Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was ^aKish the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite, a ¹valiant mighty man. 2 He had a son whose name was Saul, a ^ayoung and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome man than he among the sons of Israel; ^bfrom his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, had wandered off. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Now take with you one of the servants and arise, go search for the donkeys.” 4 So he passed through ^athe hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of ^bShalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of ^cShaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjaminites, but they did not find them.

5 When they came to the land of ^aZuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, and let’s return, ^bor else my father will stop being concerned about the donkeys and will become anxious about us.” 6 But he said to him, “Behold now, there is ^aa man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; ^beverything that he says definitely comes true. Now let’s go there, ^cperhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.” 7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sacks and there is ^ano gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant answered Saul again and said, “Look, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will ^atell us our way.” 9 (Previously in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let’s go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was previously called ^aa seer.) 10 Then Saul said to his servant, “¹Good idea; come, let’s go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

11 As they went up the slope to the city, ^athey found young women going out to draw water, and they said to them, “Is the seer here?” 12 They answered them and said, “He is; ¹see, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come into the city today, because ^athe people have a sacrifice on ^bthe high place today. 13 As 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 ^ahe must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now then, go up, for you will find him about this time.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place.

15 Now a day before Saul’s coming, ^athe LORD had ¹revealed this to Samuel, saying, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and ^ayou shall anoint him as ruler over My people Israel; and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines. For ^bI have considered My people, because their outcry has come to Me.” 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD ¹said to him, “^aBehold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall rule over My people.” 18 Then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” 19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you everything that is on your mind. 20 ^aAnd as for your donkeys that wandered off three days ago, do not be concerned about them, for they have been found. And ^bfor whom is everything that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?” 21 Saul replied, “^aAm I not a Benjaminite, of ^bthe smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the ¹tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”

22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “¹Serve the portion that I gave you about which I said to you, ‘Set it ²aside.’” 24 Then the cook ^atook up the leg with what was on it and placed it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved! Place it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, ¹since I said I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 When they came down from the high place into the city, ¹Samuel spoke with Saul ^aon the roof. 26 And they got up early; and at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, so that I may send you on your way.” So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Speak to the servant and have him go on ahead of us and pass by; but you stand here now, so that I may proclaim the word of God to you.”

Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was ^aKish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of ¹valor. 2 He had a son whose name was Saul, a ^achoice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; ^bfrom his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Take now with you one of the servants, and arise, go search for the donkeys.” 4 He passed through ^athe hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of ^bShalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of ^cShaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.

5 When they came to the land of ^aZuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, ^bor else my father will cease to be concerned about the donkeys and will become anxious for us.” 6 He said to him, “Behold now, there is ^aa man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; ^ball that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, ^cperhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.” 7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack and there is ^ano present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will ^atell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called ^aa 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.

11 As they went up the slope to the city, ^athey found young women going out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?” 12 They answered them and said, “He is; ¹see, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come into the city today, for ^athe people have a sacrifice on ^bthe high place today. 13 As 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 ^ahe must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up for you will find him at once.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the high place.

15 Now a day before Saul’s coming, ^athe LORD had ¹revealed this to Samuel saying, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and ^ayou shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel; and he will deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines. For ^bI have regarded My people, because their cry has come to Me.” 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD ¹said to him, “^aBehold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall rule over My people.” 18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” 19 Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is on your mind. 20 ^aAs for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And ^bfor whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?” 21 Saul replied, “^aAm I not a Benjamite, of ^bthe smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the ¹tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?”

22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “¹Bring the portion that I gave you, concerning which I said to you, ‘Set it ²aside.’” 24 Then the cook ^atook up the leg with what was on it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, ¹since I said I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul ^aon the ¹roof. 26 And they arose early; and at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the servant that he might go ahead of us and pass on, but you remain standing now, that I may proclaim the word of God to you.”

Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was ^aKish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of ¹valor. 2 Now he had a son whose name was Saul, a ^achoice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; ^bfrom his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Take now with you one of the young men, and arise, go search for the donkeys.” 4 Thus he passed through ^athe hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of ^bShalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of ^cShaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.

5 They came to the land of ^aZuph. And Saul said to his young man who was with him, “Come, and let us return, ^blest my father cease to be concerned about the donkeys and become anxious for us.” 6 But he said to him, “Behold now, there is ^aa man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; ^ball that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, ^cperhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have gone.” 7 Then Saul said to his young man, “But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack, and there is ^ano present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 And the young man answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand a fourth of a ¹shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God, and he will ^atell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he used to say, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet now was formerly called ^aa seer.) 10 Then 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.

11 As they were going up the slope to the city, ^athey found young women going out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?” 12 And they answered them and said, “He is! Behold, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come into the city today, for ^athe people have a sacrifice on ^bthe high place today. 13 As 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 ^ahe must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. So now, go up for you will find him at once.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they came into the city, behold, Samuel was coming out to meet them to go up to the high place.

15 Now a day before Saul’s coming, ^aYahweh had revealed this in Samuel’s hearing, saying, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and ^ayou shall anoint him to be ruler over My people Israel; and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines. For ^1bI have regarded My people because their cry has come to Me.” 17 Now Samuel saw Saul, and Yahweh answered him, “^aBehold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall restrict My people.” 18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” 19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your heart. 20 ^aAs for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And ^bfor whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?” 21 And Saul answered and said, “^aAm I not a Benjamite, of ^bthe smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the ¹tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?”

22 Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the chamber and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “¹Bring the portion that I gave you, concerning which I said to you, ‘Set it ²aside.’” 24 Then the cook ^atook up the leg with what was on it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, ¹since I said I have invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 Then they came down from the high place into the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul ^aon the ¹roof. 26 And they arose early; and at the ¹breaking of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street. 27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the young man that he might pass before us and pass onwards, but you remain standing now, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.”