1 Samuel 9
9
Saul’s Search
1There was a man of [the tribe of] Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of influence and wealth. 2Kish had a son named Saul, a choice and handsome man; among the sons of Israel there was not a man more handsome than he. From his shoulders and up he was [a head] taller than any of the people.
3Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, had wandered off and were lost. Kish said to his son Saul, “Please take one of the servants with you and arise, go look for the donkeys.” 4And they passed through the hill country of Ephraim and the land of Shalishah, but did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there and the land of the Benjamites, but they [still] did not find them.
5When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us return, otherwise my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and become anxious about us.” 6The servant said to him, “Look here, in this city there is a man of God, and the man is held in honor; everything that he says comes true. Now let us go there; perhaps he can advise us about our journey [and tell us where we should go].” 7Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go [to see him], what shall we bring to the man? For the bread from our sacks is gone and there is no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have [to offer]?” 8The servant replied again to Saul, “Here in my hand I have a quarter of a shekel of silver; I will give that to the man of God, and he will advise us as to [where we should go on] our journey [to find the donkeys].” 9(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he would say, “Come, let us go to the seer”; for he who is called a prophet today was formerly called a seer.) 10Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was living.
11As they went up the hill to the city, they met some young women going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer (prophet) here?” 12They answered them, “He is; look, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has come into the city today because the people have a sacrifice on the high place today. 13As 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 must ask the blessing on the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. So go up now, for about now you will find him.” 14So they went up to the city. And as they came into the city, there was Samuel coming out toward them to go up to the high place.
God’s Choice for King
15Now a day before Saul came, the Lord had #Lit opened Samuel’s ear.informed Samuel [of this], saying, 16“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him as leader over My people Israel; and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon [the distress of] My people, because their cry [for help] has come to Me.” 17When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, “There is the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall rule over My people [as their king].” 18Then Saul approached Samuel in the [city] gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” 19Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go on 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 all that is on your mind. 20As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not be concerned about them, for they have been found. And for whom are all things that are desirable in Israel? Are they not for you and for all your father’s household (family)?” 21Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite, of #The tribe of Benjamin had fallen into disrepute and had been nearly annihilated during the time of the judges (Judg 20:46-48).the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is not my family the smallest of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken this way to me [as if I were very important]?”
22Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall [at the high place] and gave them a place [to sit] at the head of the persons—about thirty men—who were invited [while the rest ate outside]. 23Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the [priests’] portion that I gave you, regarding which I told you, ‘Set it aside.’ ” 24Then the cook lifted up the leg (thigh) with the meat that was on it [indicating that it was the priest’s honored portion] and placed it before Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved [for you]. Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, ever since I invited the people.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25When they came down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the #This was an ancient custom, and the roofs were flat and designed in part for this purpose. Verse 26 also indicates that Saul was given the roof as a place to sleep.roof [of his house]. 26They got up early [the next day]; and at dawn Samuel called Saul [who was sleeping] on the roof, saying, “Get up, so that I may send you on your way.” Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went outside. 27As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us so that he may pass by but you stand still now so that I may proclaim the word of God to you.”
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1 Samuel 9
9
1 Samuel 9
1¶ Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a son of Jemini, {Benjamin} a mighty man of power.
2And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. Among the sons of Israel there was not a nicer person than he; from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
3¶ And the she asses of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul, his son, Take now one of the slaves with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4And he passed through Mount Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shalim, and they were not there, and he passed through the land of Jemini, {or of Benjamin} but they did not find them.
5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses and take thought for us.
6And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass; now let us go there; peradventure he can show us our way that we should go.
7Then Saul replied unto his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and we have nothing to present unto the man of God. What do we have?
8And the servant answered Saul again and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver; this will I give to the man of God to tell us our way.
9(Beforetime in Israel when anyone went to enquire of God, he spoke thus, Come, and let us go to the seer, for he that is now called a Prophet was called a Seer before.)
10Then Saul said to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
11¶ And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water and said unto them, Is the seer here?
12And they answered them and said, He is; behold, he is before you; make haste now, for he came today to the city, for there is a sacrifice of the people today in the high place.
13As soon as you are come into the city, ye shall straightway find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes because he must bless the sacrifice, and afterwards those that are invited eat. Now therefore go up, for about this time ye shall find him.
14And they went up into the city. And when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out before them to go up to the high place.
15Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
16Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over my people Israel that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon my people because their cry is come unto me.
17And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spoke to thee of! This same shall reign over my people.
18¶ Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is.
19And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer; go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let thee go and will tell thee all that is in thy heart.
20And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, take no care for them, for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee and on all thy father’s house?
21And Saul answered and said, Peradventure am I not of Jemini, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is my family not the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why, therefore, dost thou speak so to me?
22And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the banquet chamber and made them sit at the head among those that were invited, which were about thirty persons.
23And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it aside.
24And the cook took up the shoulder and that which was upon it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which was reserved! Set it before thee and eat because for this time it has been kept for thee, since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25And when they were come down from the high place into the city, he spoke with Saul upon the top of the house.
26And they arose early about dawn, and Samuel called Saul, who was on the top of the house, saying, Rise up that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still a while that I may declare thee the word of God.
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