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Chapter 9 |
| 1 | Now there was
a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the
son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
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| 2 | And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly:
and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from
his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. |
| 3 | And
the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take
now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses. |
| 4 |
And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha,
but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there
they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found
them not. |
| 5
| And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to
his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave
caring for the asses, and take thought for us. |
| 6 | And he said
unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an
honorable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither;
peradventure he can show us our way that we should go. |
| 7 | Then said Saul
to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the
bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man
of God: what have we? |
| 8 | And the servant answered Saul again, and
said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that
will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. |
| 9 | (Beforetime in
Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go
to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a
Seer.) |
| 10
| Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us
go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was. |
| 11 | And as
they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw
water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? |
|
12 | And they answered them,
and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day
to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high
place: |
| 13
| As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway
find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat
until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat
that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find
him. |
| 14 |
And they went up into the city: and when they were come into
the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high
place. |
| 15
| Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul
came, saying, |
|
16 | To morrow about this time I will send thee a man
out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my
people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines:
for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. |
| 17 |
And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake
to thee of! this same shall reign over my people. |
| 18 | Then Saul
drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the
seer's house is. |
|
19 | And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer:
go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to
morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
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| 20 | And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind
on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not
on thee, and on all thy father's house? |
|
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? wherefore then
speakest thou so to me? |
| 22 | And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and
brought them into the parlor, and made them sit in the chiefest place among
them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons. |
| 23 | And Samuel
said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto
thee, Set it by thee. |
| 24 | And the cook took up the shoulder, and that
which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which
is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for
thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that
day. |
| 25 |
And when they were come down from the high place into the
city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. |
| 26 | And they
arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel
called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And
Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. |
| 27 |
And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid
the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on), but stand thou still a
while, that I may show thee the word of God. |
