1 SamuelChapter 9

Tap any verse to comment or suggest a better wording.

¹There was a man from the tribe of Benjamin named Kish. He was a powerful man. He was the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, from Benjamin. ²Kish had a son named Saul. Saul was a fine young man and very handsome. No one in Israel was as good-looking as he was. He stood a head taller than anyone else. ³One day some donkeys that belonged to Saul's father Kish wandered off. So Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you. Go and look for the donkeys." ⁴So Saul went through the hill country of Ephraim. Then he went through the land of Shalishah. But they did not find the donkeys. He and the servant went through the area of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then they went through the land of Benjamin. Still they did not find them. ⁵They came to the land of Zuph. Saul said to his servant, "Come on, let's go back. If we don't, my father will stop worrying about the donkeys. He'll start worrying about us." ⁶But the servant said, "Look, there is a man of God in this town. People think highly of him. Everything he says comes true. Let's go there now. Maybe he can tell us which way to go." ⁷Saul said, "If we go, what can we give the man? The bread in our bags is all gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?" ⁸The servant answered him again. "Look," he said. "I have a quarter of a shekel of silver here in my hand. I will give it to the man of God. Then he will tell us which way to go."a ⁹(In Israel long ago, if a man went to ask God something, he would say, "Come, let's go to the seer." That's because a prophet today used to be called a seer.) ¹⁰"Good," Saul said to his servant. "Come on, let's go." So they headed for the town where the man of God was. ¹¹They were walking up the hill to the town. On the way they met some young women coming out to get water. They asked them, "Is the seer here?" ¹²"Yes, he is," the women answered. "He's just ahead of you. Hurry! He just came to town today. The people are offering a sacrifice at the high place. ¹³As soon as you go into town, you will find him. Catch him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people won't eat until he comes. He has to bless the sacrifice first. After that, the guests will eat. Go up right now. You'll find him." ¹⁴So Saul and his servant went up to the town. As they were going in, there was Samuel. He was coming toward them on his way up to the high place. ¹⁵Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had told Samuel this: ¹⁶"About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel. He will save my people from the power of the Philistines. For I have looked on my people, because their cry has come to me." ¹⁷When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, "This is the man I told you about. He will rule over my people." ¹⁸Saul came up to Samuel in the town gate. He asked, "Can you please tell me where the seer's house is?" ¹⁹"I am the seer," Samuel answered. "Go up ahead of me to the high place. Today you will eat with me. In the morning I will send you on your way. I will tell you everything that is on your heart. ²⁰Don't worry about the donkeys you lost three days ago. They have been found. And who is it that all Israel wants? Isn't it you and your father's whole family?" ²¹Saul answered, "But I'm from the tribe of Benjamin. That is the smallest tribe in Israel. And my clan is the least important of all the clans of Benjamin. So why are you saying this to me?" ²²Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the big room. He seated them at the head of the table, in the place of honor. About thirty guests had been invited. ²³Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the piece of meat I gave you. It's the one I told you to put aside." ²⁴So the cook brought the leg and what was on it. He set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, "Here is what was saved. It was set aside for you. Eat it. It was kept for you for this time, ever since I said, 'I have invited the people.'" So Saul ate with Samuel that day. ²⁵After they came down from the high place into the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house. ²⁶They got up early. Just before sunrise Samuel called up to Saul on the roof. He said, "Get up, and I will send you on your way!" So Saul got up. Then he and Samuel went outside together. ²⁷They were walking down to the edge of town. Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us. But you stay here for a while. I will tell you a message from God." So the servant went on ahead.