1
Now there was a man[H376] of Benjamin[H1144], whose name[H8034] was Kish[H7027], the son[H1121] of Abiel[H22], the son[H1121] of Zeror[H6872], the son[H1121] of Bechorath[H1064], the son[H1121] of Aphiah[H647], a Benjamite[H1145], a mighty[H1368]man[H376] of power[H2428].
2
And he had a son[H1121], whose name[H8034] was Saul[H7586], a choice young man[H970], and a goodly[H2896]: and there was not among the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478] a goodlier[H2896]person[H376] than he: from his shoulders[H7926] and upward[H4605] he was higher[H1364] than any of the people[H5971].
3
And the asses[H860] of Kish[H7027]Saul[H7586]'s father[H1] were lost[H6]. And Kish[H7027]said[H559] to Saul[H7586] his son[H1121], Take[H3947] now one[H259] of the servants[H5288] with thee, and arise[H6965], go[H3212]seek[H1245] the asses[H860].
4
And he passed through[H5674]mount[H2022]Ephraim[H669], and passed through[H5674] the land[H776] of Shalisha[H8031], but they found[H4672] them not: then they passed through[H5674] the land[H776] of Shalim[H8171], and there they were not: and he passed through[H5674] the land[H776] of the Benjamites[H1145], but they found[H4672] them not.
5
And when they were come[H935] to the land[H776] of Zuph[H6689], Saul[H7586]said[H559] to his servant[H5288] that was with him, Come[H3212], and let us return[H7725]; lest my father[H1]leave[H2308] caring for the asses[H860], and take thought[H1672] for us.
6
And he said[H559] unto him, Behold now, there is in this city[H5892] a man[H376] of God[H430], and he is an honourable[H3513]man[H376]; all that he saith[H1696]cometh[H935] surely to pass[H935]: now let us go[H3212] thither; peradventure he can shew[H5046] us our way[H1870] that we should go[H1980].
7
Then said[H559]Saul[H7586] to his servant[H5288], But, behold, if we go[H3212], what shall we bring[H935] the man?[H376] for the bread[H3899] is spent[H235] in our vessels[H3627], and there is not a present[H8670] to bring[H935] to the man[H376] of God[H430]: what have we?
8
And the servant[H5288]answered[H6030]Saul[H7586]again[H3254], and said[H559], Behold, I have[H4672] here at hand[H3027] the fourth part[H7253] of a shekel[H8255] of silver[H3701]: that will I give[H5414] to the man[H376] of God[H430], to tell[H5046] us our way[H1870].
9
(Beforetime[H6440] in Israel[H3478], when a man[H376]went[H3212] to enquire[H1875] of God[H430], thus he spake[H559], Come[H3212], and let us go[H3212] to the seer[H7200]: for he that is now[H3117]called[H7121] a Prophet[H5030] was beforetime[H6440]called[H7121] a Seer[H7200].)
10
Then said[H1697]Saul[H7586] to his servant[H5288], Well[H2896]said[H559]; come[H3212], let us go[H3212]. So they went[H3212] unto the city[H5892] where the man[H376] of God[H430] was.
11
And as they went up[H5927] the hill[H4608] to the city[H5892], they found[H4672] young maidens[H5291] going out[H3318] to draw[H7579]water[H4325], and said[H559] unto them, Is[H3426] the seer[H7200] here?
12
And they answered[H6030] them, and said[H559], He is[H3426]; behold, he is[H3426]before[H6440] you: make haste[H4116] now, for he came[H935] to day[H3117] to the city[H5892]; for there is[H3426] a sacrifice[H2077] of the people[H5971] to day[H3117] in the high place[H1116]:
13
As soon as ye be come[H935] into the city[H5892], ye shall straightway[H3651]find[H4672] him, before he go up[H5927] to the high place[H1116] to eat[H398]: for the people[H5971] will not eat[H398] until he come[H935], because he doth bless[H1288] the sacrifice[H2077]; and afterwards[H310] they eat[H398] that be bidden[H7121]. Now therefore get you up[H5927]; for about this time[H3117] ye shall find[H4672] him.
