09_1SA_09_01 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.
09_1SA_09_02 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.
09_1SA_09_03 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.
09_1SA_09_04 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.
09_1SA_09_05 [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.
09_1SA_09_06 And he said unto him, Behold now, [there is] in this city a man of God, and [he is] an honourable 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.
09_1SA_09_07 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?
09_1SA_09_08 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.
09_1SA_09_09 [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.]
09_1SA_09_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].
09_1SA_09_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?
09_1SA_09_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:
09_1SA_09_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.
09_1SA_09_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.
09_1SA_09_15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
09_1SA_09_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.
09_1SA_09_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.
09_1SA_09_18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house [is].
09_1SA_09_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.
09_1SA_09_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?
09_1SA_09_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?
09_1SA_09_22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which [were] about thirty persons.
09_1SA_09_23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
09_1SA_09_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.
09_1SA_09_25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, [Samuel] communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
09_1SA_09_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.
09_1SA_09_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.