God’s plan can unfold even during seemingly fruitless tasks.
He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them (v.4). At this point in Israel’s history (around 1050 BC), Saul, who would become the first king of Israel under the guidance of the prophet Samuel, was searching for his father’s lost donkeys. The verse describes the extensive journey he undertook, highlighting specific regions: the hill country of Ephraim, a mountainous region named after the tribe of Ephraim; the land of Shalishah, an area possibly located west of the Jordan River; the land of Shaalim, whose exact location is uncertain but believed to be near Ephraim’s territory; and finally the land of the Benjamites, Saul’s own ancestral territory. Each of these places underscores how determined Saul was to fulfill his immediate task, even as God was setting in motion a larger plan for Saul’s life.
He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah... Then he passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there (v.4). This sequence of travels reflects persistence and patience in the face of difficulty. Although no explicit success was found in these territories, each step was part of a divine design leading Saul toward his destiny. In a broader scriptural context, we often see how God can use mundane or frustrating circumstances—like searching for stray animals—to accomplish greater purposes (Romans 8:28). Saul’s journey here not only tests his diligence but sets the stage for an encounter that would usher in Israel’s transformation from a league of tribes to a unified kingdom.
Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them (v.4). These closing words in this verse remind us that even when the immediate problem remains unsolved, God remains at work behind the scenes. The Benjamites were one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and Saul himself was from this tribe (1 Samuel 9:1). His journey through his homeland parallels how believers throughout Scripture must often venture out of their comfort zones before discovering God’s calling. This idea of being led—even unwittingly—to a divine appointment has an echo in how Jesus would later guide disciples toward encounters that changed their lives, such as calling fishermen to become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).
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1 Samuel 9:4 meaning
He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them (v.4). At this point in Israel’s history (around 1050 BC), Saul, who would become the first king of Israel under the guidance of the prophet Samuel, was searching for his father’s lost donkeys. The verse describes the extensive journey he undertook, highlighting specific regions: the hill country of Ephraim, a mountainous region named after the tribe of Ephraim; the land of Shalishah, an area possibly located west of the Jordan River; the land of Shaalim, whose exact location is uncertain but believed to be near Ephraim’s territory; and finally the land of the Benjamites, Saul’s own ancestral territory. Each of these places underscores how determined Saul was to fulfill his immediate task, even as God was setting in motion a larger plan for Saul’s life.
He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah... Then he passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there (v.4). This sequence of travels reflects persistence and patience in the face of difficulty. Although no explicit success was found in these territories, each step was part of a divine design leading Saul toward his destiny. In a broader scriptural context, we often see how God can use mundane or frustrating circumstances—like searching for stray animals—to accomplish greater purposes (Romans 8:28). Saul’s journey here not only tests his diligence but sets the stage for an encounter that would usher in Israel’s transformation from a league of tribes to a unified kingdom.
Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them (v.4). These closing words in this verse remind us that even when the immediate problem remains unsolved, God remains at work behind the scenes. The Benjamites were one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and Saul himself was from this tribe (1 Samuel 9:1). His journey through his homeland parallels how believers throughout Scripture must often venture out of their comfort zones before discovering God’s calling. This idea of being led—even unwittingly—to a divine appointment has an echo in how Jesus would later guide disciples toward encounters that changed their lives, such as calling fishermen to become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).