1 Now there was a man,
from Benjamin,
and his name was Qish, son of Abiyel,
son of Zeror, son of Bekorat,
son of Abiyach;
son of a Benjamite man,
a mighty warrior.
2 And he had a son,
and his name was Saul,
choice and good.
There was not a man
among the sons of Israel
better than him.
From his shoulders and upward
he was taller than all the people.
3 Now the donkeys of Qish the father of Saul
were lost,
so Qish said to Saul his son,
"Take now with you one of the young men,
rise up and go find the donkeys."
4 So he passed through Mount Ephraim,
and he passed through the land of Shalishah,
but did not find them.
Then they passed through the land of Shalilam,
but they were not there.
Then he passed through the land of the Benjaminites,
be did not find them.
5 They came to the land of Zuph,
and Saul said to his young man who was with him,
"Come, and let us return,
lest my father move on from the donkeys
and worry about us."
6 But he said to him,
"Behold now,
a man of God is in this city,
a man of honor.
All that he says surely comes to pass.
Now, let us go there,
perhaps he can show to us the way
toward
which we should go."
7 But Saul said to his young man,
"Then behold, let us go,
but what shall we bring the man?
For the bread in our bags is spent,
so what gift do we have
to bring to the man of God?"
8 But again the young man answered Saul and said,
"Behold, I have in my hand,
a quarter of a shekel of silver,
and I will give it to the man of God
and he will show us the way."
9 Beforetime in
Israel,
a man spoke like this
when he went to inquire of God,
"Come, and let us go to the seer."
For the prophet of today
beforetime was called a seer.
10 Then Saul said to his young man,
"It is good what you say,
come, and let us go."
So they went to the city
in which was the man of God.
11 They went up on the hill of the city,
and they found maidens
going out to draw water.
And they said to them,
"Is the seer here?"
12 And they answered them and said,
"He is, behold, ahead of you.
Hurry yourself,
for today he came to the city,
for a sacrifice today for the people
upon the high place.
13 As you come to the city,
so you should find him,
before he goes up to the high place to eat.
For the people will not eat until he comes,
for he will bless the sacrifice,
after that the guests will eat.
So go up,
for at this time you will find him."
14 So they went up to the city.
Then they came into the city,
and behold, Samuel came out toward them,
to go up to the high place.
15 Now Yahweh had opened the ear of Samuel
one day before Saul came, saying,
16 "About this time tomorrow
I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin.
And you shall anoint him leader over my people Israel,
and he shall save my people out of the hand
of the Philistines.
For I have seen my people,
for their cry has come to me.
17 Then Samuel saw Saul,
and Yahweh said to him,
"Behold, the man which I told to you,
this one will rule my people."
18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel
in the middle of the gate, and said,
"Tell me, please,
where is the house of the seer?"
19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said,
"I am the seer.
Go up before me to the high place
and eat with me today,
and I will send you forth in the morning.
And all that is in your heart I will tell you.
20 And as for the donkeys that were lost to you
three days ago,
do not set your heart on them,
for they are found.
And on whom is all the desire of Israel
if not on you and all the house of your father?"
21 But Saul answered and said,
"Am I not a Benjaminite,
the smallest of the tribes of Israel?
And my family the least of all the families
of the tribe of Benjamin?
So why do you speak to me words such as these?"
22 Then Samuel took Saul and his young man
into the parlor,
and gave him the place at the head of the guests,
and they were about thirty people.
23 And Samuel said to the cook,
"Bring the portion which I gave to you,
and told you to set it aside."
24 So the cook took the shoulder and the top,
and set it before Saul, and said,
"Behold the reserved is before you,
eat, as for this time it has been kept for you,
for the people to say welcome."
25 Then they came down from the high place
to the city,
and he spoke with Saul upon the roof.
26 Then they rose up
early,
and it was about the dawn of the day,
and Samuel called Saul to the roof, saying,
"Arise, and I will send you forth."
So Saul arose,
and they went, the two of them,
he and Samuel, outside.
27 They were going down
to the end of the city
and Samuel said to Saul,
"Bid the young man to pass on before us."
So he passed on.
"But you, stay a while,
and I will tell you the word of God."