The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Even though Saul is now king, his servant still treats him as if he's just a regular guy, offering him a tiny amount of money to find out their way. This detail shows how far Saul is from realizing his new identity; he's still operating in the same old ways, reliant on a prophet's guidance for even simple directions.
The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Saul, a young man of impressive stature but lacking confidence, is searching for his father's lost donkeys and has followed them to the prophet Samuel. His servant, recognizing their proximity to a significant seer, suggests they offer a small sum of money to the man of God for guidance on their journey. This encounter sets the stage for an unexpected divine appointment, as Samuel has already been instructed by God to anoint Saul as king.
Lost and out of options, Saul and his servant were willing to pay for direction. What does this show us about human nature when facing the unknown?
The Desperation for Direction
Saul and his servant are in a bind. Their donkeys are lost, and they've traveled a significant distance without success. In their predicament, they're willing to spend a decent sum – a quarter shekel of silver – to get an answer from a man of God. This highlights a universal human desire: when we feel lost, we look for reliable guidance.
God's Unexpected Intervention
It's easy to see this as just a transactional request. However, it sets the stage for God's powerful, unexpected move. God often uses our attempts to find our own way, or seek guidance in human means, as opportunities to reveal His plan. The servant's initiative, while practical, becomes the very catalyst for God's direct engagement with Saul.
What made the 'man of God' so valuable that they'd pay a significant sum for his word?
More Than Just Information
The servant refers to the man of God as someone who can 'tell us our way.' This implies a special insight or knowledge, likely from God Himself. In Samuel's time, prophets, or 'seers' as they were also called, served as conduits for God's voice. They weren't just fortune-tellers; they were God's spokespeople, offering wisdom, direction, and sometimes even divine intervention.
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A Glimpse of God's Sovereignty
This scene is foundational for Saul's story. God is about to reveal that He has chosen Saul to be king. The servant's practical desire for guidance about lost donkeys becomes the very means by which God orchestrates Saul's encounter with His future prophet, Samuel. It shows that God can use even our mundane concerns to bring about His sovereign purposes.
This moment of a lost herd highlights how God can use the mundane and ordinary, like a common errand, to bring about His extraordinary purposes, even the selection of a king.
c. 1075 BC
Samuel's Growing Age and Authority
Samuel, the last of the great judges, is aging. While still revered, his sons are not following in his righteous path, leading the people to desire a king.
c. 1075 BC
Saul's Family and Tribe
Saul, from the prominent family of Kish in the tribe of Benjamin, is an impressive young man. His family is well-regarded, but not royalty.
c. 1075 BC
Lost Donkeys and a Journey
Kish's donkeys go missing, prompting Saul to set out with a servant to find them, a common but potentially lengthy task.
c. 1075 BC— this verse
Seeking a Seer's Guidance
After searching in vain, Saul's servant suggests seeking out the renowned seer Samuel, a practice common for guidance, though costly.
c. 1075 BC
Encounter with Samuel
Samuel, having been divinely prompted, meets Saul and anoints him as the future king of Israel, initiating a major shift in Israel's leadership.
This passage shows David asking God for guidance through Abiathar the priest, demonstrating the importance of seeking God's direction in difficult times, similar to Saul's situation.
1 Kings 14:2-3Ahijah the prophet is approached by Jeroboam's wife seeking knowledge about their sick son, highlighting the established practice of approaching prophets for divine insight.
Proverbs 3:5-6This proverb offers timeless wisdom about trusting in the Lord and acknowledging Him in all our ways, which is the underlying principle for Saul seeking the prophet's guidance.
Matthew 7:7-8Jesus' teaching to 'ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you' echoes the heart of seeking divine direction, whether through a prophet or directly through prayer.
Even though Saul is now king, his servant still treats him as if he's just a regular guy, offering him a tiny amount of money to find out their way. This detail shows how far Saul is from realizing his new identity; he's still operating in the same old ways, reliant on a prophet's guidance for even simple directions.
Saul, a young man of impressive stature but lacking confidence, is searching for his father's lost donkeys and has followed them to the prophet Samuel. His servant, recognizing their proximity to a significant seer, suggests they offer a small sum of money to the man of God for guidance on their journey. This encounter sets the stage for an unexpected divine appointment, as Samuel has already been instructed by God to anoint Saul as king.
Saul, a young man of impressive stature but lacking confidence, is searching for his father's lost donkeys and has followed them to the prophet Samuel. His servant, recognizing their proximity to a significant seer, suggests they offer a small sum of money to the man of God for guidance on their journey. This encounter sets the stage for an unexpected divine appointment, as Samuel has already been instructed by God to anoint Saul as king.
"The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way.”" — Even though Saul is now king, his servant still treats him as if he's just a regular guy, offering him a tiny amount of money to find out their way. This detail shows how far Saul is from realizing h…
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Last reviewed October 2026