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1 Samuel 14:51
And Kishwas the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abnerwas the son of Abiel.

1 Chronicles 8:30-33
And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Nadab, …

1 Chronicles 9:36-39
And his firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab, …

Cis

1 Samuel 25:2
Andthere was a man in Maon, whose possessionswere in Carmel; and the manwas very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

2 Samuel 19:32
Now Barzillai was a very aged man,even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for hewas a very great man.

Job 1:3
His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

A powerful man
The term "powerful" here can be understood as a man of wealth, influence, or military prowess. In ancient Israel, power was often associated with land ownership, livestock, and the ability to lead or protect one's family and community. This description of Kish suggests that he was a man of considerable standing and respect within his tribe, which would have implications for his son Saul's future role as king.

Whose name was Kish son of Abiel
Kish is introduced as the father of Saul. The genealogy provided here establishes Saul's lineage and connects him to a family of some prominence. Abiel, Kish's father, is mentioned elsewhere in the Bible (1 Samuel 14:51), indicating a family with a notable history. Genealogies in the Bible often serve to legitimize a person's role or authority, and in this case, it underscores Saul's suitability for leadership.

The son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin
This detailed genealogy traces Kish's ancestry back several generations, emphasizing the importance of lineage in Israelite society. Each name in the genealogy may have held significance for the original audience, possibly indicating alliances, land ownership, or historical events associated with these ancestors. The mention of "Aphiah of Benjamin" reinforces the tribal identity and heritage, which was crucial in a time when tribal affiliations determined social and political dynamics. This lineage also highlights the providential preparation for Saul's rise to kingship, as God often worked through family lines to fulfill His purposes in Israel's history.

– Benjamin was the smallest tribe (Judges 20:46–48) yet known for fierce warriors (Genesis 49:27).

– God often elevates the unlikely, foreshadowing how He later chooses David the shepherd (1 Samuel 16:11–13).

– Cross references:Judges 21:6–7;Philippians 3:5 notes Paul’s Benjamite ancestry, underscoring the tribe’s ongoing significance.

– margin renders “a mighty man of valor,” the same description given to Gideon (Judges 6:12) and Boaz (Ruth 2:1).

– Indicates wealth, military skill, and respected standing (1 Samuel 14:52).

– God positions strong leaders to accomplish specific purposes, yet He remains the true King (1 Samuel 8:7).

– Repeated in1 Samuel 14:51 and1 Chronicles 8:29–33, rooting Saul’s story in verified family records.

–Acts 13:21 recalls “Saul son of Kish,” confirming the same man centuries later and underscoring Scripture’s historical reliability.

– Through Kish, God prepares the stage for Israel’s first monarch.

– Abiel (“my father is God”) appears again in1 Samuel 14:51, tying Saul to a family that honored the Lord by name even amid a spiritually lukewarm era (Judges 21:25).

– Highlights how personal devotion can ripple through generations.

– Zeror is otherwise obscure, reminding readers that every life—well‐known or hidden—fits purposefully into God’s redemptive plan (2 Timothy 2:19;Psalm 139:16).

– His inclusion proves the Bible’s genealogies are not random but intentional.

– Becorath’s mention maintains the unbroken line required for covenant clarity (Numbers 1:18).

– Scripture treats genealogy as history, not myth; each name anchors the narrative in real time and place (Luke 3:23–38).

– Aphiah may link to “Abiah” in1 Chronicles 7:8; such connections affirm consistent transmission of family records.

– God’s faithfulness to families spans centuries (Deuteronomy 7:9).

– The repetition brackets the verse, stressing Saul’s tribal identity.

– Benjamin’s territory lay between Ephraim and Judah, placing Saul in strategic proximity to emerging centers like Jerusalem (Joshua 18:21–28).

– Foreshadows later tension between Saul (Benjamin) and David (Judah) yet also hints at eventual unity under Christ, “the Lion of Judah” who calls a Benjamite—Paul—to preach the gospel (Romans 11:1).

1 Samuel 9:1 introduces Kish, Saul’s father, by tracing his lineage within the tribe of Benjamin. Each phrase affirms the literal, historical roots of Israel’s first royal family and shows how God sovereignly weaves ordinary and notable lives alike into His unfolding plan. The verse underscores God’s habit of choosing unexpected people from small beginnings, preparing the way for events that will shape the nation and ultimately point to the Messiah.

The Eternal answered His servant either in a vision, or by Urim, or by an angel visitant. We are in most cases left in ignorance respecting the precise method by which God communicated with these highly-favoured men--His elect servante. The chosen Israelite whom Samuel was to anoint as the first king in Israel would meet the prophet--so said the "word of the Lord" to Samuel--on a certain day and hour, at a given place. The ninth chapter begins with a short account of the family of this man chosen for so high an office, and after a word or two of personal description, goes on to relate the circumstances under which he met Samuel. Saul, a man in the prime of manhood, distinguished among his fellows by his great stature, and for his grace and manly beauty, was the son of a noble and opulent Benjamite of Gribeah, a small city in the south of the Land of Promise.

The whole of this episode in our ancient book is singularly picturesque. We see the yet unproclaimed king occupied in his father's business, and throwing his whole powers into the every-day transactions of the farm on the slopes of Mount Ephraim. In a few words the historian describes how the modest and retiring Saul was roused from the quiet pastoral pursuits in which his hitherto uneventful life had been spent. The reverent, perhaps slightly reluctant, admiration with which the seer of God gazed at the future king of Israel; the prophet's significant address, the symbol gifts, the graceful hospitality, and, above all, the solemn and, no doubt, burning words of the generous old man, woke up the sleeping hero-spirit, and prepared the young Benjamite for his future mighty work. But there was no vulgar elation at the prospect which lay before him, no hurried grasping at the splendid prize which the seer told him the God of his fathers had destined for him. Quietly he took leave of the famous Samuel; the predicted signs of his coming greatness one by one were literally fulfilled; but Saul returned to the ancestral farm in the hills of Benjamin, and was subject to his father, as in old days; and when at last the public summons to the throne came to him, he seems to have accepted the great office for which he had been marked with positive reluctance and shrinking, nor does he appear materially to have altered his old simple way of living until a great national disgrace called for a devoted patriottoavenge it. Then the heroic heart of the Lord's anointed awoke, and Saul, when the hour came, showed himself a king indeed.

Kish, the son of Abiel.--On comparison with the genealogical summaries given inGenesis 46:21;1Samuel 9:1;1Samuel 14:51;1Chronicles 7:6-8, &c, the line of Samuel appears as follows:-- . . .

1. Benjamin;

2. Becher;

3. Aphish, perhaps same as Abiah; . . .

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