1 Samuel 9
1 Now there was a man of Benjamin named Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a man of wealth.
And [there was] a man of the sons of Benjamin, and his name [was] Kis, the son of Abiel, the son of Jared, the son of Bachir, the son of Aphec, the son of a Benjamite, a man of might.
2 He had a son named Saul, a specially good-looking young man; there was no one better-looking among the children of Israel: he was taller by a head than any other of the people.
And this man [had] a son, and his name was Saul, of great stature, a goodly man; and there was not among the sons of Israel a goodlier than he, high above all the people from his shoulders and upward.
3 Now the asses of Saul's father Kish had gone wandering away. And Kish said to his son Saul, Take one of the servants with you, and get up and go in search of the asses.
And the asses of Kis the father of Saul were lost; and Kis said to Saul his son, Take with you one of the young men, and arise you, and go seek the asses.
4 So they went through the hill-country of Ephraim and through the land of Shalishah, but they saw no sign of them: then they went through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there: and they went through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not come across them.
And they went through mount Ephraim, and they went through the land of Selcha, and found them not: and they passed through the land of Segalim, and they were not there: and they passed through the land of Jamin, and found them not.
5 And when they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, Come, let us go back, or my father may give up caring about the asses and be troubled about us.
And when they came to Siph, then Saul said to his young man that was with him, Come and let us return, lest my father leave the asses, and take care for us.
6 But the servant said to him, See now, in this town there is a man of God, who is highly honoured, and everything he says comes true: let us go there now; it may be that he will give us directions about our journey.
And the young man said to him, Behold now, [there is] a man of God in this city, and the man [is] of high repute; all that he shall speak will surely come to pass: now then let us go, that he may tell us our way on which we have set out.
7 Then Saul said to his servant, But if we go, what are we to take the man? all our bread is gone, and we have no offering to take to the man of God: what are we to do?
And Saul said to his young man that was with him, Behold, then, we will go; but what shall we bring the man of God? for the loaves are spent out of our vessels, and we have nothing more with us that belongs to us to bring to the man of God.
8 But the servant said in answer, I have here a fourth part of a shekel of silver: I will give that to the man of God, and he will give us directions about our way.
And the young man answered Saul again, and said, Behold, there is found in my hand a fourth part of a shekel of silver; and you shall give it to the man of God, and he shall tell us our way.
9 (In the past in Israel, when a man went to get directions from God, he said, Come let us go to the Seer, for he who now is named Prophet was in those days given the name of Seer.)
Now before time in Israel every one in going to enquire of God said, Come and let us go to the seer; for the people beforetime called the prophet, the seer.
10 Then Saul said to his servant, You have said well; come, let us go. So they went to the town where the man of God was.
And Saul said to his servant, Well said, come and let us go: and they went to the city where the man of God was.
11 And when they were on the way up to the town, they saw some young girls going out to get water and said to them, Is the seer here?
As they went up the ascent to the city, they find damsels come out to draw water, and they say to them, Is the seer here?
12 And they said, He is; in fact he is before you: go quickly now, for he has come into the town today, for the people are making an offering in the high place today:
And the virgins answered them, and they say to them, He is: behold, [he is] before you: now he is coming to the city, because of the day, for today [there is] a sacrifice for the people in Bama.
13 When you come into the town you will see him straight away, before he goes up to the high place for the feast: the people are waiting for his blessing before starting the feast, and after that the guests will take part in it. So go up now and you will see him.
As soon as you shall enter into the city, so shall you find him in the city, before he goes up to Bama to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes in, for he blesses the sacrifice, and afterwards the guests eat; now then go up, for you shall find him because of the holiday.
14 So they went up to the town, and when they came inside the town, Samuel came face to face with them on his way to the high place.
And they go up to the city; and as they were entering into the midst of the city, behold, Samuel came out to meet them, to go up to Bama.
15 Now the day before Saul came, the word of God had come to Samuel, saying,
And the Lord uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before Saul came to him, saying,
16 Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and on him you are to put the holy oil, making him ruler over my people Israel, and he will make my people safe from the hands of the Philistines: for I have seen the sorrow of my people, whose cry has come up to me.
At this time to-morrow I will send to you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel, and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon the humiliation of my people, for their cry is come to me.
17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, This is the man of whom I gave you word! he it is who is to have authority over my people.
And Samuel looked upon Saul, and the Lord answered him, Behold the man of whom I spoke to you, this one shall rule over my people.
18 Then Saul came up to Samuel in the doorway of the town and said, Give me directions, if you will be so good, to the house of the seer.
And Saul drew near to Samuel into the midst of the city, and said, Tell me now which [is] the house of the seer?
19 Then Samuel said to Saul, I am the seer; go up before me to the high place and take food with me today: and in the morning I will let you go, after opening to you all the secrets of your heart.
And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am he: go up before me to Bama, and eat with me today, and I will send you away in the morning, and I will tell you all that is in your heart.
20 As for your asses which have been wandering for three days, give no thought to them, for they have come back. And for whom are all the desired things in Israel? are they not for you and your father's family?
And concerning your asses that have been lost now these three days, care not for them, for they are found. And to whom does the excellency of Israel belong? does it not to you and to your father's house?
21 And Saul said, Am I not a man of Benjamin, the smallest of all the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of the families of Benjamin? why then do you say these words to me?
And Saul answered and said, Am not I the son of a Benjamite, the least tribe of the people of Israel? and of the least family of the whole tribe of Benjamin? and why have you spoken to me according to this word?
22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant into the guest room, and made them take the chief place among all the guests who were there, about thirty persons.
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them to the inn, and set them there a place among the chief of those that were called, about seventy men.
23 And Samuel said to the cook, Give me that part which I gave you orders to keep by you.
And Samuel said to the cook, Give me the portion which I gave you, which I told you to set by you.
24 And the cook took up the leg with the fat tail on it, and put it before Saul. And Samuel said, This is the part which has been kept for you: take it as your part of the feast; because it has been kept for you till the right time came and till the guests were present. So that day Saul took food with Samuel.
Now the cook [had] boiled the shoulder, and he set it before Saul; and Samuel said to Saul, Behold that which is left: set before you, an eat; for it is set you for a testimony in preference to the others; take [of it]: and Saul ate with Samuel on that day.
25 And when they had come down from the high place into the town, where a bed was made ready for Saul, he went to rest.
And he went down from Bama into the city; and they prepared a lodging for Saul on the roof, and he lay down.
26 And about dawn Samuel said to Saul on the roof, Get up so that I may send you away. So Saul got up, and he and Samuel went out together.
An it came to pass when the morning dawned, that Samuel called Saul on the roof, saying, Rise up, and I will dismiss you. And Saul arose, and he and Samuel went out.
27 And on their way down to the end of the town, Samuel said to Saul, Give your servant orders to go on in front of us, (so he went on, ) but you keep here, so that I may give you the word of God.
As they went down to a part of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Speak to the young man, and let him pass on before us; and do you stand as today, and listen to the word of God.
