1 Samuel 9

Saul’s Search

1Now there was a manH376 of BenjaminH1144 whose nameH8034 was 1KishH7027 the sonH1121 of AbielH22, sonH1121 of ZerorH6872, sonH1121 of BecorathH1064, sonH1121 of AphiahH647, sonH1121 of a BenjaminiteH376H3228, a 2valiantH2428 mightyH1368 manH1368. 2He hadH1961 a sonH1121 whose nameH8034 was SaulH7586, a 3youngH970 and handsomeH2896 man, and thereH369 wasH369 not a moreH4480H2896 handsomeH2896 manH376 thanH4480 he amongH4480 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478; 4from his shouldersH7926 and up he was tallerH1364 thanH4480 anyH3605 of the peopleH5971.

3Now the donkeysH860 of KishH7027, Saul’sH7586 fatherH1, had wanderedH6 offH6. So KishH7027 saidH559 to his sonH1121 SaulH7586, “NowH4994 takeH3947 with you oneH259 of the servantsH5288 and ariseH6965, goH1980 searchH1245 for the donkeysH860.” 4So he passedH5674 through 5the hillH2022 countryH2022 of EphraimH669 and passedH5674 through the landH776 of 6ShalishahH8031, but they did not findH4672 them. Then they passedH5674 through the landH776 of 7ShaalimH8171, but they were not there. Then he passedH5674 through the landH776 of the BenjaminitesH1145, but they did not findH4672 them.

5When they cameH935 to the landH776 of 8ZuphH6689, SaulH7586 saidH559 to his servantH5288 whoH834 was with him, “ComeH1980, and let’s returnH7725, 9orH6435 elseH6435 my fatherH1 will stopH2308 being concerned aboutH4480 the donkeysH860 and will becomeH1672 anxiousH1672 about us.” 6But he saidH559 to him, “BeholdH2009 nowH4994, there is 10a manH376 of GodH430 in thisH2088 cityH5892, and the manH376 is heldH3513 inH3513 honorH3513; 11everythingH3605 that he saysH1696 definitelyH935 comesH935 true. NowH6258 let’s goH1980 thereH8033, 12perhapsH194 he can tellH5046 us about our journeyH1870 on whichH834 we have setH1980 out.” 7Then SaulH7586 saidH559 to his servantH5288, “But lookH2009, if we goH1980, whatH4100 shall we bringH935 the manH376? For the breadH3899 isH235 goneH235 from our sacksH3627 and thereH369 isH369 13noH369 giftH8670 to bringH935 to the manH376 of GodH430. WhatH4100 do we haveH854?” 8The servantH5288 answeredH6030 SaulH7586 againH3254 and saidH559, “LookH2009, I haveH4672 in my handH3027 a fourthH7253 of a shekelH8255 of silverH3701; I will giveH5414 it to the manH376 of GodH430 and he will 14tellH5046 us our wayH1870.” 9(PreviouslyH6440 in IsraelH3478, when a manH376 wentH1980 to inquireH1875 of GodH430, he used to sayH559, “ComeH1980, and let’s goH1980 to the seerH7203”; for he who is called a prophetH5030 nowH3117 was previouslyH6440 calledH7121 15a seerH7203.) 10Then SaulH7586 saidH559 to his servantH5288, “16GoodH2896 ideaH1697; comeH1980, let’s goH1980.” So they wentH1980 to the cityH5892 whereH834H8033 the manH376 of GodH430 was.

11As they wentH5927 upH5927 the slopeH4608 to the cityH5892, 17they foundH4672 youngH5291 womenH5291 goingH3318 outH3318 to drawH7579 waterH4325, and they saidH559 to them, “Is the seerH7203 hereH2088?” 12They answeredH6030 them and saidH559, “He is; 18seeH2009, he is aheadH6440 of you. HurryH4116 nowH6258, for he has comeH935 into the cityH5892 todayH3117, becauseH3588 19the peopleH5971 have a sacrificeH2077 on 20the highH1116 placeH1116 todayH3117. 13As soonH3651 as you enterH935 the cityH5892 you will findH4672 him beforeH2962 he goesH5927 upH5927 to the highH1116 placeH1116 to eatH398, for the peopleH5971 will not eatH398 untilH5704 he comesH935, becauseH3588 21he must blessH1288 the sacrificeH2077; afterwardH310H3651 those who are invitedH7121 will eatH398. NowH6258 then, goH5927 upH5927, for you will findH4672 him about this timeH3117.” 14So they wentH5927 upH5927 to the cityH5892. As they cameH935 into the cityH5892, beholdH2009, SamuelH8050 was comingH3318 outH3318 towardH7122 them to goH5927 upH5927 to the highH1116 placeH1116.

