1 Samuel 9:15-21

New American Standard Bible

God’s Choice for King

¹⁵ Now a day before Saul’s coming, ^(A)the Lord had ^[a]revealed this to Samuel, saying, ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and ^(B)you shall anoint him as ruler over My people Israel; and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines. For ^(C)I have considered My people, because their outcry has come to Me.” ¹⁷ When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord ^[b]said to him, “^(D)Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This one shall rule over My people.” ¹⁸ Then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” ¹⁹ And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you everything that is on your mind. ^20 (E)And as for your donkeys that wandered off three days ago, do not be concerned about them, for they have been found. And ^(F)for whom is everything that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?” ²¹ Saul replied, “^(G)Am I not a Benjaminite, of ^(H)the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the ^[c]tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”