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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 man [of] Benjamin, a mighty man of valor.² And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a young and goodly man: and there was not among the sons of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher 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 attendants 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 didn't 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 didn't find them.⁵ When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his attendant that was with him, Come, and let us return, or else my father will leave off caring for the donkeys, and be anxious for us.⁶ And he said to him, Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honor; all that he says surely comes to pass: now let us go there; perhaps he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go.⁷ Then Saul said to his attendant, But, look, 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 do we have?⁸ And the attendant answered Saul again, and said, Look, 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 that is now called a Prophet was formerly called a Seer.)¹⁰ Then said Saul to his attendant, 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; look, [he is] before you: hurry 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 come into the city, you shall right away 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] afterward they eat that are bidden. Now therefore go up; for at this time you shall find him.¹⁴ And they went up to the city; [and] as they came inside the city, look, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.¹⁵ Now Yahweh 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 shall anoint him to be leader over my people Israel; and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked on my people, because their cry has come to me.¹⁷ And when Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, Look, the man of whom I spoke to you! this same shall have authority over my people.

¹⁸ Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray you, 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 shall 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 being lost now these three days, don't set your mind on them; for they have been 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 did you speak to me after this manner?²² And Samuel took Saul and his attendant, and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among those that were bidden, who were about thirty persons.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 that which was on it, and set it before Saul. And [Samuel] said, Look, that which has been reserved! set it before you and eat; because to the appointed time has it been kept for you, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.²⁵ And when they had come down from the high place into the city, he communed with Saul on the housetop.²⁶ And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Rise 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 attendant to pass on before us (and he passed on), but you stand still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.