God’s Choice for King

15Now a dayH3117 beforeH6440 Saul’sH7586 comingH935, 22the LordH3068 had 23revealedH1540H241 this to SamuelH8050, sayingH559, 16“About this timeH6256 tomorrowH4279 I will sendH7971 you a manH376 from the landH776 of BenjaminH1144, and 24you shall anointH4886 him as rulerH5057 overH5921 My peopleH5971 IsraelH3478; and he will saveH3467 My peopleH5971 from the handH3027 of the PhilistinesH6430. For 25I have consideredH7200 My peopleH5971, becauseH3588 their outcryH6818 has comeH935 to Me.” 17When SamuelH8050 sawH7200 SaulH7586, the LordH3068 26saidH6030 to him, “27BeholdH2009, the manH376 of whomH834 I spokeH559 to you! ThisH2088 oneH2088 shall ruleH6113 over My peopleH5971.” 18Then SaulH7586 approachedH5066 SamuelH8050 at the gatewayH8179 and saidH559, “PleaseH4994 tellH5046 me whereH335 the seer’sH7203 houseH1004 is.” 19And SamuelH8050 answeredH6030 SaulH7586 and saidH559, “I am the seerH7203. GoH5927 upH5927 aheadH6440 of me to the highH1116 placeH1116, for you shall eatH398 with me todayH3117; and in the morningH1242 I will letH7971 you goH7971, and will tellH5046 you everythingH3605 that is on your mindH3824. 2028And as for your donkeysH860 that wanderedH6 offH6 threeH7969 daysH3117 agoH3117, do not be concernedH7760H3820 about them, for they have been foundH4672. And 29for whomH4310 is everythingH3605 that is desirableH2532 in IsraelH3478? Is it not for you and for allH3605 your father’sH1 householdH1004?” 21SaulH7586 repliedH6030, “30Am I not a BenjaminiteH1145, of 31the smallestH6996 of the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478, and my familyH4940 the leastH6810 of allH3605 the familiesH4940 of the 32tribeH7626 of BenjaminH1144? WhyH4100 then have you spokenH1696 to me in thisH2088 wayH1697?”

22Then SamuelH8050 tookH3947 SaulH7586 and his servantH5288 and broughtH935 them into the hallH3957, and gaveH5414 them a placeH4725 at the headH7218 of those who were invitedH7121, whoH1992 were about thirtyH7970 menH376. 23And SamuelH8050 saidH559 to the cookH2876, “33ServeH5414 the portionH4490 that I gaveH5414 you about whichH834 I saidH559 to you, ‘SetH7760 it 34asideH5973.’” 24Then the cookH2876 35tookH7311 upH7311 the legH7785 with what was on it and placedH7760 it beforeH6440 SaulH7586. And Samuel saidH559, “HereH2009 is what has been reservedH7604! PlaceH7760 it beforeH6440 you and eatH398, becauseH3588 it has been keptH8104 for you until the appointedH4150 timeH4150, 36since I saidH559 I have invitedH7121 the peopleH5971.” So SaulH7586 ateH398 with SamuelH8050 that dayH3117.

25When they cameH3381 downH3381 from the highH1116 placeH1116 into the cityH5892, 37Samuel spokeH1696 with SaulH7586 38on the roofH1406. 26And they gotH7925 upH7925 earlyH7925; and at daybreakH5927H7837 SamuelH8050 calledH7121 to SaulH7586 on the roofH1406, sayingH559, “GetH6965 upH6965, so that I may sendH7971 you on your wayH7971.” So SaulH7586 gotH6965 upH6965, and bothH8147 he and SamuelH8050 wentH3318 outH3318 into the streetH2351. 27As they were goingH3381 downH3381 to the edgeH7097 of the cityH5892, SamuelH8050 saidH559 to SaulH7586, “SpeakH559 to the servantH5288 and have him goH5674 onH5674 aheadH6440 of us and passH5674 byH5674; but you standH5975 here nowH3117, so that I may proclaimH8085 the wordH1697 of GodH430 to you.”