1 Samuel 9

1There was a man of Benjamin, and his name was Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite, a mighty man of valor.

2And he had a son whose name was Saul, a young man and handsome. There was not a man among the sons of Israel more handsome than he; from his shoulders upward he was taller than all the people.

3The donkeys belonging to Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Please take with you one of the young men, and get up, go, seek the donkeys.”

4He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed 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 Benjamin, but they did not find them.

5When they came into the land of Zuph, Saul said to his young man who was with him, “Come, let us return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys and become anxious about us.”

6He said to him, “Look now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; everything that he says surely comes to pass. Now let us go there. Perhaps he will tell us the way we should go.”

7Then Saul said to his young man, “But look, if we go, what will we bring to the man? For the bread is gone from our bags, and there is no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”

8The young man answered Saul again and said, “Look, I have in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.”

9Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he would say, “Come, and let us go to the seer,” for the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.

10Then Saul said to his young man, “Your word is good. Come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

11As they were going up the ascent to the city, they found young women coming out to draw water, and they said to them, “Is the seer here?”

12They answered them and said, “Yes, look—he is just ahead of you. Hurry now, because he came to the city today, because today there is a sacrifice for the people at the high place.”

13As soon as you enter the city, you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he is the one who blesses the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited eat. So go up now, for today you will find him.

14So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, behold, Samuel was coming out to meet them, to go up to the high place.

15Yahweh had revealed to Samuel one day before Saul came, saying,

16About this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him as ruler over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines, for I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.

17When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh answered him, “Look, this is the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall rule over my people.”

18Then Saul approached Samuel in the midst of the gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”

19Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, and eat with me today. In the morning I will send you on your way, and I will tell you all that is in your heart.”

20And as for the donkeys that were lost to you three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?

21Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? So why have you spoken to me in this way?”

22Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited; and they were about thirty men.

23Then Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it aside with you.’”

24So the cook took up the leg and what was on it and set it before Saul. And he said, “Look, what has been kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you for the appointed time, from when I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25When they came down from the high place into the city, he spoke with Saul on the roof.

26They rose early, and when the dawn was breaking, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, and I will send you on your way.” So Saul got up, and the two of them, he and Samuel, went outside.

27As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the young man to go on ahead of us.” And he went on ahead. “But you, stand here now, and I will let you hear the word of God.”