1 Samuel Chapter 9    

¹Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
  ²He had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. And there was not among the children of Israel a more handsome person than he, from his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
 

³Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the servants with you and arise, go search for the donkeys.”
  ⁴And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they were not found. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. And he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
 

⁵When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come and let’s return!” Otherwise my father may stop caring about the donkeys and become anxious about us.”
 

⁶But he said to him, “Look, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says comes, yes, comes to pass. Now let’s go there. Perhaps he can tell us about our way on which we should go.”
 

⁷Then Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone and there is no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
 

⁸The servant answered Saul again and said, “Look, I happen to have in my hand one-fourth of a shekel^a of silver. I will give that to the man of God to tell us our way.”
 

⁹(In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he would say, “Come and let’s go to the seer,” for he who is today called a prophet was formerly called a seer.)
 

¹⁰Then Saul said to his servant, “Good idea. Come, let’s go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
  ¹¹As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young women going out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?”
 

¹²And they answered them and said, “He is. See, he is ahead of you. Hurry now, for he has just come into the city today, for the people have a sacrifice today at the high place.
  ¹³When you come into the city, you can find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he has to bless the sacrifice. Afterward, those who are invited eat. So now go up, for as for him, at this time you will find him.”
  ¹⁴So they went up into the city. As they came into the midst of the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them to go up to the high place.
  ¹⁵Now Yahweh had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
  ¹⁶“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel, and he will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people because their cry has come to me.”
  ¹⁷Now when Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, “Behold, the man who I spoke to you about! This is the one who will restrain my people.”
 

¹⁸Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
 

¹⁹And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you will eat with me today. In the morning I will send you off and will tell you everything that you are thinking.
  ²⁰As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they are found. For on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father’s house?”
 

²¹And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?”
 

²²Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the banquet room and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about 30 persons.
  ²³Then Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Put it aside, by you.’”
 

²⁴So the cook picked up the thigh and what was on it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved! Set it before yourself and eat, because for this appointed time it has been kept for you, for I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
  ²⁵And when they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the roof.
 

²⁶And they arose early, and it came to pass about dawn that Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, and I will send you off.” So Saul arose, and the two of them went out, he and Samuel, outside.
  ²⁷As they were going down, at the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on ahead of us and when he has passed on you stay for a while so that I can make known to you the word of God.”