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 #9:15 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 #9:21 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 #9:25 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
Saul Anointed King
1There was an influential man of Benjamin named Kish # 1Sm 14:51; 1Ch 9:36-39 son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite. 2He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man. # 1Sm 10:24 There was no one more impressive among the Israelites than he. He stood a head taller than anyone else. # Lit From his shoulder and up higher than any of the people # 1Sm 10:23
3One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the attendants with you and go look for the donkeys.” 4Saul and his attendant went through the hill country of Ephraim # Jos 24:33 and then through the region of Shalishah, # 2Kg 4:42 but they didn’t find them. They went through the region of Shaalim # Jos 19:42 — nothing. Then they went through the Benjaminite region but still didn’t find them.
5When they came to the land of Zuph, # 1Sm 1:1 Saul said to the attendant who was with him, “Come on, let’s go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” # 1Sm 10:2
6“Look,” the attendant said, “there’s a man of God # Dt 33:1; 2Kg 5:8 in this city who is highly respected; everything he says is sure to come true. # 1Sm 3:19 Let’s go there now. Maybe he’ll tell us which way we should go.” # Gn 24:42
7“Suppose we do go,” Saul said to his attendant, “what do we take the man? The food from our packs is gone, and there’s no gift to take to the man of God. # 1Kg 14:3; 2Kg 5:15; 8:8-9; Ezk 13:19 What do we have? ”
8The attendant answered Saul: “Here, I have a piece # Lit a quarter of a shekel of silver. I’ll give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.”
9Formerly in Israel, a man who was going to inquire of God would say, “Come, let’s go to the seer,” for the prophet of today was formerly called the seer. # 2Sm 24:11; 1Ch 9:22; 26:28; Is 30:10
10“Good,” Saul replied to his attendant. “Come on, let’s go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was. 11As they were climbing the hill to the city, they found some young women coming out to draw water # Gn 24:15; 29:9; Ex 2:16 and asked, “Is the seer here? ”
12The women answered, “Yes, he is ahead of you. Hurry, he just now came to the city, because there’s a sacrifice # Nm 28:11-15 for the people at the high place # 1Sm 7:17; 10:5 today. 13If you go quickly, you can catch up with him before he goes to the high place to eat. The people won’t eat until he comes because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests can eat. Go up immediately — you can find him now.” 14So they went up toward the city.
Saul and his attendant were entering the city when they saw Samuel coming toward them on his way to the high place. 15Now the day before Saul’s arrival, the Lord had informed Samuel, # Lit had uncovered Samuel’s ear, saying # 1Sm 15:1; Ac 13:21 16“At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over My people Israel. # 1Sm 10:1 He will save them from the hand of the Philistines because I have seen the affliction of My people, # Ex 3:7,9 for their cry has come to Me.” 17When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man I told you about; # 1Sm 16:12 he will rule over My people.”
18Saul approached Samuel in the gate area and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is? ”
19“I am the seer,” Samuel answered. # Lit answered Saul “Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. When I send you off in the morning, I’ll tell you everything that’s in your heart. 20As for the donkeys that wandered away from you three days ago, # 1Sm 9:3 don’t worry about them because they’ve been found. And who does all Israel desire # 1Sm 8:5; 12:13 but you and all your father’s family? ”
21Saul responded, “Am I not a Benjaminite # 1Sm 15:17 from the smallest of Israel’s tribes and isn’t my clan the least important of all the clans of the Benjaminite tribe? # Jdg 20:46-48 So why have you said something like this to me? ”
22Samuel took Saul and his attendant, brought them to the banquet hall, and gave them a place at the head of the 30 # LXX reads 70 or so men who had been invited. 23Then Samuel said to the cook, “Get the portion of meat that I gave you and told you to set aside.”
24The cook picked up the thigh # Ex 29:22,27; Lv 7:32-33; Nm 18:18 and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Notice that the reserved piece is set before you. Eat it because it was saved for you for this solemn event at the time I said, ‘I’ve invited the people.’ ” So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25Afterward, they went down from the high place to the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. # LXX reads city. They prepared a bed for Saul on the roof, and he slept. # Dt 22:8; Ac 10:9
26They got up early, and just before dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, and I’ll send you on your way! ” Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went outside. 27As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the attendant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I’ll reveal the word of God to you.” So the attendant went on.
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