1 Samuel 9

1 Now there was a Benjamite, a powerful man, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.

2 And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.

3 One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants and go look for the donkeys.”

4 So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find the donkeys. He and the servant went through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they went through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.

5 When they reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, “Come, let us go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

6 “Look,” said the servant, “in this city there is a man of God who is highly respected; everything he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now. Perhaps he will tell us which way to go.”

7 “If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”

8 The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have here in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.”

9 (Formerly in Israel, a man on his way to inquire of God would say, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.)

10 “Good,” said Saul to his servant. “Come, let us go.” So they set out for the city where the man of God was.

11 And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?”

12 “Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place.

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 must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.”

14 So Saul and his servant went up toward the city, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel coming toward them on his way up to the high place.

15 Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,

16 “At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him ruler over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke; he shall rule over My people.”

18 Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

19 “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. And when I send you off in the morning, I will tell you all that is in your heart.

20 As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And upon whom is all the desire of Israel, if not upon you and all your father’s house?”

21 Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”

22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them in the place of honor among those who were invited—about thirty in all.

23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you and told you to set aside.”

24 So the cook picked up the leg and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Here is what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat, for it has been kept for you for this occasion, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul dined with Samuel that day.

25 And after they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.

26 They got up early in the morning, and just before dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way!” So Saul got ready, and both he and Samuel went outside together.

27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I will reveal to you the word of God.” So the servant went on.

1 ¶ 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 Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

2 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 goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward [he was] higher than any of the people.

3 ¶ 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 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 Benjamites, but they found [them] not.

5 [And] when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that [was] with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave [caring] for the asses, and take thought for us.

6 And he said unto him, Behold now, [there is] in this city a man of God, and [he is] an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.

7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, [if] we go, what shall we bring 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 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 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for [he that is] now [called] a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God [was].

11 ¶ [And] as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?

12 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 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

14 And they went up into the city: [and] when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.

15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,

16 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 out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.

18 ¶ Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house [is].

19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I [am] the seer: go up before me unto 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 thine heart.

20 And as for thine 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 answered and said, [Am] not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which [were] about thirty persons.

23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.

24 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 unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, [Samuel] communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.

27 [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 shew thee the word of God.

1 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 Apiah, the son of a man Jemini, a man of pity.

2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul: he was a fine young man, and there was none finer among the children of Israel, of a head above all the people.

3 And Kish Saul's father had lost his asses: and he said unto Saul his son, Take one of the lads with thee, and arise, go and seek the asses.

4 And he passed through the mountains of Ephraim, and through the land of Salishah, and found them not: they passed through the land of Saalim, and were not there: they passed through the land of Jemini, and found them not.

5 And when they were come into the land of Zuph, Saul said unto the lad that was with him, Come, and let us go home again: for my father will leave the asses, and take care of us.

6 And he said, Behold, there is a renowned man of God in this city; all that he saith is done. Now therefore let us go thither: peradventure he will tell us our way that we go.

7 And Saul said unto his lad: If we go, what shall we bring to the man? For the bread is gone out of our sack: we have no other gift to bring unto the man of God. What have we?

8 And the lad answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have with me a fourth part of a silver cup: let us give it unto the man of God, that he may tell us our way.

9 In the days of old in Israel, when they went to inquire of God, they said, Come, and let us go unto the seer. For they that are now called prophets were called seers in time past.

10 And Saul said unto his lad: Thou hast spoken well; come, and let us go. And they went to the city where the man of God was,

11 And coming up to the city, they found damsels going out to draw water. And they said unto them: Is the seer here?

12 And they answered them, and said: Yea, behold, here he is; make haste, for he is come into the city this day, because the people have to sacrifice this day in the high place.

13 When ye come into the city, ye shall find him before he go up on high to eat. For the people shall not eat until he come, when he shall bless the sacrifice; and afterward they that are bidden shall eat. Go up, therefore, for now you will find him.

14 And when they were come up to the city, and were in the midst of the city, behold, Samuel went out to meet them, and would have gone up to the high place.

15 But the LORD had revealed Samuel unto his ears the day before Saul came, saying:

16 To morrow about this time will I send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin; and thou shalt anoint him ruler over my people Israel, to deliver my people out of the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon my people, and their cry is come before me.

17 And when Samuel looked upon Saul, the LORD answered him, Behold, this is the man of whom I spake unto thee, that he should reign over my people.

18 And Saul came to Samuel under the gate, and said, Tell me, where is the seer's house?

19 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: to morrow I will let thee go, and all that is in thine heart I will tell thee.

20 And for the asses, which thou lostst three days ago, trouble thyself not now; they are found. And whose shall be all that is best in Israel? Shall it not be all thine, and all thy father's house?

21 And Saul said, Am not I the son of Jemini, and of the least of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribes of Benjamin? Why then sayest thou these things unto me?

22 And Samuel took Saul and his son, and brought them into the ark, and set them on high among them that were bidden, which were about thirty men.

23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Give the piece which I gave thee, and commanded thee to keep it with thee.

24 And the cook took up a shoulder, and that which hung thereon. And he set it before Saul, and said, Behold, this is left; set it before thee, and eat: for it is kept for thee even to this time, when I charged the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 And when they were come down from the high place unto the city, he spake unto Saul upon the housetop.

26 And they rose up early; and when the morning dawned, Samuel called unto Saul upon the housetop, and said, Arise, that I may let thee go. And Saul arose, and they went out together, he and Samuel.

27 And when they were come down to the end of the city, Samuel said unto Saul, Tell the lad to go before us; and he went before: but now stand thou still, that I may make thee know what God hath said.