Saul Sets Out to Find the Donkeys
1There was a man of Benjamin named Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bechorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of standing. 2He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man — there was no one among the Israelites more impressive than he. He stood a head taller than anyone else in the land. 3Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish had wandered off, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys.” 4So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the region of Shalisha, but they did not find them. They passed through the region of Shaalim, and they were not there either. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but still they did not find them. 5When they came to the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” 6But the servant said, “Look, there is a man of God in this town, and he is highly regarded — everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now; maybe he can tell us which way to go.” 7Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we bring the man? The bread in our packs is gone, and we have no gift to bring the man of God. What do we have?” 8The servant answered him again, “Look, I have a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us which way to go.” 9(Formerly in Israel, when someone went to inquire of God, he would say, “Come, let’s go to the seer,” because the one who is now called a prophet used to be called a seer.) 10“Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they went to the town where the man of God was. 11As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked them, “Is the seer here?” 12“Yes,” they answered, “he’s just ahead of you. Hurry now — he has just come to town today, because the people have a sacrifice at the high place. 13As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he arrives, because he must bless the sacrifice; only after that will those who are invited eat. Go up now — you should find him about this time.” 14So they went up to the town, and just as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.
Samuel Meets Saul
15Now the day before Saul came, Yahweh had told Samuel, 16“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the territory of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. I have seen my people, for their cry has reached me.” 17When Samuel caught sight of Saul, Yahweh said to him, “There is the man I spoke to you about — he will govern my people.” 18Saul approached Samuel at the gate and said, “Please tell me, where is the seer’s house?” 19“I am the seer,” Samuel answered. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you will eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and tell you all that is on your mind. 20As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them — they have been found. And who is it that all Israel desires? Is it not you and your father’s whole family?” 21Saul answered, “But I am a Benjaminite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my clan is the least important of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. Why do you say such a thing to me?” 22Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of the guests, who numbered about thirty men. 23Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion of meat I gave you, the one I told you to set aside.” 24So the cook brought in the leg, with what was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what was kept for you. Eat, for it was set aside for you for this occasion, from the time I said I would invite the guests.” So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25After they came down from the high place into the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof. 26They rose early, and at daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, and I will send you on your way.” Saul got up, and the two of them, he and Samuel, went outside together. 27As they were going down to the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell your servant to go on ahead of us” — and he did — “but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”
