1
And 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 man◦ of Benjamin, mighty of valor.
2
And he had◦ a son, and his name was Saul, a young··man and good; and there was not◦ a man◦ of the sons of Israel better than he; from his shoulder and upwards he was taller than any of the people.
3
And the she··donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were··lost. And Kish said to▵ Saul his son, Take now◦ one of the lads with◦ thee, and arise, go◦ seek the she··donkeys.
4
And he crossed into Mount Ephraim, and crossed into the land of Shalishah, and found them not; and they crossed into the land of Shaalim, and there they were not◦: and he crossed into the land of Benjamin and found them not.
5
They◦ were come to the land of Zuph, and Saul said to his lad who was with him, come, and let us return; lest my father stop being anxious for the she··donkeys, and be··anxious for us.
6
And he said to him, Behold now◦, there is in this city a man◦ of God, and the man◦ is honored◦*; all that he speaks, coming comes to be. Now let us go◦ thither; perhaps he will tell us our way which we shall go◦.
7
And Saul said to his lad, But behold, we go◦, and what shall we bring to the man◦? For the bread is··spent from our vessels and there is not◦ a present◦ to bring to the man◦ of God; what have we with◦ us?
8
And the lad answered Saul again, and said, behold, there is found in my hand the fourth of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man◦ of God, and he will tell to us our way.
9
Before, in Israel, when a man◦ went to inquire of God, he said thus: Let us go to◦ the seer; for he who is called the prophet today was formerly called the seer.
10
And Saul said to his lad, Thy word is good; come, let us go◦. And they went◦ to▵ the city, where the man◦ of God was.
11
They◦ were going··up in going··up to the city, and they◦ found damsels going··out to draw◦ water, and said to them, Is◦ the seer in this place?
12
And they answered them and said, He is◦; behold, he is before you; make··haste now, for he came this day to the city, for there is a sacrifice of the people today in the high··place.
13
As you come··into the city, you shall find him thus◦, before◦ he goes··up to the high··place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, for he◦ blesses the sacrifice. After that, they who are called will eat. And now, go··up, for as to him, this very day you shall find him.
14
And they went··up to the city. They◦ had come into the midst of the city, and behold, Samuel came out to meet them, to go··up to the high··place.
15
And Jehovah had revealed to the ear of Samuel one day before Saul came, saying,
16
Tomorrow about this time I will send a man◦ to▵ thee from the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him for a monarch over My people Israel, and he shall save My people out··of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen My people, for their cry is come to▵ Me.
17
And Samuel saw Saul, and Jehovah answered him, Behold the man◦ of whom I said to▵ thee; he▵ shall retain My people.
18
And Saul approached Samuel in the midst of the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray◦ thee, where◦ the house of the seer is?
19
And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I▵ am the seer; go··up before me unto the high··place, and you shall eat with me today, and in the morning I will send thee away and will tell thee all that is in thy heart.
20
And as for the she··donkeys that were··lost to thee three days ago today, set not thy heart on them, for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not for thee and for all the house of thy father?
21
And Saul answered and said, Am not I▵ a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes◦ of Israel, and my family the least◦ of all the families of the tribe◦ of Benjamin? And wherefore speakest thou unto▵ me according to this word?
22
And Samuel took Saul and his lad, and brought them into the room, and gave them a place at the head of them that were called, and they◦ were about thirty men◦.
23
And Samuel said to the one who slaughtered, Give the portion which I gave to thee, of which I said to▵ thee, Set it with thee.
24
And he who slaughtered it lifted··up◦ the hind··quarter and what was upon it, and set it before Saul. And he said, Behold, that which is left. Set it before thee; eat. For it is kept for thee for this solemn··occasion, saying: I have called the people. And Saul ate with Samuel on that◦ day.
25
And they went··down from the high··place to the city, and he spoke with Saul on the roof.
26
And they got··up··early; and it was, as the dawn came··up, that Samuel called Saul to◦ the roof, saying: Arise, and I will send· thee ·away. And Saul arose, and the two of them went··out, he◦ and Samuel, outside.
27
They◦ were going··down into the edge of the city, and Samuel said unto▵ Saul, Say to the lad that he pass··on before us (and he passed··on), and stand thou◦ this day, and I will cause thee to hear the word of God.
