1 Samuel 9
9
Saul chosen to lead Israel
1There was a wealthy man from the tribe of Benjamin named Kish. He was the son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Becorath son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite. 2He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man. No one in Israel was more handsome than Saul, and he stood head and shoulders above everyone else.
3When the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servant boys with you and go look for the donkeys.” 4So he traveled through the highlands of Ephraim and the land of Shalishah, but they didn’t find anything. They traveled through the land of Shaalim, but still found nothing, so they crossed back into the land of Benjamin, but they still couldn’t find the donkeys. 5When they came to the territory of Zuph, Saul said to the boy who was with him, “Let’s go back before my father stops worrying about the donkeys and starts worrying about us.”
6But the boy said to him, “Listen, there’s a man of God in this town. He’s famous—everything he says actually happens! So let’s go there. Maybe he’ll be able to tell us which way we should go.”
7Saul said to his young boy, “But if we go, what should we bring to the man? The food in our bags is all gone. We don’t have any gift to offer the man of God. Do we have anything?”
8“Here,” the boy answered Saul, “I’ve got a quarter-shekel of silver. I’ll give that to the man of God so he tells us which way to go.” (9Earlier in Israel, someone going to consult with God would say, “Let’s go to the seer,” because the people who are called prophets today were previously called seers.)
10Saul said to the boy, “Great idea! Let’s go.” So they went into the town where the man of God lived. 11They were going up the hill to the town when they met some young women coming out to draw water. “Is the seer here?” they asked them.
12“He’s just ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry up! He has just come to town because there is a sacrifice today for the people at the shrine. 13You’ll find him as soon as you enter the town, before he goes up to the shrine to eat. The people won’t eat until he gets there, because he must bless the sacrifice. Only after that can the invited guests eat. Now get going because you’ll find him momentarily.”
14So Saul and the boy went up to the town, and as they entered it, suddenly Samuel came toward them on his way up to the shrine. 15Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed the following to Samuel: 16“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the Benjaminite territory. You will anoint him as leader of my people Israel. He will save my people from the Philistines’ power because I have seen the suffering of#9.16 LXX; MT lacks the suffering of. my people, and their cry for help has reached me.” 17When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “That’s the man I told you about. That’s the one who will rule#9.17 LXX; Heb uncertain, perhaps restrain or gather (troops); cf 10:1 my people.”
18Saul approached Samuel in the city gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
19“I’m the seer,” Samuel told Saul. “Go on ahead of me to the shrine. You can eat with me today. In the morning I’ll send you on your way, and I will tell you everything you want to know. 20As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, don’t be worried about them because they’ve been found. Who owns all of Israel’s treasures, anyway? Isn’t it you and your whole family?”#9.20 Or But for whom does all Israel yearn if not for you and your whole family?
21“I’m a Benjaminite,” Saul responded, “from the smallest Israelite tribe, and my family is the littlest of the families in the tribe of Benjamin. Why would you say something like that to me?”
22Then Samuel took Saul and his young servant and brought them to the banquet room. He gave them an honored place among the invited guests. There were about thirty total. 23Samuel said to the cook, “Serve the portion I gave you—the one I told you to set aside.” 24So the cook took the thigh and what was on it,#9.24 Heb uncertain and put it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Look, what had been reserved is now in front of you. Eat up, because it was set apart for you for this specific occasion, ever since I invited the guests.”#9.24 Heb uncertain So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25When they came back from the shrine to the town, a bed was made for Saul on the roof, and he slept.#9.25 LXX; MT He (Samuel?) talked with Saul on the roof. Then they got up early.
26Near dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Wake up! I will send you on your way.” So Saul got up, and the two of them, he and Samuel, went outside. 27As they were nearing the edge of town Samuel said, “Tell the boy to go on ahead of us” (the servant did so) “but you stop for a bit so I can tell you God’s word.”
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1 Samuel 9: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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.