| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
