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.
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, mighty of valour,
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 hath a son, and his name [is] Saul, a choice youth and goodly, and there is not a man among the sons of Israel goodlier than he — from his shoulder and upward, higher than any of 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 Kish, father of Saul, are lost, and Kish saith unto Saul his son, 'Take, I pray thee, with thee, one of the young men, and rise, go, seek the asses.'
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 he passeth over through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passeth over through the land of Shalisha, and they have not found; and they pass over through the land of Shaalim, and they are not; and he passeth over through the land of Benjamin, and they have not found.
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.”
They have come in unto the land of Zuph, and Saul hath said to his young man who [is] with him, 'Come, and we turn back, lest my father leave off from the asses, and hath been sorrowful 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 saith to him, 'Lo, I pray thee, a man of God [is] in this city, and the man is honoured; all that he speaketh doth certainly come; now, we go there, it may be he doth declare to us our way on which we have gone.'
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 saith to his young man, 'And lo, we go, and what do we bring in to the man? for the bread hath gone from our vessels, and a present there is not to bring in to the man of God — what [is] with us?'
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.”
And the young man addeth to answer Saul, and saith, 'Lo, there is found with me a fourth of a shekel of silver: and I have given to the man of God, and he hath declared to 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.)
Formerly in Israel, thus said the man in his going to seek God, 'Come and we go unto the seer,' for the 'prophet' of to-day is called formerly 'the 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 saith to his young man, 'Thy word [is] good; come, we go;' and they go unto the city where the man of God [is].
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?”
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]?'
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.
And they answer them and say, 'He is; lo, before thee! haste, now, for to-day he hath come in to the city, for the people hath a stated sacrifice in a 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.”
At your going in to the city so ye do find him, before he doth go up in to the high place to eat; for the people do not eat till his coming, for he doth bless the sacrifice; afterwards they eat, who are called, and now, go up, for at this time ye 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 go up in to the city; they are coming in to the midst of the city, and lo, Samuel is coming out to meet them, to go up to the high place;
15 Now the day before Saul came, Yahweh had revealed to Samuel:
and Jehovah had uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before the coming of Saul, 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.”
'At this time tomorrow, I send unto thee a man out of the land of Benjamin — and thou hast anointed him for leader over My people Israel, and he hath saved My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen My people, for its cry hath come in unto 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.”
When Samuel hath seen Saul, then hath Jehovah answered him, 'Lo, the man of whom I have spoken unto thee; this [one] doth restrain 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 draweth nigh to Samuel in the midst of the gate, and saith, 'Declare, I pray thee, to me, where [is] this — the seer's house?'
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 answereth Saul and saith, 'I [am] the seer; go up before me into the high place, and ye have eaten with me to-day, and I have sent thee away in the morning, and all that [is] in thy heart I declare to thee.
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?”
As to the asses which are lost to thee this day three days, set not thy heart to them, for they have been found; and to whom [is] all the desire of Israel?' is it not to thee and to 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 answereth and saith, 'Am not I 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 hast thou spoken unto me according to this word?'
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.
And Samuel taketh Saul, and his young man, and bringeth them in to the chamber, and giveth to them a place at the head of those called; and they [are] 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 saith to the cook, 'Give the portion which I gave to thee, of which I said unto thee, 'Set it 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 lifteth up the leg, and that which [is] on it, and setteth before Saul), and he saith, 'Lo, that which is left; set [it] before thee — eat, for to this appointed season it is kept for thee, saying, The people I have called;' and Saul eateth with Samuel on that day.
25 When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the rooftop.
And they come down from the high place to the city, and he speaketh with Saul on the roof.
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 they rise early, and it cometh to pass, at the ascending of the dawn, that Samuel calleth unto Saul, on the roof, saying, 'Rise, and I send thee away;' and Saul riseth, and they go out, both of them — he and Samuel, without.
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.”
They are going down in the extremity of the city, and Samuel hath said unto Saul, 'Say to the young man that he pass on before us (and he passeth on), and thou, stand at this time, and I cause thee to hear the word of God.'
