1 Samuel 9
1 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.
Now I there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Cis, the son of Abiel, the son of Seror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphia, the son of a man of Jemini, valiant and strong.
2 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.
And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and goodly man, and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he appeared above all the people.
3 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.”
And the asses of Cis, Sauls father, were lost: and Cis said to his son Saul: Take one of the servants with thee, and arise, go, and seek the asses. And when they had passed through mount Ephraim,
4 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.
And through the land of Salisa, and had not found them, they passed also through the land of Salim, and they were not there: and through the land of Jemini, and found them not.
5 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.”
And when they were come to the land of Suph, Saul said to the servant that was with him: Come, let us return, lest perhaps my father forget the asses, and be concerned for us.
6 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.”
And he said to him: Behold there is a man of God in this city, a famous man: all that he saith, cometh certainly to pass. Now therefore let us go thither, perhaps he may tell us of our way, for which we are come.
7 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?”
And Saul said to his servant: Behold we will go: but what shall we carry to the man of God? the bread is spent in our bags: and we have no present to make to the man of God, nor any thing at all.
8 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.”
The servant answered Saul again, and said: Behold there is found in my hand the fourth part of a sicle of silver, let us give it to the man of God, that he may tell us our way.
9 (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.)
Now in time past, in Israel when a man went to consult God he spoke thus: Come, let us go to the seer. For he that is now called a prophet, in time past was called a seer.
10 Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said. Come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
And Saul said to his servant: Thy word is very good, come, let us go. And 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 coming out to draw water; Saul and his servant said to them, “Is the seer here?”
And when they went up the ascent to the city, they found maids coming out to draw water, and they said to them: Is the seer here?
12 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.
They answered and said to them: He is: behold he is before you, make haste now: for he came today into the city, for there is a sacrifice of the people today in the high place.
13 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.”
As soon as you come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat till he come: because he blesseth the victim, and afterwards they eat that are invited. Now therefore go up, for today you shall find him.
14 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.
And they went up into the city. And when they were walking in the midst of the city, behold Samuel was coming out over against them, to go up to the high place.
15 Now the day before Saul came, Yahweh had revealed to Samuel:
Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel the day before Saul came, saying:
16 “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.”
Tomorrow about this same hour I will send thee a man of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt 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 down upon my people, because their cry is come to me.
17 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.”
And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him: Behold the man, of whom I spoke to thee, this man shall reign over my people.
18 Then Saul came close to Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?”
And Saul came to Samuel in the midst of the gate and said: Tell me, I pray thee, where is the house of the seer?
19 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.
And Samuel answered Saul, saying: I am the seer, go up before me to the high place, that you may eat with me today, and I will let thee go in the morning: and tell thee all that is in thy heart.
20 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?”
And as for the asses, which were lost three days ago, be not solicitous, because they are found. And for whom shall be all the best things of Israel? Shall they not be for thee and for all thy father’s house?
21 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?”
And Saul answering, said: Am not I a son of Jemini of the least tribe of Israel, and my kindred the last among all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then hast thou spoken this word to me?
22 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.
Then Samuel taking Saul and his servant, brought them into the parlour, and gave them a place at the head of them that were invited. For there were about thirty men.
23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave to you, of which I said to you, 'Put it aside.'”
And Samuel said to the cook: Bring the portion, which I gave thee, and commanded thee to set it apart by thee.
24 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.
And the cook took up the shoulder, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said: Behold what is left, set it before thee, and eat: because it was kept of purpose for thee, when I invited the people. And Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the rooftop.
And they went down from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul upon the top of the house: and he prepared a bed for Saul on the top of the house, and he slept.
26 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.
And when they were risen in the morning, and it began now to be light, Samuel called Saul on the top of the house, saying: Arise, that I may let thee go. And Saul arose: and they went out both of them, to wit, he and Samuel.
27 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.”
And as they were going down in the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul: Speak to the servant to go before us, and pass on: but stand thou still a while, that I may tell thee the word of the Lord.
