1Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a mighty man of valor.
2He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice young man and handsome; and there was no man among the sons of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than all the people.
3Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost, and Kish said to Saul his son, “Take now with you one of the servants, and rise, go, seek the donkeys.”
4So 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, but there was nothing; then he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
5When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us return, lest my father cease worrying about the donkeys and become anxious about us.”
6But he said to him, “Look now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; all that he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now; perhaps he will tell us the way we should go.”
7Saul said to his servant, “But look, if we go, what shall we bring to the man? For the bread is gone from our bags, and there is no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
8The servant answered Saul again and said, “Look, I have in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.”
9(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he would say thus: “Come, let us go to the seer”; for the prophet of today was formerly called a seer.)
10Saul said to his servant, “Your word is good. Come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11As they were going up the ascent to the city, they found young women coming out to draw water, and they said to them, “Is the seer here?”
12They answered them and said, “He is; look, he is just ahead of you. Hurry now, for today he has come to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today at the high place.
13As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice, and after that those who are invited eat. So go up now, for at this time you will find him.”
14So they went up to the city. As they were entering the midst of the city, there was Samuel coming out toward them to go up to the high place.
15Now Yahweh had uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before Saul’s coming, saying,
16“About this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him as leader over my people Israel, and he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me.”
17When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh answered him: “Here is the man of whom I said to you, ‘This one will rule over my people.’”
18Then Saul approached Samuel in the middle of the gate and said, “Tell me, please, where is the house of the seer?”
19Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today, and in the morning I will send you off, and I will tell you all that is in your heart.
20As for the donkeys that were lost to you three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And to whom belongs all the desire of Israel? Is it not to you and to all your father’s house?”
21Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my clan the least of all the clans of the tribes of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
22Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men.
23And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it aside with you.’”
24So the cook took up the thigh and what was upon it and set it before Saul, and Samuel said, “Here is what has been reserved; set it before yourself and eat, for it has been kept for you until the appointed time, saying, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25Then they went down from the high place into the city, and he spoke with Saul on the roof.
26They rose early, and at the break of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, “Get up, and I will send you off.” So Saul got up, and the two of them, he and Samuel, went outside.
27As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on ahead of us”—and he passed on—“but you, stand still for a moment, that I may make you hear the word of God.”
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