| 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 Benjamite, a mighty man of power. |
| 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 goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward {he was} higher than any of the people. |
| 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. |
| 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 Benjamites, but they found {them} not. |
| 5 | {And} when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that {was} with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave {caring} for the asses, and take thought for us. |
| 6 | And he said unto him, Behold now, {there is} in this city a man of God, and {he} is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go. |
| 7 | Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, {if} we go, what shall we bring 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? |
| 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 | (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for {he that is} now {called} a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.) |
| 10 | Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God {was}. |
| 11 | {And} as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? |
| 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: |
| 13 | As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; {and} afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him. |
| 14 | And they went up into the city: {and} when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place. |
| 15 | Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, |
| 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 out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. |
| 17 | And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people. |
| 18 | Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house {is}. |
| 19 | And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I {am} the seer: go up before me unto 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 thine heart. |
| 20 | And as for thine 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? |
| 21 | And Saul answered and said, {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 speakest thou so to me? |
| 22 | And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which {were} about thirty persons. |
| 23 | And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. |
| 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 unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. |
| 25 | And when they were come down from the high place into the city, {Samuel} communed with Saul upon the top of the house. |
| 26 | And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. |
| 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 shew thee the word of God. |