1 Samuel 9 Now there was a man of Benjamin, and his 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.

TKJU⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Now there was a man of Benjamin, and his 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 of a handsome form: And there was not a person among the children of Israel more handsome than he: From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. ³ And the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, "Now take one of the servants with you, and arise, and go seek the donkeys." ⁴ And he passed through Mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them: Then they passed through the land of Shalim, and they were not there: And he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them. ⁵ And when they came to the land of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, and let us return; lest my father cease caring for the donkeys, and be afraid for us." ⁶ And he said to him, "Behold now, in this city there is a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass: Now let us go there; perhaps he can show us our way that we should go." ⁷ Then Saul said to his servant, "But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God: What do we have?" ⁸ And the servant answered Saul again, and said, "Behold, I have here in hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way." ⁹ (In former times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he spoke in this manner, "Come, and let us go to the seer": For he that is now called a Prophet was in former times called a Seer). ¹⁰ Then Saul said to his servant, "Well said; come, let us go." So they went into 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 to them, "Is the seer here?" ¹² And they answered them, and said, "He is; behold, he is straight ahead of you: Make haste now, for today he came to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people today in the high place: ¹³ As soon as you come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat: For the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice; and afterwards those those that are invited eat. Now go up therefore; for about this time you shall find him." ¹⁴ And they went up into the city: And when they had come into the city, behold, Samuel came out to meet them, to go up to the high place. ¹⁵ Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, ¹⁶ "Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall 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 has come to Me." ¹⁷ And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, "Behold the man of whom I spoke to you! This same shall reign over My people." ¹⁸ Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, "Tell me, I implore you, where the seer's house is." ¹⁹ And Samuel answered Saul, and said, "I am the seer; Go up before me to the high place; for you shall eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. ²⁰ And as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you, and on all your father's house?" ²¹ And Saul answered and said, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak so to me?" ²² And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlor, and made them sit in the chiefest place among those that were invited, which were about thirty people. ²³ And Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, 'Set it by you.' " 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 you, and eat: For it has been kept for you until this time, ever since I said, 'I have invited the people.' " So Saul ate with Samuel that day. ²⁵ And when they had 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 break of dawn, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, "Up, that I may send you away." And Saul arose, and both of them went out, he and Samuel, outside. ²⁷ And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to pass on before us", (and he passed on), "but you stand still awhile, that I may show you the word of God."