Honorary "are" construct denoting God (“say”)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 1 Samuel 15:1

The LORD sent me to anoint you king: a reference to the events of 9.15–10.1. In Hebrew the word order is “Me Yahweh sent to anoint you.” This word order, which is not the usual verb-subject-object order of Hebrew, emphasizes the first pronoun. The word order in Good News Translation (“I am the one whom the LORD sent”) captures the force of the Hebrew. One may also say “It is I whom Yahweh sent” (Anchor Bible).

Anoint: see the comments on 2.10.

Now therefore: literally “and now.” But this does seem to make a logical connection between the fact of Samuel’s anointing Saul as king and the request to listen to the word of the LORD that he is about to explain.

Hearken here means more than simply listening. It involves obedience to the words spoken. So it may be translated “pay careful attention to” or “obey” (Klein). Compare 8.7 and 12.14.

The words of the LORD: literally “the voice of the words of the LORD.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .