1 Samuel 9
9
Samuel Meets with Saul
1 There was a Benjaminite man named Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. He was a prominent person. 2 He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. There was no one among the Israelites more handsome than he was; he stood head and shoulders above all the people.
3 The donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off,#tn Heb “became lost.” so Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go#tn Heb “and arise, go.” look for the donkeys.”#tc The Syriac Peshitta includes the following words: “So Saul arose and went out. He took with him one of the boys and went out to look for his father’s donkeys.” 4 So Saul#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity. crossed through the hill country of Ephraim, passing through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. So they crossed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he crossed through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.
5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come on, let’s head back before my father quits worrying about the donkeys and becomes anxious about us!” 6 But the servant said to him, “Look, there is a man of God in this town. He is highly respected. Everything that he says really happens.#tn The infinitive absolute precedes the verb for emphasis. Now let’s go there. Perhaps he will tell us where we should go from here.”#tn Heb “our way on which we have gone.” 7 So Saul said to his servant, “All right,#tn Heb “look.” we can go. But what can we bring the man, since the food in our bags is used up? We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant went on to answer Saul, “Look, I happen to have in my hand a quarter shekel#sn A quarter shekel of silver would weigh about a tenth of an ounce (about 3 grams). of silver. I will give it to the man of God and he will tell us where we should go.”#tn Heb “our way.” 9 (Now it used to be in Israel that whenever someone went to inquire of God he would say, “Come on, let’s go to the seer.” For today’s prophet used to be called a seer.) 10 So Saul said to his servant, “That’s a good idea!#tn Heb “your word is good.” Come on. Let’s go.” So they went to the town where the man of God was.
11 As they were going up the ascent to the town, they met some girls coming out to draw water. They said to them, “Is this where the seer is?” 12 They replied, “Yes, straight ahead! But hurry now, for he came to the town today, and the people are making a sacrifice at the high place. 13 When you enter the town, you can find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people won’t eat until he arrives, for he must bless the sacrifice. Once that happens, those who have been invited will eat. Now go on up, for#tc The MT has “him” (אֹתוֹ, ’oto) here, in addition to the “him” at the end of the verse. The ancient versions attest to only one occurrence of the pronoun, although it is possible that this is due to translation technique rather than to their having a Hebrew text with the pronoun used only once. The present translation assumes textual duplication in the MT and does not attempt to represent the pronoun twice. However, for a defense of the MT here, with the suggested translation “for him just now – you will find him,” see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 72-73. this is the time when you can find him!”
14 So they went up to the town. As they were heading for the middle of the town, Samuel was coming in their direction#tn Heb “to meet them.” This may indicate purpose on Samuel’s part. The next sentence indicates that the meeting was by design, not just an accident. to go up to the high place. 15 Now the day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told#tn Heb “uncovered the ear of.” Samuel: 16 “At this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. You must consecrate#tn Heb “anoint.” him as a leader over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor on my people. Their cry has reached me!”
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said,#tn Heb “responded.” “Here is the man that I told you about! He will rule over my people.” 18 As Saul approached Samuel in the middle of the gate, he said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
19 Samuel replied to Saul, “I am the seer! Go up in front of me to the high place! Today you will eat with me and in the morning I will send you away. I will tell you everything that you are thinking.#tn Heb “all that is in your heart.” 20 Don’t be concerned#tn Heb “do not fix your heart.” about the donkeys that you lost three days ago, for they have been found. Whom does all Israel desire? Is it not you, and all your father’s family?”#tn Heb “and all the house of your father.”
21 Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of Israel’s tribes, and is not my family clan the smallest of all the tribes of Benjamin? Why do you speak to me in this way?”
22 Then Samuel brought#tn Heb “took and brought.” Saul and his servant into the room and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. There were about thirty people present. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “Give me the portion of meat that I gave to you – the one I asked you to keep with you.”
