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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 shew us
our way that we should go.
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?
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 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to
enquire 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.
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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 parlour, 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 shew thee the word of
God.
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