Chapter 9

Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name [was] Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, ^{3228 376} a mighty man of power.

And he had a son, whose name [was] Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and [there was] not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward [he was] higher than any of the people.

And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost.⁴ And Kish said⁴ to Saul his son, Take³ now one of the servants with thee, and arise,³ go³ seek¹⁶ the asses.

And he passed⁴ through mount Ephraim, and passed⁴ through the land of Shalisha, but they found¹ [them] not: then they passed⁴ through the land of Shalim, and [there they were] not: and he passed⁴ through the land of the Benjamites, but they found¹ [them] not.

[And] when they were come¹ to the land of Zuph, Saul said¹ to his servant that [was] with him, Come,³ and let us return;⁴ lest my father leave⁴ [caring] for the asses, and take thought¹ for us.

And he said⁴ unto him, Behold now, [there is] in this city a man of God, and [he is] an honourable¹² man; all that he saith¹⁷ cometh⁴ surely to pass:² now let us go⁴ thither; peradventure he can shew⁵⁵ us our way that we should go.¹

Then said⁴ Saul to his servant, But, behold, [if] we go,⁴ what shall we bring⁵⁵ the man? for the bread is spent¹ in our vessels, and [there is] not a present to bring⁵³ to the man of God: what have we?

And the servant answered² Saul again,⁵⁵ and said,⁴ Behold, I have here⁸ at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: [that] will I give¹ to the man of God, to tell⁵² us our way.

(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went² to enquire² of God, thus he spake,¹ Come,³ and let us go⁴ to the seer:⁶ for [he that is] now [called] a Prophet was beforetime called¹¹ a Seer.)⁶

Then said⁴ Saul to his servant, Well said; come,³ let us go.⁴ So they went⁴ unto the city where the man of God [was].

[And] as they went up⁶ the hill to the city, they found¹ young maidens going out⁶ to draw² water, and said⁴ unto them, Is the seer⁶ here?

And they answered⁴ them, and said,⁴ He is; behold, [he is] before you: make haste¹⁶ now, for he came¹ to day to the city; for [there is] a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:

As soon as ye be come² into the city, ye shall straightway find⁴ him, before he go up⁴ to the high place to eat:² for the people will not eat⁴ until he come,² because he doth bless¹⁷ the sacrifice; [and] afterwards ³⁶⁵¹ they eat⁴ that be bidden.⁷ Now therefore get you up;³ for about this time ye shall find⁴ him.

And they went up⁴ into the city: [and] when they were come⁶ into the city, behold, Samuel came out⁶ against² them, for to go up² to the high place.

Now the LORD had told¹ Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came,² saying,²

To morrow about this time I will send⁴ thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint¹ him [to be] captain over my people Israel, that he may save⁵² my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked¹ upon my people, because their cry is come¹ unto me.

And when Samuel saw¹ Saul, the LORD said¹ unto him, Behold the man whom I spake¹ to thee of! this same shall reign⁴ over my people.

Then Saul drew near⁴ to Samuel in the gate, and said,⁴ Tell⁵⁴ me, I pray thee, where the seer's⁶ house [is].

And Samuel answered⁴ Saul, and said,⁴ I [am] the seer:⁶ go up³ before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat¹ with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go,¹⁴ and will tell⁵⁵ thee all that [is] in thine heart.

And as for thine asses that were lost⁶ three days ago, set⁴ not thy mind on them; for they are found.⁸ And on whom [is] all the desire of Israel? [Is it] not on thee, and on all thy father's house?

And Saul answered⁴ and said,⁴ [Am] not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest¹⁴ thou so to me?

And Samuel took⁴ Saul and his servant, and brought⁵⁵ them into the parlour, and made⁴ them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden,⁷ which [were] about thirty persons.

And Samuel said⁴ unto the cook, Bring³ the portion which I gave¹ thee, of which I said¹ unto thee, Set³ it by thee.

And the cook took up⁵⁵ the shoulder, and [that] which [was] upon it, and set⁴ [it] before Saul. And [Samuel] said,⁴ Behold that which is left!¹² set³ [it] before thee, [and] eat:³ for unto this time hath it been kept⁷ for thee since I said,² I have invited¹ the people. So Saul did eat⁴ with Samuel that day.

And when they were come down⁴ from the high place into the city, [Samuel] communed¹⁷ with Saul upon the top of the house.

And they arose early:⁵⁵ and it came to pass about the spring² of the day, that Samuel called⁴ Saul to the top of the house, saying,² Up,³ that I may send thee away.¹⁷ And Saul arose,⁴ and they went out⁴ both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.

[And] as they were going down⁶ to the end of the city, Samuel said¹ to Saul, Bid³ the servant pass on⁴ before us, (and he passed on,)⁴ but stand³ thou still a while, that I may shew⁵⁵ thee the word of God.