1 Now there was a man|strong="H0376" of Benjamin|strong="H1144", whose name|strong="H8034" was Kish|strong="H7027", the son|strong="H1121" of Abiel|strong="H0022", the son|strong="H1121" of Zeror|strong="H6872", the son|strong="H1121" of Bechorath|strong="H1064", the son|strong="H1121" of Aphiah|strong="H0647", a Benjamite|strong="H1145", a mighty|strong="H1368" man|strong="H0376" of power|strong="H2428".
2 And he had a son|strong="H1121", whose name|strong="H8034" was Saul|strong="H7586", a choice young man|strong="H0970", and a goodly|strong="H2896": and there was not among the children|strong="H1121" of Israel|strong="H3478" a goodlier|strong="H2896" person|strong="H0376" than he: from his shoulders|strong="H7926" and upward|strong="H4605" he was higher|strong="H1364" than any of the people|strong="H5971".
3 And the asses|strong="H0860" of Kish|strong="H7027" Saul’s|strong="H7586" father|strong="H0001" were lost|strong="H0006". And Kish|strong="H7027" said|strong="H0559" to Saul|strong="H7586" his son|strong="H1121", Take|strong="H3947" now one|strong="H0259" of the servants|strong="H5288" with thee, and arise|strong="H6965", go|strong="H3212" seek|strong="H1245" the asses|strong="H0860".
4 And he passed through|strong="H5674" mount|strong="H2022" Ephraim|strong="H0669", and passed through|strong="H5674" the land|strong="H0776" of Shalisha|strong="H8031", but they found|strong="H4672" them not: then they passed through|strong="H5674" the land|strong="H0776" of Shalim|strong="H8171", and there they were not: and he passed through|strong="H5674" the land|strong="H0776" of the Benjamites|strong="H1145", but they found|strong="H4672" them not.
5 And when they were come|strong="H0935" to the land|strong="H0776" of Zuph|strong="H6689", Saul|strong="H7586" said|strong="H0559" to his servant|strong="H5288" that was with him, Come|strong="H3212", and let us return|strong="H7725"; lest my father|strong="H0001" leave|strong="H2308" caring for the asses|strong="H0860", and take thought|strong="H1672" for us.
6 And he said|strong="H0559" unto him, Behold now, there is in this city|strong="H5892" a man|strong="H0376" of God|strong="H0430", and he is an honourable|strong="H3513" man|strong="H0376"; all that he saith|strong="H1696" cometh|strong="H0935" surely to pass|strong="H0935": now let us go|strong="H3212" thither; peradventure he can shew|strong="H5046" us our way|strong="H1870" that we should go|strong="H1980".
7 Then said|strong="H0559" Saul|strong="H7586" to his servant|strong="H5288", But, behold, if we go|strong="H3212", what shall we bring|strong="H0935" the man|strong="H0376"? for the bread|strong="H3899" is spent|strong="H0235" in our vessels|strong="H3627", and there is not a present|strong="H8670" to bring|strong="H0935" to the man|strong="H0376" of God|strong="H0430": what have we?
8 And the servant|strong="H5288" answered|strong="H6030" Saul|strong="H7586" again|strong="H3254", and said|strong="H0559", Behold, I have|strong="H4672" here at hand|strong="H3027" the fourth part|strong="H7253" of a shekel|strong="H8255" of silver|strong="H3701": that will I give|strong="H5414" to the man|strong="H0376" of God|strong="H0430", to tell|strong="H5046" us our way|strong="H1870".
9 (Beforetime|strong="H6440" in Israel|strong="H3478", when a man|strong="H0376" went|strong="H3212" to enquire|strong="H1875" of God|strong="H0430", thus he spake|strong="H0559", Come|strong="H3212", and let us go|strong="H3212" to the seer|strong="H7200": for he that is now|strong="H3117" called a Prophet|strong="H5030" was beforetime|strong="H6440" called|strong="H7121" a Seer|strong="H7200".)
10 Then said|strong="H1697" Saul|strong="H7586" to his servant|strong="H5288", Well|strong="H2896" said|strong="H0559"; come|strong="H3212", let us go|strong="H3212". So they went|strong="H3212" unto the city|strong="H5892" where the man|strong="H0376" of God|strong="H0430" was.
11 And as they went up|strong="H5927" the hill|strong="H4608" to the city|strong="H5892", they found|strong="H4672" young maidens|strong="H5291" going out|strong="H3318" to draw|strong="H7579" water|strong="H4325", and said|strong="H0559" unto them, Is|strong="H3426" the seer|strong="H7200" here?
12 And they answered|strong="H6030" them, and said|strong="H0559", He is|strong="H3426"; behold, he is before|strong="H6440" you: make haste|strong="H4116" now, for he came|strong="H0935" to day|strong="H3117" to the city|strong="H5892"; for there is a sacrifice|strong="H2077" of the people|strong="H5971" to day|strong="H3117" in the high place|strong="H1116":
13 As soon as ye be come|strong="H0935" into the city|strong="H5892", ye shall straightway|strong="H3651" find|strong="H4672" him, before he go up|strong="H5927" to the high place|strong="H1116" to eat|strong="H0398": for the people|strong="H5971" will not eat|strong="H0398" until he come|strong="H0935", because he doth bless|strong="H1288" the sacrifice|strong="H2077"; and afterwards|strong="H0310" they eat|strong="H0398" that be bidden|strong="H7121". Now therefore get you up|strong="H5927"; for about this time|strong="H3117" ye shall find|strong="H4672" him.
