1 שְׁמוּאֵל 9
| וֽ͏ַיְהִי־אִ֣ישׁ מִבִּן־יָמִין (מִבִּנְיָמִ֗ין) וּ֠שְׁמֹו קִ֣ישׁ בֶּן־אֲבִיאֵ֞ל בֶּן־צְרֹ֧ור בֶּן־בְּכֹורַ֛ת בֶּן־אֲפִ֖יחַ בֶּן־אִ֣ישׁ יְמִינִ֑י גִּבֹּ֖ור חָֽיִל׃ | 1 |
There was a wealthy and influential man from the tribe of Benjamin, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bekorath, son of Aphiah, a descendant of Benjamin.
| וְלֹו־הָיָ֨ה בֵ֜ן וּשְׁמֹ֤ו שָׁאוּל֙ בָּח֣וּר וָטֹ֔וב וְאֵ֥ין אִ֛ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל טֹ֣וב מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מִשִּׁכְמֹ֣ו וָמַ֔עְלָה גָּבֹ֖הַּ מִכָּל־הָעָֽם׃ | 2 |
Kish had a son called Saul, the most handsome young man in all of Israel. He was head and shoulders taller than anyone else.
| וַתֹּאבַ֙דְנָה֙ הָאֲתֹנֹ֔ות לְקִ֖ישׁ אֲבִ֣י שָׁא֑וּל וַיֹּ֨אמֶר קִ֜ישׁ אֶל־שָׁא֣וּל בְּנֹ֗ו קַח־נָ֤א אִתְּךָ֙ אֶת־אַחַ֣ד מֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְק֣וּם לֵ֔ךְ בַּקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־הָאֲתֹנֹֽת׃ | 3 |
One time the donkeys of Saul's father Kish went astray. Kish told to his son Saul, “Please go and look for the donkeys. You can take one of the servants with you.”
| וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ר בְּהַר־אֶפְרַ֛יִם וַיַּעֲבֹ֥ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־שָׁלִ֖שָׁה וְלֹ֣א מָצָ֑אוּ וַיַּעַבְר֤וּ בְאֶֽרֶץ־שַׁעֲלִים֙ וָאַ֔יִן וַיַּעֲבֹ֥ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־יְמִינִ֖י וְלֹ֥א מָצָֽאוּ׃ | 4 |
Saul searched the hill country of Ephraim and then the land of Shalishah, but didn't find the donkeys. He and the servant searched the region of Shaalim, but they weren't there. Then they searched the land of Benjamin, and they still couldn't find them.
| הֵ֗מָּה בָּ֚אוּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ צ֔וּף וְשָׁא֥וּל אָמַ֛ר לְנַעֲרֹ֥ו אֲשֶׁר־עִמֹּ֖ו לְכָ֣ה וְנָשׁ֑וּבָה פֶּן־יֶחְדַּ֥ל אָבִ֛י מִן־הָאֲתֹנֹ֖ות וְדָ֥אַג לָֽנוּ׃ | 5 |
When they got to the land of Zuph, Saul told his servant, “Come on, let's go back, otherwise my father won't be worrying about the donkeys, but about us.”
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לֹ֗ו הִנֵּה־נָ֤א אִישׁ־אֱלֹהִים֙ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את וְהָאִ֣ישׁ נִכְבָּ֔ד כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֖ר בֹּ֣וא יָבֹ֑וא עַתָּה֙ נֵ֣לֲכָה שָּׁ֔ם אוּלַי֙ יַגִּ֣יד לָ֔נוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּ֖נוּ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֥כְנוּ עָלֶֽיהָ׃ | 6 |
But the servant replied, “Hold on! There's a man of God here in this town. He's very well thought of, and everything he says comes true. Let's go and see him. Maybe he can tell us which way we should take.”
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל לְנַעֲרֹ֗ו וְהִנֵּ֣ה נֵלֵךְ֮ וּמַה־נָּבִ֣יא לָאִישׁ֒ כִּ֤י הַלֶּ֙חֶם֙ אָזַ֣ל מִכֵּלֵ֔ינוּ וּתְשׁוּרָ֥ה אֵין־לְהָבִ֖יא לְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים מָ֖ה אִתָּֽנוּ׃ | 7 |
“But if we do go, what can we give him?” Saul replied. “All the bread in our bags is gone. We don't have anything to take to the man of God. What do we have with us?”
| וַיֹּ֤סֶף הַנַּ֙עַר֙ לַעֲנֹ֣ות אֶת־שָׁא֔וּל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּה֙ נִמְצָ֣א בְיָדִ֔י רֶ֖בַע שֶׁ֣קֶל כָּ֑סֶף וְנָֽתַתִּי֙ לְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהִגִּ֥יד לָ֖נוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּֽנוּ׃ | 8 |
“Look, I've got a quarter shekel of silver with me. I'll give it to the man of God so he can tell us the way we should take,” the servant told Saul.
| לְפָנִ֣ים ׀ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר הָאִישׁ֙ בְּלֶכְתֹּו֙ לִדְרֹ֣ושׁ אֱלֹהִ֔ים לְכ֥וּ וְנֵלְכָ֖ה עַד־הָרֹאֶ֑ה כִּ֤י לַנָּבִיא֙ הַיֹּ֔ום יִקָּרֵ֥א לְפָנִ֖ים הָרֹאֶֽה׃ | 9 |
(In the old days in Israel, someone who went to inquire of God would say, “Come on, let's go to the seer,” because prophets used to be known as seers.)
