King James Version

1 And there was a man of Benjamin, his name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a man of Benjamin, a mighty man of valor. 2 And he was a son, and his name was Saul, a young man, and good, and there was no man among the children of Israel better than him, from his shoulders and upward he was taller than all the people. 3 And the donkeys of Kish, the father of Saul, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, "Take now one of the young men with you and arise, go seek for the donkeys." 4 And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and he passed through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find it; and he passed through the land of Shaalim, and there was nothing, and he passed through the land of Jimini, but they did not find it. 5 They came into the land of Tzuf, and Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, and let us return, lest my father cease to be concerned about the donkeys and become anxious for us." 6 And he said to him, "Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is honored; all that he speaks comes to pass. Now let us go there; perhaps he will tell us the way we should go." 7 And Saul said to his servant, "Come, let us go. What can we bring to the man of God? For the food is gone from our vessels, and we have no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?" 8 And the boy continued to answer Saul and said, "Look, I have found in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way." 9 Before Israel, thus says the man, while he goes to seek God, "Come, and let us go to the seer, for today the prophet is called before the seer." 10 And Saul said to his servant, "Your word is good; let us go." And they went to the city where the man of God was. 11 They were going up to/through the ascent of the city, and they found young women coming out to draw water, and they said to them, "Is there a seer here?" 12 And they answered him and said, "Here before you, hurry now, for today has come to the city, for the sacrifice of the day is for the people at the high place." 13 When you come to the city, you will find him there before the high place to eat, for the people will not eat until he comes, because he will bless the sacrifice; after that, the invited guests will eat. And now, go up, for you will find him today. 14 And they went up, the city, they were coming into the midst of the city, and behold, Samuel was coming out to meet them to go up to the high place. 15 And the LORD revealed to Samuel the ear, one day before Saul came, saying. 16 Tomorrow, I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and I will anoint him as leader over my people Israel, and he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines, for I have seen that my people’s cry has come to me. 17 And Samuel saw Saul, and the LORD answered him, "Behold, the man whom I spoke to you about; he shall restrain my people." 18 And Saul approached Samuel in the midst of the gate and said, "Please tell me which is the house of the seer?" 19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, and you shall eat with me today, and in the morning I will let you go, and all that is in your heart I will tell you." 20 And the lost donkeys of yours today, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And to whom is all the treasure of Israel? Is it not to you and to all the house of your father? 21 And Saul answered and said, "Am I not a Benjamite, from the least of the tribes of Israel, and my family the smallest of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?" 22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them to the hall, and he gave them a place at the head of the invited guests, and they were about thirty men. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, "Give me the portion that I gave you, which I said to you, 'Set it before you.'" 24 And the butcher raised the shank and set it before Saul, and he said, "Behold, the piece that remains, set before you to eat, for it is kept for the appointed time, saying, 'I called to the people,' and Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 And they went down from the high place to the city and spoke with Saul on the roof. 26 And they rose early, and it was at the rising of dawn, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, "Get up, and I will send you away." And Saul arose and went out, he and Samuel, into the street. 27 They are going down to the outskirts of the city, and Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the boy to go on ahead of us," and he went on, but you stand here today and I will let you hear the word of God.