1 Samuel 9
1 There was a man of Benjamin named Kish, son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bechorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a man of standing.
2 He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. No one among the Israelites was more handsome than he was. From the shoulders up, he was taller than all the people.
3 The donkeys belonging to Kish, Saul’s father, were lost, and Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the servants with you, get up, and go look for the donkeys.”
4 He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. They passed through the land of Shaalim, but there was nothing. He passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, so my father won’t stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
6 But he replied, “Look, there’s a man of God in this town, a respected man. Everything he says surely comes true. Let’s go there now; perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
7 Saul said to the servant, “But if we go, what can we take to the man? The bread in our bags is gone, and we have no gift to bring the man of God. What do we have?”
8 The servant answered Saul again, “Look, I have a quarter-shekel of silver here in my hand. I’ll give it to the man of God, and he’ll tell us which way to go.”
9 In former times in Israel, when someone went to seek God’s guidance, he would say, “Come, let’s go to the seer.” For the prophet of today was formerly called a seer.
10 Saul said to his servant, “You’re right. Come, let’s go.” So they went to the town where the man of God was.
11 As they were going up the slope to the town, they met young women coming out to draw water. They asked them, “Is the seer here?”
12 They answered, “Yes. Look, he’s just ahead of you. Hurry now, because he came to town today. The people have a sacrifice at the high place today.
13 “When you enter the town, you’ll find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, because the people won’t eat until he arrives. He blesses the sacrifice, and then the invited guests eat. Go up now, because today you’ll find him.”
14 They went up to the town. As they were entering the town, Samuel was coming out to meet them on his way up to the high place.
15 Now, the day before Saul arrived, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel:
16 “About this time tomorrow, I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. You shall anoint him as leader over my people Israel, and he will deliver my people from the hand of the Philistines, for I have seen my people, because their cry has reached me.”
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, “This is the man I told you about. He is the one who will govern my people.”
18 Saul approached Samuel in the middle of the gateway and said, “Please tell me, where is the seer’s house?”
19 Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, because today you will eat with me. In the morning I’ll send you on your way, and I’ll tell you everything that is in your heart.
20 “As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, don’t worry about them, because they’ve been found. And who is everything Israel desires for? Is it not for you and all your father’s household?”
21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is not my family the least important of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why are you speaking to me like this?”
22 Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the dining room. He gave them places at the head of the invited guests, who numbered about thirty men.
23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you, the one I told you, ‘Keep it with you.’”
24 The cook lifted the thigh and what was on it and set it before Saul. He said, “Here is what was set aside. Put it in front of you and eat, because it was kept for you for this occasion, from the time I said, ‘I’ve invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 They came down from the high place into the town, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof.
26 They got up early. At daybreak, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, and I’ll send you on your way.” Saul got up, and the two of them, he and Samuel, went outside.
27 As they were going down toward the outskirts of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” He went ahead. Then Samuel said, “But you stay here for now, and I’ll make you hear the word of God.”
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