1 Samuel 9
1 And there is a man of Benjamin, and his name [is] Kish, son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bechorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor,
There was a man from Benjamin, a man of influence. His name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Bekorath son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite.
2 and he has a son, and his name [is] Saul, a choice youth and handsome, and there is not a man among the sons of Israel more handsome than he—from his shoulder and upward, higher than any of the people.
He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. There was no man among the people of Israel who was a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 And the donkeys of Kish, father of Saul, are lost, and Kish says to his son Saul, “Now take one of the young men with you, and rise, go, seek the donkeys.”
Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the servants with you; arise and go look for the donkeys.”
4 And he passes over through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passes over through the land of Shalisha, and they have not found [them]; and they pass over through the land of Shaalim, and they are not; and he passes over through the land of Benjamin, and they have not found [them].
So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and went through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 They have come to the land of Zuph, and Saul has said to his young man who [is] with him, “Come, and we return, lest my father leave off from the donkeys, and has been sorrowful for us.”
When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, or my father may stop caring for the donkeys and begin to worry about us.”
6 And he says to him, “Now behold, a man of God [is] in this city, and the man is honored; all that he speaks certainly comes; now, we go there, it may be he declares to us our way on which we have gone.”
But the servant said to him, “Listen, there is a man of God in this city. He is a man who is held in honor; everything that he says comes true. Let us go there; maybe he can tell us which way we should go on our journey.”
7 And Saul says to his young man, “And behold, we go, and what do we bring to the man? For the bread has gone from our vessels, and there is no present to bring to the man of God—what [is] with us?”
Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sack is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
8 And the young man adds to answer Saul and says, “Behold, there is found a fourth of a shekel of silver with me: and I have given to the man of God, and he has declared our way to us.”
The servant answered Saul and said, “Here, I have with me one-fourth of a shekel of silver that I will give to the man of God, to tell us which way we should go.”
9 Formerly in Israel, thus said the man in his going to seek God: “Come and we go to the seer.” For the “prophet” of today is formerly called “the seer.”
(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to seek the knowledge of God's will, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For today's prophet was formerly called a seer.)
10 And Saul says to his young man, “Your word [is] good; come, we go”; and they go to the city where the man of God [is].
Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said. Come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11 They are going up in the ascent of the city, and have found young women going out to draw water, and say to them, “Is the seer in this [place]?”
As they went up the hill to the city, they found young women coming out to draw water; Saul and his servant said to them, “Is the seer here?”
12 And they answer them and say, “He is; behold, before you! Hurry, now, for he has come to the city today, for the people [have] a sacrifice today in a high place.
They answered, and said, “He is; see, he is just ahead of you. Hurry up, for he is coming to the city today, because the people are sacrificing today at the high place.
13 At your going into the city so you find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people do not eat until his coming, for he blesses the sacrifice; afterward, they who are called eat, and now, go up, for you should find him at this time.”
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 will bless the sacrifice; afterwards those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will find him immediately.”
14 And they go up to the city; they are coming into the midst of the city, and behold, Samuel is coming out to meet them, to go up to the high place;
So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them, to go up to the high place.
15 and YHWH had uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before the coming of Saul, saying,
Now the day before Saul came, Yahweh had revealed to Samuel:
16 “At this time tomorrow, I send to you a man out of the land of Benjamin—and you have anointed him for leader over My people Israel, and he has saved My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen My people, for its cry has come to Me.”
“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you will anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked on my people with pity because their call for help has come to me.”
17 When Samuel has seen Saul, then YHWH has answered him, “Behold, the man of whom I have spoken to you; this [one] restrains My people.”
When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh told him, “Here is the man I told you about! He is the one who will rule over my people.”
18 And Saul draws near to Samuel in the midst of the gate and says, “Please declare to me where this seer’s house [is].”
Then Saul came close to Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?”
19 And Samuel answers Saul and says, “I [am] the seer; go up before me into the high place, and you have eaten with me today, and I have sent you away in the morning, and all that [is] in your heart I declare to you.
Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you will eat with me. In the morning I will let you go, and I will tell you everything that is on your mind.
20 And as for the donkeys which are lost from you [for] three days as of today, do not set your heart to them, for they have been found; and to whom [is] all the desire of Israel? Is it not to you and to all your father’s house?”
As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. Then on whom are all the desires of Israel set? Is it not on you and all your father's house?”
21 And Saul answers and says, “Am I not a Benjamite—of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? And why have you spoken to me according to this word?”
Saul answered and said, “Am not I a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel? Is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this manner?”
22 And Samuel takes Saul, and his young man, and brings them into the chamber, and gives a place to them at the head of those called; and they [are] about thirty men.
So Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them at the head place of those who had been invited, who were about thirty people.
23 And Samuel says to the cook, “Give the portion which I gave to you, of which I said to you, Set it by you.”
Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave to you, of which I said to you, 'Put it aside.'”
24 (And the cook lifts up the leg, and that which [is] on it, and sets [it] before Saul), and he says, “Behold, that which is left; [it] is set before your face—eat, for it is kept for you for this appointed time, [at my] saying, I have called the people”; and Saul eats with Samuel on that day.
So the cook took up the thigh and what was on it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “See what has been kept is set before you. Eat it, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, from the time when I said, 'I have invited the people.'” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 And they come down from the high place to the city, and he speaks with Saul on the roof.
When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the rooftop.
26 And they rise early, and it comes to pass, at the ascending of the dawn, that Samuel calls to Saul, on the roof, saying, “Rise, and I send you away”; and Saul rises, and they go out, both of them—he and Samuel, outside.
Then at the break of dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the rooftop and said, “Get up, so I can send you on your way.” So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.
27 They are going down in the extremity of the city, and Samuel has said to Saul, “Say to the young man that he should pass on before us (and he passes on), and you, stand at this time, and I cause you to hear the word of God.”
As they were going to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go ahead of us”—and he went ahead—”but you must stay here awhile, that I may announce the message of God to you.”
