< Kings I 9 >
1 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.
And 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, the son of a Benjaminite, a mighty man of wealth.
2 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.
And he had a son whose name was Saul, choice and comely; and there was not among the children of Israel a comelier person than he; from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
3 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.
And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost; and Kish said to Saul his son, Take, I pray, one of the young men with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4 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.
And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found [them] not; and they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there; and they passed through the land of Benjamin, and they found [them] not.
5 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.
They had come to the land of Zuph when Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come and let us return; lest my father give up the asses, and be anxious about us.
6 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.
And he said to him, Behold now, a man of God is in this city, and the man is held in honour; all that he says comes surely to pass. Let us now go thither: perhaps he will shew us the way that we should go.
7 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.
And Saul said to his servant, But if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and we have no present to give to the man of God: what have we?
8 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.
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 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.
(In former time in Israel, when a man went to ask counsel of God, he said, Come and let us go to the seer; for he that is now called a Prophet was in former time called a Seer.)
10 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.
And Saul said to his servant, Well said: come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11 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?
As they went up the ascent to the city, they met maidens going forth to draw water; and they said to them, Is the seer here?
12 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.
And they answered them and said, He is; behold, he is before thee: make haste now, for he came to-day to the city; for the people have a sacrifice to-day in the high place.
13 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.
As soon as ye come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people eat not until he has come, because he blesses the sacrifice; afterwards they eat that are invited. And now go up; for this very day shall ye find him.
14 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.
And they went up into the city. As they were coming into the midst of the city, behold, Samuel was coming out towards them, to go up to the high place.
15 And the Lord uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before Saul came to him, saying,
Now Jehovah had apprised Samuel one day before Saul came, saying,
16 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.
To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him prince over my people Israel; and he will 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 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.
And as Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah answered him, Behold the man of whom I spoke to thee! this man shall rule over my people.
18 And Saul drew near to Samuel into the midst of the city, and said, Tell me now which [is] the house of the seer?
And Saul drew near to Samuel in the midst of the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.
19 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.
And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer: go up before me to the high place, and ye shall eat with me to-day; and to-morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thy heart.
20 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?
And as for the asses that thou didst lose three days ago, set not thy heart on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel [set]? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?
21 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?
And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjaminite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? and why dost thou speak such words to me?
22 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.
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the chamber, and gave them a place at the head of them that were invited; and they were about thirty persons.
23 And Samuel said to the cook, Give me the portion which I gave you, which I told you to set by you.
And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion that I gave thee, of which I said to thee, Set it by thee.
24 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.
And the cook took up the shoulder, and what was on it, and set [it] before Saul. And he said, Behold that which has been reserved! set it before thee, eat; for against the set time has it been kept for thee, since I said, I will invite the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 And he went down from Bama into the city; and they prepared a lodging for Saul on the roof, and he lay down.
And they came down from the high place into the city, and he spoke with Saul upon the roof.
26 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.
And they arose early; and when it was about the dawning of the day, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, Arise, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, into the street.
27 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.
As they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Tell the servant to pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still now, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.