14
And they went up[H5927]into[H8432] the city[H5892]: and when they were come[H935]into[H8432] the city[H5892], behold, Samuel[H8050] came out[H3318]against[H7125] them, for to go up[H5927] to the high place[H1116].
15
Now the LORD[H3068] had told[H1540]Samuel[H8050] in his ear[H241]a[H259]day[H3117]before[H6440]Saul[H7586]came[H935], saying[H559],
16
To morrow[H4279] about this time[H6256] I will send[H7971] thee a man[H376] out of the land[H776] of Benjamin[H1144], and thou shalt anoint[H4886] him to be captain[H5057] over my people[H5971]Israel[H3478], that he may save[H3467] my people[H5971] out of the hand[H3027] of the Philistines[H6430]: for I have looked[H7200] upon my people[H5971], because their cry[H6818] is come[H935] unto me.
17
And when Samuel[H8050]saw[H7200]Saul[H7586], the LORD[H3068]said[H6030] unto him, Behold the man[H376] whom I spake[H559] to thee of! this same shall reign[H6113] over my people[H5971].
18
Then Saul[H7586] drew near[H5066] to Samuel[H8050]in[H8432] the gate[H8179], and said[H559], Tell[H5046] me, I pray thee, where[H335] the seer's house[H1004] is.
19
And Samuel[H8050]answered[H6030]Saul[H7586], and said[H559], I am the seer[H7200]: go[H7971]up[H5927]before[H6440] me unto the high place[H1116]; for ye shall eat[H398] with me to day[H3117], and to morrow[H1242] I will let thee go[H7971], and will tell[H5046] thee all that is in thine heart[H3824].
20
And as for thine asses[H860] that were lost[H6]three[H7969]days[H3117]ago[H3117], set[H7760] not thy mind[H3820] on them; for they are found[H4672]. And on whom is all the desire[H2532] of Israel?[H3478] Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?[H1004]
21
And Saul[H7586]answered[H6030] and said[H559], Am not I a Benjamite[H1145], of the smallest[H6996] of the tribes[H7626] of Israel?[H3478] and my family[H4940] the least[H6810] of all the families[H4940] of the tribe[H7626] of Benjamin?[H1144] wherefore then speakest[H1696] thou so[H1697] to me?
22
And Samuel[H8050]took[H3947]Saul[H7586] and his servant[H5288], and brought[H935] them into the parlour[H3957], and made them sit[H5414] in the chiefest[H7218]place[H4725] among them that were bidden[H7121], which were about thirty[H7970]persons[H376].
23
And Samuel[H8050]said[H559] unto the cook[H2876], Bring[H5414] the portion[H4490] which I gave[H5414] thee, of which I said[H559] unto thee, Set[H7760] it by thee.
24
And the cook[H2876] took up[H7311] the shoulder[H7785], and that which was upon it, and set[H7760] it before[H6440]Saul[H7586]. And Samuel[H8050]said[H559], Behold that which is left[H7604]! set[H7760] it before[H6440] thee, and eat[H398]: for unto this time[H4150] hath it been kept[H8104] for thee since I said[H559], I have invited[H7121] the people[H5971]. So Saul[H7586] did eat[H398] with Samuel[H8050] that day[H3117].
25
And when they were come down[H3381] from the high place[H1116] into the city[H5892], Samuel communed[H1696] with Saul[H7586] upon the top of the house[H1406].
26
And they arose[H6965]early[H7925]: and it came to pass about the spring[H5927] of the day[H7837], that Samuel[H8050]called[H7121]Saul[H7586] to the top of the house[H1406], saying[H559], Up[H6965], that I may send thee away[H7971]. And Saul[H7586]arose[H6965], and they went out[H3318]both[H8147] of them, he and Samuel[H8050], abroad[H2351].
27
And as they were going down[H3381] to the end[H7097] of the city[H5892], Samuel[H8050]said[H559] to Saul[H7586], Bid[H559] the servant[H5288] pass on[H5674]before[H6440] us,(and he passed on[H5674],) but stand[H5975] thou still a while[H3117], that I may shew[H8085] thee the word[H1697] of God[H430].