24 So the cook picked up the leg and brought it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel#tn Heb “he” (also in v. 25); the referent (Samuel) has been specified in both places in the translation for clarity. said, “What was kept is now set before you! Eat, for it has been kept for you for this meeting time, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 When they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. 26 They got up at dawn and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, so I can send you on your way.” So Saul got up and the two of them – he and Samuel – went outside. 27 While they were going down to the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” So he did.#tc This statement is absent in the LXX (with the exception of Origen), an Old Latin ms, and the Syriac Peshitta. Samuel then said,#tn The words “Samuel then said” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons. “You remain here awhile, so I can inform you of God’s message.”
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1 Kings 9
9
1Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Cis, the son of Abiel, the son of Seror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphia, the son of a man of Jemini, valiant and strong.
2And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and goodly man. And there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he appeared above all the people.
3And the asses of Cis, Sauls father, were lost. And Cis said to his son Saul: Take one of the servants with thee; and arise. Go, and seek the asses. And when they had passed through mount Ephraim,
4And through the land of Salisa, and had not found them, they passed also through the land of Salim; and they were not there: and through the land of Jemini, and found them not.
5And when they were come to the land of Suph, Saul said to the servant that was with him: Come, let us return, lest perhaps my father forget the asses, and be concerned for us.
6And he said to him: Behold, there is a man of God in this city, a famous man; all that he saith cometh certainly to pass. Now therefore let us go thither; perhaps he may tell us of our way, for which we are come.
7And Saul said to his servant: Behold we will go: but what shall we carry to the man of God? The bread is spent in our bags: and we have no present to make to the man of God, nor any thing at all.
8The servant answered Saul again, and said: Behold, there is found in my hand the fourth part of a sicle of silver. Let us give it to the man of God, that he may tell us our way.
9Now in time past, in Israel when a man went to consult God he spoke thus: Come, let us go to the seer. For he that is now called a prophet, in time past was called a seer.
10And Saul said to his servant: Thy word is very good. Come, let us go. And they went into the city, where the man of God was.
11And when they went up the ascent to the city, they found maids coming out to draw water, and they said to them: Is the seer here?
12They answered and said to them: He is. Behold, he is before you; make haste now. For he came to-day into the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to-day in the high place.
13As soon as you come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he go up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat till he come: because he blesseth the victim; and afterwards they eat that are invited. Now therefore go up, for to-day you shall find him.
14And they went up into the city. And when they were walking in the midst of the city, behold, Samuel was coming out over against them, to go up to the high place.
15Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel the day before Saul came, saying:
16To-morrow about this same hour I will send thee a man of the land of Benjamin. And thou shalt anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked down upon my people, because their cry is come to me.
17And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him: Behold the man, of whom I spoke to thee. This man shall reign over my people.
18And Saul came to Samuel in the midst of the gate and said: Tell me, I pray thee, where is the house of the seer?
19And Samuel answered Saul, saying: I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, that you may eat with me to-day, and I will let thee go in the morning. And tell thee all that is in thy heart.
20And as for the asses, which were lost three days ago, be not solicitous, because they are found. And for whom shall be all the best things of Israel? Shall they not be for thee and for all thy father's house?
21And Saul answering said: Am not I a son of Jemini of the least tribe of Israel, and my kindred the last among all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then hast thou spoken this word to me?
22Then Samuel, taking Saul and his servant, brought them into the parlour, and gave them a place at the head of them that were invited. For there were about thirty men.
23And Samuel said to the cook: Bring the portion, which I gave thee, and commanded thee to set it apart by thee.
24And the cook took up the shoulder, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said: Behold what is left. Set it before thee, and eat: because it was kept of purpose for thee, when I invited the people. And Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25And they went down from the high place into the town. And he spoke with Saul upon the top of the house: and he prepared a bed for Saul on the top of the house; and he slept.
26And when they were risen in the morning, and it began now to be light, Samuel called Saul on the top of the house, saying: Arise, that I may let thee go. And Saul arose. And they went out both of them: to wit, he and Samuel.
27And as they were going down in the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul: Speak to the servant to go before us, and pass on. But stand thou still a while, that I may tell thee the word of the Lord.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.