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֧וּל לְנַעֲרֹ֛ו טֹ֥וב דְּבָרְךָ֖ לְכָ֣ה ׀ נֵלֵ֑כָה וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֶל־הָעִ֔יר אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ | 10 |
“That's good,” Saul told his servant. “So let's go.” They went to the town where the man of God was.
| הֵ֗מָּה עֹלִים֙ בְּמַעֲלֵ֣ה הָעִ֔יר וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ מָצְא֣וּ נְעָרֹ֔ות יֹצְאֹ֖ות לִשְׁאֹ֣ב מָ֑יִם וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לָהֶ֔ן הֲיֵ֥שׁ בָּזֶ֖ה הָרֹאֶֽה׃ | 11 |
As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked them, “Is the seer here?”
| וַתַּעֲנֶ֧ינָה אֹותָ֛ם וַתֹּאמַ֥רְנָה יֵּ֖שׁ הִנֵּ֣ה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ מַהֵ֣ר ׀ עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֤י הַיֹּום֙ בָּ֣א לָעִ֔יר כִּ֣י זֶ֧בַח הַיֹּ֛ום לָעָ֖ם בַּבָּמָֽה׃ | 12 |
“He is,” they replied, “up ahead of you. But you'll have to hurry. He's come to town today because the people are having a sacrifice at the high place.
| כְּבֹאֲכֶ֣ם הָעִ֣יר כֵּ֣ן תִּמְצְא֣וּן אֹתֹ֡ו בְּטֶרֶם֩ יַעֲלֶ֨ה הַבָּמָ֜תָה לֶאֱכֹ֗ל כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יֹאכַ֤ל הָעָם֙ עַד־בֹּאֹ֔ו כִּֽי־הוּא֙ יְבָרֵ֣ךְ הַזֶּ֔בַח אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן יֹאכְל֣וּ הַקְּרֻאִ֑ים וְעַתָּ֣ה עֲל֔וּ כִּֽי־אֹתֹ֥ו כְהַיֹּ֖ום תִּמְצְא֥וּן אֹתֹֽו׃ | 13 |
When you enter the town you can find him before he goes up to eat at the high place. The people won't eat before he comes, because he has to bless the sacrifice. After that, those who've been invited will eat. If you leave now you'll catch him.”
| וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּ הָעִ֑יר הֵ֗מָּה בָּאִים֙ בְּתֹ֣וךְ הָעִ֔יר וְהִנֵּ֤ה שְׁמוּאֵל֙ יֹצֵ֣א לִקְרָאתָ֔ם לַעֲלֹ֖ות הַבָּמָֽה׃ ס | 14 |
So they carried on their way up to the town. As they arrived there was Samuel going in the opposite direction. They met him on his way up to the high place.
| וַֽיהוָ֔ה גָּלָ֖ה אֶת־אֹ֣זֶן שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל יֹ֣ום אֶחָ֔ד לִפְנֵ֥י בֹֽוא־שָׁא֖וּל לֵאמֹֽר׃ | 15 |
The day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told Samuel,
| כָּעֵ֣ת ׀ מָחָ֡ר אֶשְׁלַח֩ אֵלֶ֨יךָ אִ֜ישׁ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ בִּנְיָמִ֗ן וּמְשַׁחְתֹּ֤ו לְנָגִיד֙ עַל־עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְהֹושִׁ֥יעַ אֶת־עַמִּ֖י מִיַּ֣ד פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים כִּ֤י רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י כִּ֛י בָּ֥אָה צַעֲקָתֹ֖ו אֵלָֽי׃ | 16 |
“Around this time tomorrow I'm going to send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him as ruler over my people Israel, and he will rescue them from the Philistines. I have seen what's happening to my people and I have heard their cry for help.”
| וּשְׁמוּאֵ֖ל רָאָ֣ה אֶת־שָׁא֑וּל וַיהוָ֣ה עָנָ֔הוּ הִנֵּ֤ה הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣רְתִּי אֵלֶ֔יךָ זֶ֖ה יַעְצֹ֥ר בְּעַמִּֽי׃ | 17 |
When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I told you about. He is the one who is going to rule my people.”
| וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ שָׁא֛וּל אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל בְּתֹ֣וךְ הַשָּׁ֑עַר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א לִ֔י אֵי־זֶ֖ה בֵּ֥ית הָרֹאֶֽה׃ | 18 |
Saul went up to Samuel in the gateway and asked him, “Could you please tell me where the house of the seer is?”
