1 Samuel 9
1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man of Benjamin, strong and robust.
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.
2 And he had a son called Saul, an elect and good man. And there was not a man among the sons of Israel better than he was. For he stood head and shoulders above all the people.
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.
3 Now the donkeys of Kish, the father of Saul, had become lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Take with you one of the servants, and rising up, go out and seek the donkeys.” And when they had passed through mount Ephraim,
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.
4 and through the land of Shalishah, and had not found them, they crossed also through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there, and through the land of Benjamin, and they found nothing.
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.
5 And when they had arrived in the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, otherwise perhaps my father may forget the donkeys, and become anxious over us.”
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.
6 And he said to him: “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, a noble man. All that he says, happens without fail. Now therefore, let us go there. For perhaps he may tell us about our way, because of which we have arrived.”
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.
7 And Saul said to his servant: “Behold, let us go. But what will we bring to the man of God? The bread in our sacks has run out. And we have no small gift that we might give to the man of God, nor anything at all.”
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?
8 The servant again responded to Saul, and he said: “Behold, there is found in my hand a coin of the fourth part of a stater. Let us give it to the man of God, so that he may reveal to us our way.”
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.
9 (In past times, in Israel, anyone going to consult God would speak in this way, “Come, and let us go to the seer.” For one who is called a prophet today, in past times was called a seer.)
(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.)
10 And Saul said to his servant: “Your word is very good. Come, let us go.” And they went into the city, where the man of God was.
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.
11 And as they were ascending the slope to the city, they found some young women going out to draw water. And they said to them, “Is the seer here?”
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?
12 And responding, they said to them: “He is. Behold, he is ahead of you. Hurry now. For he came into the city today, since there is a sacrifice for the people today, on the high place.
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:
13 Upon entering the city, you should find him immediately, before he ascends to the high place for the meal. And the people will not eat until he has arrived. For he blesses the victim, and thereafter those who were called will eat. Now therefore, go up. For you will find him today.”
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.
14 And they ascended into the city. And as they were walking in the midst of the city, Samuel appeared, advancing to meet them, so that he might ascend to the high place.
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.
15 Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel, one day before Saul had arrived, saying:
Now the day before Saul came, the word of God had come to Samuel, saying,
16 “Tomorrow, at the same hour that it is now, I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him to be the leader over my people Israel. And he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor upon my people, because their outcry has reached me.”
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.
17 And when Samuel had caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him: “Behold, the man about whom I spoke to you. This one shall rule over my people.”
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.
18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel, at the middle of the gate, and he said, “Tell me, I beg you: where is the house of the seer?”
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.
19 And Samuel responded to Saul, saying: “I am the seer. Ascend before me to the high place, so that you may eat with me today. And I will send you away in the morning. And I shall reveal to you everything that is in your heart.
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.
20 And concerning the donkeys, which were lost the day before yesterday, you should not be anxious, for they have been found. And all the best things of Israel, for whom should they be? Will they not be for you and for all your father’s house?”
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?
21 And responding, Saul said: “Am I not a son of Benjamin, the least tribe of Israel, and are not my kindred the last among all the families from the tribe of Benjamin? So then, why would you speak this word to me?”
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?
22 And so Samuel, taking Saul and his servant, brought them into the dining room, and he gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. For there were about thirty men.
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.
23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Present the portion that I gave to you, and which I instructed you to set apart beside you.”
And Samuel said to the cook, Give me that part which I gave you orders to keep by you.
24 Then the cook lifted up the shoulder, and he placed it before Saul. And Samuel said: “Behold, what remains, set it before you and eat. For it was preserved for you intentionally, when I called the people.” And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.
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.
25 And they descended from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul in the upper room. And he set out a bed for Saul in the upper room, and he slept.
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.
26 And when they had risen in the morning, and it now began to be light, Samuel called to Saul in the upper room, saying, “Rise up, so that I may send you on.” And Saul rose up. And they both departed, that is to say, he and Samuel.
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.
27 And as they were descending to the very limit of the city, Samuel said to Saul: “Tell the servant to go ahead of us, and to continue on. But as for you, stay here a little while, so that I may reveal the word of the Lord to you.”
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.
