1 Samuel 9

1Now there wasH1961 a BenjamiteH376H1144, a powerful manH1368H2428H3225, whose nameH8034 was KishH7027 sonH1121 of AbielH22, the sonH1121 of ZerorH6872, the sonH1121 of BecorathH1064, the sonH1121 of AphiahH647 of BenjaminH3227. 2And he hadH1961 a sonH1121 namedH8034 SaulH7586, choiceH970 and handsomeH2896, without equalH369H376H2896 amongH4480 the IsraelitesH1121H3478—a headH7926H4605 tallerH1364 than anyH3605 of the peopleH5971.

3One day the donkeysH860 of Saul’sH7586 fatherH1 KishH7027 wandered offH6, and KishH7027 saidH559 toH413 his sonH1121 SaulH7586, “TakeH3947H4994 oneH259 of the servantsH5288H6965 and goH1980 look forH1245 the donkeysH860.”

4So Saul passedH5674 through the hill countryH2022 of EphraimH669 and then through the landH776 of ShalishahH8031, but they did notH3808 findH4672 the donkeys. He and the servant wentH5674 through the regionH776 of ShaalimH8171, but they were notH369H5674 there. Then they wentH5674 through the landH776 of BenjaminH3227, and still they did notH3808 find themH4672.

5When theyH1992 reachedH935 the landH776 of ZuphH6689, SaulH7586 saidH559 to his servantH5288, “ComeH1980, let us go backH7725, orH6435 my fatherH1 will stopH2308 worrying aboutH4480 the donkeysH860 and start worryingH1672 about us.”

6“LookH2009H4994,” said the servantH559, “in thisH2063 cityH5892 there is a manH376 of GodH430 whoH376 is highly respectedH3513; everythingH3605 he saysH1696 surely comes to passH935. Let us goH1980 thereH8033 nowH6258. PerhapsH194 he will tellH5046 us whichH834 wayH1870 to goH1980H5921.”

7“IfH2009 we do goH1980,” SaulH7586 repliedH559, “whatH4100 can we giveH935 the manH376? ForH3588 the breadH3899 in our packsH3627 is goneH235, and there is noH369 giftH8670 to takeH935 to the manH376 of GodH430. WhatH4100 do we haveH854?”

8The servantH5288 answeredH6030 him againH3254. “LookH2009,” he saidH559, “I have hereH4672 in my handH3027 a quarterH7253 shekelH8255 of silverH3701.1 I will giveH5414 it to the manH376 of GodH430, and he will tellH5046 us our wayH1870.”

9(FormerlyH6440 in IsraelH3478H3541, a manH376 on his wayH1980 to inquireH1875 of GodH430 would sayH559, “ComeH1980, let us goH1980 toH5704 the seerH7203.” ForH3588 the prophetH5030 of todayH3117 was formerlyH6440 calledH7121 the seerH7203.)

10“GoodH2896H1697,” saidH559 SaulH7586 to his servantH5288. “ComeH1980, let us goH1980.” So they set outH1980 forH413 the cityH5892 whereH8033 the manH376 of God wasH430. 11And as theyH1992 were climbingH5927 the hillH4608 to the cityH5892, theyH1992 metH4672 some young womenH5291 coming outH3318 to drawH7579 waterH4325 and askedH559, “IsH3426 the seer hereH7203H2088?”

12“YesH2009, he isH3426 ahead of youH6440,” they answeredH6030. “HurryH4116 nowH6258, forH3588 todayH3117 he has comeH935 to the cityH5892 becauseH3588 the people haveH5971 a sacrificeH2077 on the high placeH1116. 13As soon as you enterH935 the cityH5892, you will findH3651H4672 himH853 beforeH2962 he goes upH5927 to the high placeH1116 to eatH398. The peopleH5971 will notH3808 eatH398 untilH5704 he comesH935, becauseH3588 heH1931 must blessH1288 the sacrificeH2077; after thatH310H3651, the guestsH7121H6258 will eatH398. Go upH5927H3588 at onceH3117; you will findH4672 himH853.”

