Chapter 9

Saul and the Lost Donkeys. ¹ There was a certain man from Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah. He was a man of high standing in Benjamin. ² He had a son whose name was Saul. He was a handsome young man, and there was no one in Israel who was more handsome than he. He was also a head taller than anyone else. ³ Now the donkeys belonging to Kish, the father of Saul, were lost, and Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the servants with you and go up and look for the donkeys.”^[a]

⁴ So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, in the area around Shalishah, but he could not find them. Then he went into the area around Shaalim, but they were not there. He next passed into the land of the Benjaminites, but they did not find them.

⁵ When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come on, let us go back, lest my father stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” ⁶ But the servant replied, “There is a man of God in this town. He is highly respected, and everything that he says comes true. Let us now go to him, perhaps he can tell us where to go.”

⁷ Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what are we going to bring the man? We have used up all of the food in our sacks. We have nothing to give the man of God. What do we have?” ⁸ The servant answered Saul, saying, “I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he can tell us which way to go.” ⁹ (In former days in Israel, if someone wanted to ask something of God, he would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for in those days prophets were called seers.) ¹⁰ So Saul said to his servant, “Good! Let us go.” They went into the town where the man of God was living.

¹¹ As they were going up the hill on the way to the town, they met some young women who were coming out to draw water. They said to them, “Is the seer here?” ¹² They answered, “He is. Hurry now, for he has just arrived in the town today because the people are offering a sacrifice on the heights.^{[b] 13} Find him as soon as you enter the town before he goes up to the heights to eat. The people will not start to eat until he arrives, for he must bless the sacrifice. Afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now, for right around now you should find him.”

¹⁴ Saul Meets Samuel. They went into the town, and as they were entering the town, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the heights. ¹⁵ Now the day before Saul arrived, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. You will anoint him as leader over my people Israel. He will deliver my people out of the hands of the Philistines. I have regarded my people, for their cry has risen up to me.” ¹⁷ When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man of whom I have spoken to you. He is to rule over my people.”

^18 [c]Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and said to him, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” ¹⁹ But Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the heights, for you will eat with me today. I will let you go on your way tomorrow, and I will make known to you all that is on your mind. ²⁰ As for the donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. Is not all the desire of Israel placed upon you and all your father’s family?” ²¹ But Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, the smallest of the tribes in Israel? Is not my family the least important of the clans in the tribe of Benjamin? Why are you saying this to me?”

²² Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall, and he sat them down at the head of those who had been invited; there were about thirty in all. ²³ Samuel said to the cook, “Bring me the piece of meat that I brought you, the portion I told you to set aside.” ²⁴ The cook brought up the leg and what was on it and set it in front of Saul. He said, “Here is what I saved for you. Eat it, because I set it aside for this moment from when I first invited the guests.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

²⁵ After they came down from the heights into the town, he spoke to Saul on the roof of his house. ²⁶ They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called up to Saul on the rooftop, “Get up, and I will send you on your way.” Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went outside together. ²⁷ As they were coming to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell your servant to go on ahead of us,” and he went on ahead. He continued, “You stay here for a while, so that I can reveal the word of God to you.”