MLV(i)
1 Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a young man and fine looking. And there was not among the sons of Israel a man better looking than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 And the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with you and arise, go seek the donkeys. 4 And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim and they were not there. And he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, Come and let us return, lest my father leave off caring for the donkeys and be anxious for us. 6 And he said to him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says occurs. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us concerning our journey on which we go.
7 Then Saul said to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what will 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 in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way. 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come and let us go to the seer, for he who is now called a Prophet was formerly called a Seer.)
10 Then Saul said to his servant, Well said. Come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was. 11 As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water and said to them, Is the seer here? 12 And they answered them and said, He is. Behold, he is before you. Make haste now, for he has come today into the city, for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.
13 As soon as you* have come into the city, you* will immediately find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he graces the sacrifice, and afterwards those who are bidden eat. Therefore now you* get up, for at this time you* will find him. 14 And they went up to the city. And as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.
15 Now Jehovah had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, 16 Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin and you will anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. And he will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said to him, Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This man will have authority over my people.
18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and said, I beseech you, tell me where the seer's house is. 19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you* will eat with me today. And in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 And as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house? 21 And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me according to this manner?
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the guest-chamber and made them sit in the chief place among those who were bidden, who were about thirty men.
23 And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, Set it by you. 24 And the cook took up the thigh and what was upon it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold, what has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you to the appointed time, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 And when they came down from the high place into the city, he spoke with Saul upon the housetop.
26 And they arose early. And it happened about the dawning of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send you away. And Saul arose and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27 As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.
3 And the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with you and arise, go seek the donkeys. 4 And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim and they were not there. And he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, Come and let us return, lest my father leave off caring for the donkeys and be anxious for us. 6 And he said to him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says occurs. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us concerning our journey on which we go.
7 Then Saul said to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what will 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 in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way. 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come and let us go to the seer, for he who is now called a Prophet was formerly called a Seer.)
10 Then Saul said to his servant, Well said. Come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was. 11 As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water and said to them, Is the seer here? 12 And they answered them and said, He is. Behold, he is before you. Make haste now, for he has come today into the city, for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.
13 As soon as you* have come into the city, you* will immediately find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he graces the sacrifice, and afterwards those who are bidden eat. Therefore now you* get up, for at this time you* will find him. 14 And they went up to the city. And as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.
15 Now Jehovah had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, 16 Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin and you will anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. And he will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said to him, Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! This man will have authority over my people.
18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate and said, I beseech you, tell me where the seer's house is. 19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you* will eat with me today. And in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart. 20 And as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house? 21 And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me according to this manner?
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the guest-chamber and made them sit in the chief place among those who were bidden, who were about thirty men.
23 And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, Set it by you. 24 And the cook took up the thigh and what was upon it and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold, what has been reserved! Set it before you and eat, because it has been kept for you to the appointed time, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 And when they came down from the high place into the city, he spoke with Saul upon the housetop.
26 And they arose early. And it happened about the dawning of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send you away. And Saul arose and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27 As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.