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.
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name [was] Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a mighty man of power.
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 he had a son, whose name [was] Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and [there was] not among the children of Israel a more handsome person than he: from his shoulders and upward [he was] higher than any of the people.
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 Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, 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 he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found [them] not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and [there they were] not: and he passed through the land of the Benjaminites, but they 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 had come to the land of Zuf, Saul said to his servant that [was] with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave [caring] for the asses, and be anxious 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 he said to him, Behold now, [there is] in this city a man of God, and [he is] an honorable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; it may be he can show us our way that we should go.
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?
Then said Saul to his servant, But behold, [if] we go, what shall we bring to the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and [there] is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
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 servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: [that] will I give to the man of God, to 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.)
(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spoke, Come, and let us go to the seer: for [he that is] now [called] a Prophet was formerly called a 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.
Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go: so 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?
[And] as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said 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 they answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he is] before you: make haste now, for he came to-day to the city; for [there is] a sacrifice of the people to-day in the high place:
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 ye shall enter the city, ye will straightway find him, before he goeth up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he cometh, because he doth bless the sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat that are invited. Now therefore go up: for about this time ye will find him.
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 went up into the city: [and] when they had come into the city, behold, Samuel came out meeting them, to go up to the high place.
15 Now the day before Saul came, the word of God had come to Samuel, saying,
Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, 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.
To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him [to be] captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people from the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has 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 when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, Behold the man of whom I spoke to thee! this same shall reign 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.
Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house [is].
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] the seer: go up before me to the high place; for ye shall eat with me to-day, and to-morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that [is] in thy 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 as for thy asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom [is] all the desire of Israel? [Is it] not on thee, and on all thy 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 a Benjaminite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then speakest thou so to me?
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 into the parlor, and made them sit in the chief place among them that were invited, who [were] about thirty persons.
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, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said to thee, Set it by thee.
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.
And the cook took up the shoulder, and [that] which [was] upon it, and set [it] before Saul. And [Samuel] said, Behold that which is left! set [it] before thee, [and] eat; for to this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel 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 when they had come down from the high place into the city, [Samuel] communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
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.
And they rose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Arise, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
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.
[And] as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on, ) but stand thou still a while, that I may show thee the word of God.
