1 Samuel 9
1 There was a man from Benjamin, a man of influence. His name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Bekorath son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite.
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 handsome young man. There was no man among the people of Israel who was a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any 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 donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the servants with you; arise and go look for the donkeys.”
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 Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and went through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find 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 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, or my father may stop caring for the donkeys and begin to worry 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, “Listen, there is a man of God in this city. He is a man who is held in honor; everything that he says comes true. Let us go there; maybe he can tell us which way we should go on 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 can we bring the man? For the bread in our sack is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
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 The servant answered Saul and said, “Here, I have with me one-fourth of a shekel of silver that I will give to the man of God, to tell us which way we should go.”
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 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to seek the knowledge of God's will, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For today's prophet was formerly called a 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, “Well said. Come, let us go.” So they went to the city 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 As they went up the hill to the city, they found young women coming out to draw water; Saul and his servant 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 They answered, and said, “He is; see, he is just ahead of you. Hurry up, for he is coming to the city today, because the people are sacrificing today at the high place.
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 As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he will bless the sacrifice; afterwards those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will find him immediately.”
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 city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them, to go up 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, Yahweh had revealed to Samuel:
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 you will anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked on my people with pity because their call for help has come 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 When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh told him, “Here is the man I told you about! He is the one who will rule 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 close to Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is 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 Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you will eat with me. In the morning I will let you go, and I will tell you everything that is on your mind.
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 donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. Then on whom are all the desires of Israel set? Is it not on you and all your father's house?”
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 Saul answered and said, “Am not I a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel? Is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this manner?”
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 So Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them at the head place of those who had been invited, who were about thirty people.
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 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave to you, of which I said to you, 'Put it aside.'”
And Samuel said to the cook, Give me the portion which I gave you, which I told you to set by you.
24 So the cook took up the thigh and what was on it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “See what has been kept is set before you. Eat it, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, from the time when I said, 'I have invited the people.'” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
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 When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the rooftop.
And he went down from Bama into the city; and they prepared a lodging for Saul on the roof, and he lay down.
26 Then at the break of dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the rooftop and said, “Get up, so I can send you on your way.” So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.
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 As they were going to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go ahead of us”—and he went ahead—”but you must stay here awhile, that I may announce the message of God to you.”
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.
