King James Version

What Does 1 Samuel 10:8 Mean?

1 Samuel 10:8 in the King James Version says “And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sa...” — study this verse from 1 Samuel chapter 10 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.”

1 Samuel 10:8 · KJV

Peace

Context

6

And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

7

And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. And: Heb. And it shall come to pass, that when these signs, etc that: Heb. do for thee as thine hand shall find

8

And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

9

And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day. back: Heb. shoulder gave: Heb. turned

10

And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

Read 1 Samuel 10 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

This verse establishes the critical test that Saul would later fail catastrophically (1 Samuel 13). The command is precise: go to Gilgal, wait seven days for Samuel to arrive, and then receive further instruction. Gilgal, near Jericho, held profound significance as Israel's first camp after crossing the Jordan and the site of circumcision renewal (Joshua 5). The burnt offerings (olot) represented complete consecration, while peace offerings (zevachim shelamim) signified fellowship with God. Crucially, Samuel - not Saul - would offer these sacrifices. The distinction between royal and priestly functions was absolute in Israel, unlike surrounding nations where kings served as priest-kings. This command tested whether Saul would submit to theocratic order, honoring the boundary between political and spiritual authority. His later impatience revealed a heart that valued expedience over obedience.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Gilgal served as Israel's base of operations during the conquest and remained a significant worship site. The seven-day waiting period would later coincide with a Philistine military threat, testing whether Saul trusted God's timing or succumbed to human pressure. Ancient Near Eastern kings typically combined royal and priestly functions, making Israel's separation of powers distinctive.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do you respond when God's timing seems incompatible with urgent circumstances?
  2. Why is respecting proper boundaries of authority essential even when we feel capable of acting ourselves?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 23 words
יֹרֵ֣ד1 of 23

“And thou shalt go down”

H3381

to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); cau

לְפָנַי֮2 of 23

“before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

הַגִּלְגָּל֒3 of 23

“me to Gilgal”

H1537

gilgal, the name of three places in palestine

וְהִנֵּ֤ה4 of 23
H2009

lo!

אָֽנֹכִי֙5 of 23
H595

i

יֹרֵ֣ד6 of 23

“And thou shalt go down”

H3381

to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); cau

אֵלֶ֔יךָ7 of 23
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

לְהַֽעֲל֣וֹת8 of 23

“unto thee to offer”

H5927

to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative

עֹל֔וֹת9 of 23

“burnt offerings”

H5930

a step or (collectively, stairs, as ascending); usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke)

לִזְבֹּ֖חַ10 of 23

“and to sacrifice”

H2076

to slaughter an animal (usually in sacrifice)

זִבְחֵ֣י11 of 23

“sacrifices”

H2077

properly, a slaughter, i.e., the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)

שְׁלָמִ֑ים12 of 23

“of peace offerings”

H8002

properly, requital, i.e., a (voluntary) sacrifice in thanks

שִׁבְעַ֨ת13 of 23

“seven”

H7651

seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number

יָמִ֤ים14 of 23

“days”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

תּוֹחֵל֙15 of 23

“shalt thou tarry”

H3176

to wait; by implication, to be patient, hope

עַד16 of 23
H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

בּוֹאִ֣י17 of 23

“till I come”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

אֵלֶ֔יךָ18 of 23
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

וְהֽוֹדַעְתִּ֣י19 of 23

“to thee and shew”

H3045

to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including o

לְךָ֔20 of 23
H0
אֵ֖ת21 of 23
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אֲשֶׁ֥ר22 of 23
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

תַּֽעֲשֶֽׂה׃23 of 23

“thee what thou shalt do”

H6213

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Samuel 10:8 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to 1 Samuel 10:8 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Samuel 11:14-151 Samuel 13:41 Samuel 13:8-151 Samuel 15:33

Places in This Verse

Gilgal 1Settlement · Modern: Khirbet el Mefjir · 31.88°N, 35.46°E33 verses across 7 books
View all places in 1 Samuel 10 →

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