I Samuel

There was a man in Benjamin whose name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Becorath son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of substance.

He had a son whose name was Saul, an excellent young man; no one among the Israelites was handsomer than he; he was a head tallerahe was a head taller Lit. “taller from his shoulders up.” than any of the people.

Once the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish went astray, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take along one of the servants and go out and look for the donkeys.”

He passed into the hill country of Ephraim. He crossed the district of Shalishah, but they did not find them. They passed through the district of Shaalim, but they were not there. They traversed the [entire] territory of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.

When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Let us turn back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and begin to worry about us.”

But he replied, “There is an agent of God in that town, and the man is highly esteemed; everything that he says comes true. Let us go there; perhaps he will tell us about the errand on which we set out.”

“But if we go,” Saul said to his servant, “what can we bring the man? For the food in our bags is all gone, and there is nothing we can bring to the agent of God as a present. What have we got?”

The servant answered Saul again, “I happen to have a quarter-shekel of silver. I can give that to the agent of God and he will tell us about our errand.”—

bThis verse explains the term “seer” in v. 11. Formerly in Israel, such a person who went to inquire of God would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for the prophet of today was formerly called a seer.—

Saul said to his servant, “A good idea; let us go.” And they went to the town where the agent of God lived.

As they were climbing the ascent to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer in town?”

“Yes,” they replied. “He is up there ahead of you.”—“Hurry, for he has just come to the towncHurry, for he has just come to the town Emendation yields “Hurry, for he has just reached (ʻattah kayyom baʼ, so Septuagint) the gate”; cf. v. 18. because the people have a sacrifice at the shrine today!”—

“As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the shrine to eat.”—“The people will not eat until he comes; for he must first bless the sacrifice and only then will the guests eat.”—“Go up at once, for you will find him right away!”

So they went up to the town; and as they were entering the town,dtown Emendation yields “gate”; cf. v. 18. Samuel came out toward them, on his way up to the shrine.

Now the day before Saul came, GOD had revealed the following to Samuel:

“At this time tomorrow, I will send a man to you from the territory of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him ruler of My people Israel. He will deliver My people from the hands of the Philistines; for I have taken note of My people,eMy people Septuagint and Targum read “the plight of My people”; cf. Exod. 3.7. their outcry has come to Me.”

As soon as Samuel saw Saul, GOD declared to him, “This is the man that I told you would govern My people.”

Saul approached Samuel inside the gate and said to him, “Tell me, please, where is the house of the seer?”

And Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the shrine, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, after telling you whatever may be on your mind.

As for your donkeys that strayed three days ago, do not concern yourself about them, for they have been found. And for whom is all Israel yearning, if not for you and all your ancestral house?”

Saul replied, “But I am only a Benjaminite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my clan is the least of all the clans of the tribeftribe Heb. plural. of Benjamin! Why do you say such things to me?”

Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of the guests, who numbered about thirty.

And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you and told you to set aside.”

The cook lifted up the thigh and what was on it,gwhat was on it Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “the broad tail.” and set it before Saul. And [Samuel] said, “What has been reserved is set before you. Eat; it has been kept for you for this occasion, when I said I was inviting the people.”hWhat has been reserved … people Meaning of Heb. uncertain. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

They then descended from the shrine to the town, and [Samuel] talked with Saul on the roof.

Early, ati[Samuel] talked with Saul on the roof. Early, at Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads “They spread a bed for Saul on the roof, and he lay down. At…” the break of day, Samuel called to Saul on the roof. He said, “Get up, and I will send you off.” Saul arose, and the two of them, Samuel and he, went outside.

As they were walking toward the end of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to walk ahead of us”—and he walked ahead—“but you stop here a moment and I will make known to you the word of God.”