9:1 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 Benjaminite, a mighty man of power.
9:2 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 more handsome person than he: from his shoulders and upward
[he was] higher than any of the people.
9:3 And the asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish
said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee,
and arise, go seek the asses.
9:4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the
land of Shalisha, but they found [them] not: then they passed
through the land of Shalim, and [there they were] not: and he
passed through the land of the Benjaminites, but they found
[them] not.
9:5 [And] when they had come to the land of Zuf, Saul said to
his servant that [was] with him, Come, and let us return; lest
my father leave [caring] for the asses, and be anxious for us.
9:6 And he said to him, Behold now, [there is] in this city a
man of God, and [he is] an honorable man; all that he saith
cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; it may be he can
show us our way that we should go.
9:7 Then said Saul to his servant, But behold, [if] we go, what
shall we bring to the man? for the bread is spent in our
vessels, and [there] is not a present to bring to the man of
God: what have we?
9:8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I
have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: [that]
will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
9:9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus
he spoke, Come, and let us go to the seer: for [he that is] now
[called] a Prophet was formerly called a Seer.)
9:10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go:
so they went to the city where the man of God [was].
9:11 [And] as they went up the hill to the city, they found
young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the
seer here?
9:12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he is]
before you: make haste now, for he came to-day to the city; for
[there is] a sacrifice of the people to-day in the high place:
9:13 As soon as ye shall enter the city, ye will straightway
find him, before he goeth up to the high place to eat: for the
people will not eat until he cometh, because he doth bless the
sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat that are invited. Now
therefore go up: for about this time ye will find him.
9:14 And they went up into the city: [and] when they had come
into the city, behold, Samuel came out meeting them, to go up
to the high place.
9:15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul
came, saying,
9:16 To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the
land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him [to be] captain
over my people Israel, that he may save my people from the hand
of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because
their cry has come to me.
9:17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, Behold the
man of whom I spoke to thee! this same shall reign over my
people.
9:18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell
me, I pray thee, where the seer's house [is].
9:19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I [am] the seer: go up
before me to the high place; for ye shall eat with me to-day,
and to-morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that
[is] in thy heart.
9:20 And as for thy asses that were lost three days ago, set not
thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom [is] all the
desire of Israel? [Is it] not on thee, and on all thy father's
house?
9:21 And Saul answered and said, [Am] not I a Benjaminite, of
the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least
of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then speakest
thou so to me?
9:22 And Samuel took Saul, and his servant, and brought them
into the parlor, and made them sit in the chief place among
them that were invited, who [were] about thirty persons.
9:23 And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave
thee, of which I said to thee, Set it by thee.
9:24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and [that] which [was]
upon it, and set [it] before Saul. And [Samuel] said, Behold
that which is left! set [it] before thee, [and] eat; for to
this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have
invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
9:25 And when they had come down from the high place into the
city, [Samuel] communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
9:26 And they rose early: and it came to pass about the spring
of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house,
saying, Arise, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and
they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
9:27 [And] as they were going down to the end of the city,
Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he
passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may show thee
the word of God.
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