First Samuel Chapter 9
1 There was a man of Benjamin, and his 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 valor⁺.
2 He had a son named Saul, a young and handsome man. There was not a man among the children of Israel more handsome than he. He was taller than other people from his shoulder up.
3 The donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Please take one of the servants with you and rise, and go look for the donkeys.
4 He passed through mount Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalisha. But they did not find them. They passed through the land of Shaalim, and nothing there. And he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
5 They came to the land of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant who was with him, Come and let us return lest my father quit caring for the donkeys, and be anxious about us.
6 He said to him, Behold now, in this city is a man of God, and an honorable man. All that he says surely comes to pass. Now let us go there. Perhaps he can declare our way to us, how to go.
7 Then Saul said to his young man, But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?
8 The young man answered Saul again and said, Behold, I have found the fourth of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way.
9 In the old days in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said this: Come, let us go to the seer, for the prophet of today was before called a seer.
10 Saul said to his young man, your word is good. Come, let us go. So they went into the city where the man of God was.
11 As they went up the hill to the city, they found young women going out to draw water and said to them, Is the seer here?
12 They answered them and said, He is. Behold, he is before you. Hurry now, for he came today to the city, for there is a feast of the people today in the high place.
13 As you come to the city, you shall immediately find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the feast. Afterward those who have been invited eat. Now go up, for about this time you shall find him.
14 They went into the city. When they had come into the middle of the city, behold, Samuel came out to meet them, to go up to the high place.
15 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 out of the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him to be leader over my people Israel, so that he may save my people from the Philistines. For I have looked on my people because their cry has come to me.
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, Behold the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over my people.
18 Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and said, Please tell me where the seer's house is.
19 Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place. For you shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart.
20 As to the donkeys which were lost to you three days ago, do not set your mind on them. For they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father's house?
21 Saul said, Am I not a Benjamite of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? Is my family not the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak so to me?
22 Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the room, and gave them a place at the head of the invited ones, about 30 persons.
23 Samuel said to the cook, Bring that part which I gave you, of which I said to you, Set it beside you.
24 The cook took up the shoulder and that on it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold what is reserved. Set it before you and eat. For until this set time it has been kept for you, since I said, I have invited the people. And Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 They came down from the high place into the city and he spoke with Saul on the top of the house.
26 They rose early, about the spring of the day. Samuel called Saul to the top of the house saying, Get up so that I may send you away. Then Saul rose and both he and Samuel went outside.
27 As they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Tell the servant to pass on before us and pass on. You stand still awhile so that I may cause you to hear the Word of God.