14 And they went up|strong="H5927" into|strong="H8432" the city|strong="H5892": and when they were come|strong="H0935" into the city|strong="H5892", behold, Samuel|strong="H8050" came out|strong="H3318" against|strong="H7125" them, for to go up|strong="H5927" to the high place|strong="H1116".
15 Now the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* had told|strong="H1540" Samuel|strong="H8050" in his ear|strong="H0241" a|strong="H0259" day|strong="H3117" before|strong="H6440" Saul|strong="H7586" came|strong="H0935", saying|strong="H0559",
16 To morrow|strong="H4279" about this time|strong="H6256" I will send|strong="H7971" thee a man|strong="H0376" out of the land|strong="H0776" of Benjamin|strong="H1144", and thou shalt anoint|strong="H4886" him to be captain|strong="H5057" over my people|strong="H5971" Israel|strong="H3478", that he may save|strong="H3467" my people|strong="H5971" out of the hand|strong="H3027" of the Philistines|strong="H6430": for I have looked|strong="H7200" upon my people|strong="H5971", because their cry|strong="H6818" is come|strong="H0935" unto me.
17 And when Samuel|strong="H8050" saw|strong="H7200" Saul|strong="H7586", the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* said|strong="H6030" unto him, Behold the man|strong="H0376" whom I spake|strong="H0559" to thee of! this same shall reign|strong="H6113" over my people|strong="H5971".
18 Then Saul|strong="H7586" drew near|strong="H5066" to Samuel|strong="H8050" in|strong="H8432" the gate|strong="H8179", and said|strong="H0559", Tell|strong="H5046" me, I pray thee, where|strong="H0335" the seer’s|strong="H7200" house|strong="H1004" is.
19 And Samuel|strong="H8050" answered|strong="H6030" Saul|strong="H7586", and said|strong="H0559", I am the seer|strong="H7200": go up|strong="H5927" before|strong="H6440" me unto the high place|strong="H1116"; for ye shall eat|strong="H0398" with me to day|strong="H3117", and to morrow|strong="H1242" I will let thee go|strong="H7971", and will tell|strong="H5046" thee all that is in thine heart|strong="H3824".
20 And as for thine asses|strong="H0860" that were lost|strong="H0006" three|strong="H7969" days|strong="H3117" ago|strong="H3117", set|strong="H7760" not thy mind|strong="H3820" on them; for they are found|strong="H4672". And on whom is all the desire|strong="H2532" of Israel|strong="H3478"? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s|strong="H0001" house|strong="H1004"?
21 And Saul|strong="H7586" answered|strong="H6030" and said|strong="H0559", Am not I a Benjamite|strong="H1145", of the smallest|strong="H6996" of the tribes|strong="H7626" of Israel|strong="H3478"? and my family|strong="H4940" the least|strong="H6810" of all the families|strong="H4940" of the tribe|strong="H7626" of Benjamin|strong="H1144"? wherefore then speakest|strong="H1696" thou so|strong="H1697" to me?
22 And Samuel|strong="H8050" took|strong="H3947" Saul|strong="H7586" and his servant|strong="H5288", and brought|strong="H0935" them into the parlour|strong="H3957", and made them sit|strong="H5414" in the chiefest|strong="H7218" place|strong="H4725" among them that were bidden|strong="H7121", which were about thirty|strong="H7970" persons|strong="H0376".
23 And Samuel|strong="H8050" said|strong="H0559" unto the cook|strong="H2876", Bring|strong="H5414" the portion|strong="H4490" which I gave|strong="H5414" thee, of which I said|strong="H0559" unto thee, Set|strong="H7760" it by thee.
24 And the cook|strong="H2876" took up|strong="H7311" the shoulder|strong="H7785", and that which was upon it, and set|strong="H7760" it before|strong="H6440" Saul|strong="H7586". And Samuel said|strong="H0559", Behold that which is left|strong="H7604"! set|strong="H7760" it before|strong="H6440" thee, and eat|strong="H0398": for unto this time|strong="H4150" hath it been kept|strong="H8104" for thee since I said|strong="H0559", I have invited|strong="H7121" the people|strong="H5971". So Saul|strong="H7586" did eat|strong="H0398" with Samuel|strong="H8050" that day|strong="H3117".
25 And when they were come down|strong="H3381" from the high place|strong="H1116" into the city|strong="H5892", Samuel communed|strong="H1696" with Saul|strong="H7586" upon the top of the house|strong="H1406".
26 And they arose early|strong="H7925": and it came to pass about the spring|strong="H5927" of the day|strong="H7837", that Samuel|strong="H8050" called|strong="H7121" Saul|strong="H7586" to the top of the house|strong="H1406", saying|strong="H0559", Up|strong="H6965", that I may send thee away|strong="H7971". And Saul|strong="H7586" arose|strong="H6965", and they went out|strong="H3318" both|strong="H8147" of them, he and Samuel|strong="H8050", abroad|strong="H2351".
27 And as they were going down|strong="H3381" to the end|strong="H7097" of the city|strong="H5892", Samuel|strong="H8050" said|strong="H0559" to Saul|strong="H7586", Bid|strong="H0559" the servant|strong="H5288" pass on|strong="H5674" before|strong="H6440" us, (and he passed on|strong="H5674",) but stand|strong="H5975" thou still a while|strong="H3117", that I may shew|strong="H8085" thee the word|strong="H1697" of God|strong="H0430".