke on 1 Samuel 10 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13. he came to the high place] When Saul parted from the company of prophets which he met descending from the high-place, he went up there himself to worship.
Read Cambridge on 1 Samuel 10 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible13. He came to the high place — Whence the company of prophets had come down, (1 Samuel 10:5,) and where he seems to have met his uncle, or friend.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on 1 Samuel 10 →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
And when Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the high place.
When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.
And when Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the high place.
When Saul had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.
Tyndale line
And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
And when he had made an ende of prophecying, he came to the hie place.
Strictly literal
And when he had ended prophesying, he came to the high place.
And he ceaseth from prophesying, and cometh in to the high place,
And he ceases from prophesying, and comes to the high place,
And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high-place.
When he finished prophesying, he came to the high place.
From the Latin
And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
Simplified
After Saul had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.
Then going away from the prophets, he came to the house.
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 and the Septuagint agree on the wording of the verse, confirming that Saul finished prophesying and then went to the high place. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide a partial restoration, indicating that the core elements of the verse are preserved across these texts.
וַיְכַל֙ מֵֽהִתְנַבּ֔וֹת וַיָּבֹ֖א הַבָּמָֽה׃
4 of the 4 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.
[ויכל] [מהתנבא] [ויבא] [הבית׳ה]
nothing on the leather here — 4 supplied entire by an editor.
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 Samuel 10:13
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.
The Hebrew word כָּלָה (*kalah*) is a primitive root meaning to end or finish. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to complete, accomplish, perish, and destroy. The entries indicate various uses in both intransitive and transitive forms, covering actions like finishing a task or causing something to cease. Notably, it can also imply negative connotations, such as plotting or destruction.
כָּלָה 204 vb. be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
Qal
be complete, at an end, of a period of time
be completed, finished, of a work
be accomplished, fulfilled
be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted
be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water
waste away, be exhausted, fail
come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed
Pi.
complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.
complete a period of time
finish doing a thing
make an end, end
accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
accomplish in thought, determine
put an end to, cause to cease
cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
destroy, sts. exterminate
base
H3615 כָּלָה be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent .. . be complete, at an end, of a period of time
. be completed, finished, of a work
. be accomplished, fulfilled
. be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted
. . be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water
. waste away, be exhausted, fail
. come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed
. . . complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.
. complete a period of time
. finish doing a thing
. make an end, end
. accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
. accomplish in thought, determine
. . put an end to, cause to cease
. cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
. destroy, sts. exterminate
3615 kalah kaw-law'
a primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be
finished, perish) or transitived (to complete, prepare,
consume):--accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine,
destroy (utterly), be (when ... were) done, (be an) end (of),
expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, X fully, X
have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make
clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.
כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: finish.
: finish
1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be complete, be at an end
1a2) to be completed, be finished
1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled
1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense)
1a5) to be spent, be used up
1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail
1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish
1b2) to complete (a period of time)
1b3) to finish (doing a thing)
1b4) to make an end, end
1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought)
1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease
1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
1b9) to destroy, exterminate
1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed
כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: destroy.
: destroy
Conj | V-Piel-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vpw3ms
נָבָא (naba') is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to prophesy.' It encompasses speaking or singing under divine inspiration, often associated with religious ecstasy. The entries note its use in both true and false prophecy, highlighting its application in various contexts, including the influence of the divine spirit and ecstatic states among prophets.
[נָבָא] vb. denom. prophesy (in oldest forms, of religious ecstasy with or without song and music; later, essentially religious instruction, with occasional predictions)
Niph.
prophesy under influence of divine spirit
of false prophets
cf. heathen prophets
Hithp.
prophesy under influence of divine spirit
of heathen prophets of Baal in ecstatic state
of false prophets
base
H5012 נָבָא vb. denom. prophesy
5012 naba' naw-baw'
a primitive root; to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by
inspiration (in prediction or simple
discourse):--prophesy(-ing), make self a prophet.
נָבָא (na.va) — to prophesy.
1) to prophesy
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to prophesy
1a1a) under influence of divine spirit
1a1b) of false prophets
1b)(Hithpael)
1b1) to prophesy
1b1a) under influence of divine spirit
1b1b) of false prophets
Aramaic equivalent: ne.va (נבא "to prophesy" H5013)
Prep | V-Hithpael-Inf-a — Preposition · verb hithpael infinitive construct commonHR/Vtcc
בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.
בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go
Qal
come in
come (approach, arrive)
go, i.e. walk, associate with
go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
Hiph.
cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
Hoph.
be brought in (of pers. and things)
be brought
be introduced, put
base
H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in
. come (approach, arrive)
. go, i.e. walk, associate with
. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
. . be brought in (of pers. and things)
. be brought
. be introduced, put
935 bow' bo
a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of
applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +
besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X
certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,
upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,
(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be
fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),
grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,
pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken
(in age), X surely, take (in), way.
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.
: come/go_in
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
1a5) to go
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to lead in
1b2) to carry in
1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon
1b4) to bring to pass
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be brought, brought in
1c2) to be introduced, be put
לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).
This name means to go in, enter
Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.
: towards/entrance
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
בָּמָה (bamah) refers to a 'high place' or elevation, often associated with cultic worship sites. It can denote various heights, including mountains and battlefields, and may also imply a funeral mound. The term is derived from an unused root meaning 'to be high,' indicating its connection to elevation.
בָּמָה 104 n.f. high place
high place, mountain
high places, battle-fields
high places, as places of worship
funereal mound (?)
base
H1116 בָּמָה high place
1116 bamah bam-maw'
from an unused root (meaning to be high); an
elevation:--height, high place, wave.
בָּמָה (ba.mah) — high place.
1) high place, ridge, height, bamah (technical name for cultic platform)
1a) high place, mountain
1b) high places, battlefields
1c) high places (as places of worship)
1d) funeral mound?
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHTd/Ncfsa
1. General:
(1) "High place" is the normal translation of bamah, a word that means simply "elevation" (Jer 26:18; Eze 36:2, etc.; compare the use in Job 9:8 of the waves of the sea. For the plural as a proper noun see BAMOTH). In the King James Version of Eze 16:24,25,31,39, "high places" is the translation of ramah (the Revised Version (British and American) "lofty places"), a common word (see RAMAH) of exactly the same meaning, indistinguishable from bamah in 16:16. In three of these verses of Eze (16:24,31,39) ramah is paralleled by gabh, which again has precisely the same sense ("eminent place" in the King James Version, the English Revised Version), and the "vaulted…
High place
An eminence, natural or artificial, where worship by sacrifice or offerings was made (1 Kings 13:32; 2 Kings 17:29). The first altar after the Flood was built on a mountain (Gen. 8:20). Abraham also built an altar on a mountain (12:7, 8). It was on a mountain in Gilead that Laban and Jacob offered sacrifices (31:54). After the Israelites entered the Promised Land they were strictly enjoined to overthrow the high places of the Canaanites (Ex. 34:13; Deut. 7:5; 12:2, 3), and they were forbidden to worship the Lord on high places (Deut. 12:11-14), and were…