| וַיַּ֨עַן שְׁמוּאֵ֜ל אֶת־שָׁא֗וּל וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אָנֹכִ֣י הָרֹאֶ֔ה עֲלֵ֤ה לְפָנַי֙ הַבָּמָ֔ה וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֥ם עִמִּ֖י הַיֹּ֑ום וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֣יךָ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֖ אַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃ | 19 |
“I am the seer,” Samuel told Saul. “Go up ahead of me and we will eat together. Then in the morning I will answer all your questions and then send you on your way.
| וְלָאֲתֹנֹ֞ות הָאֹבְדֹ֣ות לְךָ֗ הַיֹּום֙ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת הַיָּמִ֔ים אַל־תָּ֧שֶׂם אֶֽת־לִבְּךָ֛ לָהֶ֖ם כִּ֣י נִמְצָ֑אוּ וּלְמִי֙ כָּל־חֶמְדַּ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֲלֹ֣וא לְךָ֔ וּלְכֹ֖ל בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיךָ׃ ס | 20 |
About the donkeys you lost three days ago—don't worry about them because they've been found. But now—doesn't the hope of all of Israel rest on you and your family line?”
| וַיַּ֨עַן שָׁא֜וּל וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲלֹ֨וא בֶן־יְמִינִ֤י אָ֙נֹכִי֙ מִקַּטַנֵּי֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי֙ הַצְּעִרָ֔ה מִכָּֽל־מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ות שִׁבְטֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן וְלָ֙מָּה֙ דִּבַּ֣רְתָּ אֵלַ֔י כַּדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃ ס | 21 |
“But I'm from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least significant of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin!” Saul replied. “Why are you telling me this?”
| וַיִּקַּ֤ח שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶת־שָׁא֣וּל וְאֶֽת־נַעֲרֹ֔ו וַיְבִיאֵ֖ם לִשְׁכָּ֑תָה וַיִּתֵּ֨ן לָהֶ֤ם מָקֹום֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הַקְּרוּאִ֔ים וְהֵ֖מָּה כִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אִֽישׁ׃ | 22 |
Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall, and sat them at the head of the thirty people who'd been invited.
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ לַטַּבָּ֔ח תְּנָה֙ אֶת־הַמָּנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לָ֑ךְ אֲשֶׁר֙ אָמַ֣רְתִּי אֵלֶ֔יךָ שִׂ֥ים אֹתָ֖הּ עִמָּֽךְ׃ | 23 |
Samuel told the cook, “Bring the special piece of meat I gave you and told you to keep to one side.”
| וַיָּ֣רֶם הַ֠טַּבָּח אֶת־הַשֹּׁ֨וק וְהֶעָלֶ֜יהָ וַיָּ֣שֶׂם ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י שָׁא֗וּל וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִנֵּ֤ה הַנִּשְׁאָר֙ שִׂים־לְפָנֶ֣יךָ אֱכֹ֔ל כִּ֧י לַמֹּועֵ֛ד שָֽׁמוּר־לְךָ֥ לֵאמֹ֖ר הָעָ֣ם ׀ קָרָ֑אתִי וַיֹּ֧אכַל שָׁא֛וּל עִם־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל בַּיֹּ֥ום הַהֽוּא׃ | 24 |
So the cook took the upper thigh of meat and what was with it and placed it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “See, this is what was kept to one side. It was reserved for you. Eat it, for it was kept for you for this particular time, right from when I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
| וַיֵּרְד֥וּ מֵהַבָּמָ֖ה הָעִ֑יר וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר עִם־שָׁא֖וּל עַל־הַגָּֽג׃ | 25 |
Once they had returned from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.
| וַיַּשְׁכִּ֗מוּ וַיְהִ֞י כַּעֲלֹ֤ות הַשַּׁ֙חַר֙ וַיִּקְרָ֨א שְׁמוּאֵ֤ל אֶל־שָׁאוּל֙ הַגָּג (הַגָּ֣גָה) לֵאמֹ֔ר ק֖וּמָה וַאֲשַׁלְּחֶ֑ךָּ וַיָּ֣קָם שָׁא֗וּל וַיֵּצְא֧וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֛ם ה֥וּא וּשְׁמוּאֵ֖ל הַחֽוּצָה׃ | 26 |
At dawn the next day Samuel called out to Saul on the roof, “Get up! I need to send you on your way!” So Saul got up, and he went outside with Samuel.
| הֵ֗מָּה יֹֽורְדִים֙ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הָעִ֔יר וּשְׁמוּאֵ֞ל אָמַ֣ר אֶל־שָׁא֗וּל אֱמֹ֥ר לַנַּ֛עַר וְיַעֲבֹ֥ר לְפָנֵ֖ינוּ וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֑ר וְאַתָּה֙ עֲמֹ֣ד כַּיֹּ֔ום וְאַשְׁמִיעֲךָ֖ אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר אֱלֹהִֽים׃ פ | 27 |
As they approached the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell your servant to go on ahead of us. Once he's gone stay here for a while, because I have a message from God to give you.” So the servant went on ahead.