14So Saul and his servant went upH5927 toward the cityH5892, and as theyH1992 were enteringH935H8432 itH5892, there wasH2009 SamuelH8050 comingH3318 toward themH7122 on his way upH5927 to the high placeH1116.

15Now on the dayH3117H259 beforeH6440 Saul’sH7586H559 arrivalH935, the LORDH3068 had revealedH1540 to SamuelH8050, 16“At this timeH6256 tomorrowH4279 I will sendH7971 youH413 a manH376 from the landH776 of BenjaminH1144, and you are to anoint himH4886 rulerH5057 overH5921 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478; he will saveH3467 themH5971 from the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430. ForH3588 I have looked uponH7200 My peopleH5971, becauseH3588 their cryH6818 has comeH935 to MeH413.”

17When SamuelH8050 sawH7200 SaulH7586, the LORDH3068 told himH6030, “HereH2009 is the manH376 of whomH834 I spokeH559H413; heH2088 shall ruleH6113 over My peopleH5971.”

18SaulH7586 approachedH5066 SamuelH8050 inH8432 the gatewayH8179 and askedH559, “Would you pleaseH4994 tellH5046 me whereH335 the seer’sH7203 houseH1004 is?”

19“IH595 am the seerH7203,” SamuelH8050 repliedH6030. “Go upH5927 before meH6440 to the high placeH1116, for you shall eatH398 with meH5973 todayH3117. And when I send you offH7971 in the morningH1242, I will tellH5046 you allH3605 that isH834 in your heartH3824. 20As for the donkeysH860 you lostH6 threeH7969 daysH3117 agoH3117, do notH408 worryH7760 about them, forH3588 they have been foundH4672. And upon whomH4310 is allH3605 the desireH2532 of IsraelH3478, if notH3808 upon you and allH3605 your father’sH1 houseH1004?”

21SaulH7586H559 repliedH6030, “Am IH595 notH3808 a BenjamiteH1145 from the smallestH6996 tribeH7626 of IsraelH3478, and is not my clanH4940 the leastH6810 of allH3605 the clansH4940 of BenjaminH1144? So whyH4100 would you sayH1696 such a thingH1697H2088 to meH413?”

22Then SamuelH8050 tookH3947 SaulH7586 andH853 his servantH5288, brought themH935 into the hallH3957, and seatedH5414 them in the placeH4725 of honorH7218 among those who were invitedH7121H1992—about thirtyH7970 in allH376. 23And SamuelH8050 saidH559 to the cookH2876, “BringH5414 the portionH4490 I gaveH5414 you and toldH559H413 you to setH7760 asideH5973.”

24So the cookH2876 picked upH7311 the legH7785 and what was attached to itH5921 and setH7760 it beforeH6440 SaulH7586. Then Samuel saidH559, “Here isH2009 what was kept backH7604. It was set apartH7760 for youH6440. EatH398, forH3588 it has been keptH8104 for you for this occasionH4150, from the time I saidH559, ‘I have invitedH7121 the peopleH5971.’” So SaulH7586 dinedH398 withH5973 SamuelH8050 thatH1931 dayH3117.

25And after they had come downH3381 from the high placeH1116 into the cityH5892, Samuel spokeH1696 withH5973 SaulH7586 onH5921 the roof of his houseH1406.

26They got up early in the morningH7925H1961, and just beforeH5927 dawnH7837 SamuelH8050 calledH7121 toH413 SaulH7586 on the roofH1406H559, “Get readyH6965, and I will send you on your wayH7971!” So SaulH7586 got readyH6965, and bothH8147 heH1931 and SamuelH8050 wentH3318 outside togetherH2351.

27As theyH1992 were going downH3381 to the edgeH7097 of the cityH5892, SamuelH8050 saidH559 toH413 SaulH7586, “TellH559 the servantH5288 to go onH5674 ahead of usH6440, but youH859 stayH5975 for a whileH3117, and I will reveal to youH8085 the wordH1697 of GodH430.” So the servant went onH5674.