I Samuel 9

¹Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man of Benjamin, strong and robust.

²And he had a son called Saul, an elect and good man. And there was not a man among the sons of Israel better than he was. For he stood head and shoulders above all the people.

³Now the donkeys of Kish, the father of Saul, had become lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Take with you one of the servants, and rising up, go out and seek the donkeys.” And when they had passed through mount Ephraim,

⁴and through the land of Shalishah, and had not found them, they crossed also through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there, and through the land of Benjamin, and they found nothing.

⁵And when they had arrived in the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, otherwise perhaps my father may forget the donkeys, and become anxious over us.”

⁶And he said to him: “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, a noble man. All that he says, happens without fail. Now therefore, let us go there. For perhaps he may tell us about our way, because of which we have arrived.”

⁷And Saul said to his servant: “Behold, let us go. But what will we bring to the man of God? The bread in our sacks has run out. And we have no small gift that we might give to the man of God, nor anything at all.”

⁸The servant again responded to Saul, and he said: “Behold, there is found in my hand a coin of the fourth part of a stater. Let us give it to the man of God, so that he may reveal to us our way.”

⁹(In past times, in Israel, anyone going to consult God would speak in this way, “Come, and let us go to the seer.” For one who is called a prophet today, in past times was called a seer.)

¹⁰And Saul said to his servant: “Your word is very good. Come, let us go.” And they went into the city, where the man of God was.

¹¹And as they were ascending the slope to the city, they found some young women going out to draw water. And they said to them, “Is the seer here?”

¹²And responding, they said to them: “He is. Behold, he is ahead of you. Hurry now. For he came into the city today, since there is a sacrifice for the people today, on the high place.

¹³Upon entering the city, you should find him immediately, before he ascends to the high place for the meal. And the people will not eat until he has arrived. For he blesses the victim, and thereafter those who were called will eat. Now therefore, go up. For you will find him today.”

¹⁴And they ascended into the city. And as they were walking in the midst of the city, Samuel appeared, advancing to meet them, so that he might ascend to the high place.

¹⁵Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel, one day before Saul had arrived, saying:

¹⁶“Tomorrow, at the same hour that it is now, I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him to be the leader over my people Israel. And he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor upon my people, because their outcry has reached me.”

¹⁷And when Samuel had caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him: “Behold, the man about whom I spoke to you. This one shall rule over my people.”

¹⁸Then Saul drew near to Samuel, at the middle of the gate, and he said, “Tell me, I beg you: where is the house of the seer?”

¹⁹And Samuel responded to Saul, saying: “I am the seer. Ascend before me to the high place, so that you may eat with me today. And I will send you away in the morning. And I shall reveal to you everything that is in your heart.

²⁰And concerning the donkeys, which were lost the day before yesterday, you should not be anxious, for they have been found. And all the best things of Israel, for whom should they be? Will they not be for you and for all your father’s house?”

²¹And responding, Saul said: “Am I not a son of Benjamin, the least tribe of Israel, and are not my kindred the last among all the families from the tribe of Benjamin? So then, why would you speak this word to me?”

²²And so Samuel, taking Saul and his servant, brought them into the dining room, and he gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. For there were about thirty men.

²³And Samuel said to the cook, “Present the portion that I gave to you, and which I instructed you to set apart beside you.”

²⁴Then the cook lifted up the shoulder, and he placed it before Saul. And Samuel said: “Behold, what remains, set it before you and eat. For it was preserved for you intentionally, when I called the people.” And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.

²⁵And they descended from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul in the upper room. And he set out a bed for Saul in the upper room, and he slept.

²⁶And when they had risen in the morning, and it now began to be light, Samuel called to Saul in the upper room, saying, “Rise up, so that I may send you on.” And Saul rose up. And they both departed, that is to say, he and Samuel.

²⁷And as they were descending to the very limit of the city, Samuel said to Saul: “Tell the servant to go ahead of us, and to continue on. But as for you, stay here a little while, so that I may reveal the word of the Lord to you.”

I Samuel 9

¹Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Cis, the son of Abiel, the son of Seror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphia, the son of a man of Jemini, valiant and strong.

²And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and goodly man, and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he appeared above all the people.

³And the asses of Cis, Saul's father, were lost: and Cis said to his son Saul: Take one of the servants with thee, and arise, go, and seek the asses. And when they had passed through Mount Ephraim,

⁴And through the land of Salisa, and had not found them, they passed also through the land of Salim, and they were not there: and through the land of Jemini, and found them not.

⁵And when they were come to the land of Suph, Saul said to the servant that was with him: Come, let us return, lest perhaps my father forget the asses, and be concerned for us.

⁶And he said to him: Behold there is a man of God in this city, a famous man: all that he saith, cometh certainly to pass. Now, therefore, let us go thither, perhaps he may tell us of our way, for which we are come.

⁷And Saul said to his servant: Behold we will go: but what shall we carry to the man of God? the bread is spent in our bags: and we have no present to make to the man of God, nor any thing at all.

⁸The servant answered Saul again, and said: Behold there is found in my hand the fourth part of a sicle of silver, let us give it to the man of God, that he may tell us our way.

⁹Now in time past in Israel, when a man went to consult God, he spoke thus: Come, let us go to the seer. For he that is now called a prophet, in time past was called a seer.

¹⁰And Saul said to his servant: Thy word is very good, come let us go. And they went into the city, where the man of God was.

¹¹And when they went up the ascent to the city, they found maids coming out to draw water, and they said to them: Is the seer here?

¹²They answered and said to them: He is: behold he is before you, make haste now: for he came to day into the city, for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place.

¹³As soon as you come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat till he come; because he blesseth the victim, and afterwards they eat that are invited. Now, therefore, go up, for to day you shall find him.

¹⁴And they went up into the city. And when they were walking in the midst of the city, behold Samuel was coming out over against them, to go up to the high place.

¹⁵Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel the day before Saul came, saying:

¹⁶To morrow about this same hour I will send thee a man of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel: and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked down upon my people, because their cry is come to me.

¹⁷And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him: Behold the man, of whom I spoke to thee, this man shall reign over my people.

¹⁸And Saul came to Samuel in the midst of the gate, and said: Tell me, I pray thee, where is the house of the seer?

¹⁹And Samuel answered Saul, saying: I am the seer; go up before me to the high place, that you may eat with me to day, and I will let thee go in the morning: and tell thee all that is in thy heart.

²⁰And as for the asses, which were lost three days ago, be not solicitous, because they are found. And for whom shall be all the best things of Israel? Shall they not be for thee and for all thy father's house?

²¹And Saul answering, said: Am not I a son of Jemini of the least tribe of Israel, and my kindred the last among all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then hast thou spoken this word to me?

²²Then Samuel taking Saul, and his servant, brought them into the parlour, and gave them a place at the head of them that were invited. For there were about thirty men.

²³And Samuel said to the cook: Bring the portion which I gave thee, and commanded thee to set it apart by thee.

²⁴And the cook took up the shoulder, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said: Behold what is left, set it before thee, and eat; because it was kept of purpose for thee, when I invited the people. And Saul ate with Samuel that day.

²⁵And they went down from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul upon the top of the house: and he prepared a bed for Saul on the top of the house and he slept.

²⁶And when they were risen in the morning, and it began now to be light, Samuel called Saul on the top of the house, saying: Arise, that I may let thee go. And Saul arose: and they went out both of them: to wit, he and Samuel.

²⁷And as they were going down in the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul: Speak to the servant to go before us, and pass on: but stand thou still a while, that I may tell thee the word of the Lord.