1Samuel 9:15 - Prayer Tents

Saul—Head and Shoulders Above the Crowd

9There was a man from the tribe of Benjamin named Kish. He was the son of Abiel, grandson of Zeror, great-grandson of Becorath, great-great-grandson of Aphiah—a Benjaminite of stalwart character.H376H1144H8034H7027H1121H22H1121H6872H1121H1064H1121H647H1145H1368H376H24282He had a son, Saul, a most handsome young man. There was none finer—he literally stood head and shoulders above the crowd!H1121H8034H7586H970H2896H1121H3478H2896H376H7926H4605H1364H59713Some of Kish's donkeys got lost. Kish said to his son, "Saul, take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys."H860H7027H7586H1H6H7027H559H7586H1121H3947H259H5288H6965H3212H1245H8604Saul took one of the servants and went to find the donkeys. They went into the hill country of Ephraim around Shalisha, but didn't find them. Then they went over to Shaalim—no luck. Then to Jabin, and still nothing.H5674H2022H669H5674H776H8031H4672H5674H776H8171H5674H776H1145H46725When they got to Zuph, Saul said to the young man with him, "Enough of this. Let's go back. Soon my father is going to forget about the donkeys and start worrying about us."H935H776H6689H7586H559H5288H3212H7725H1H2308H860H16726He replied, "Not so fast. There's a holy man in this town. He carries a lot of weight around here. What he says is always right on the mark. Maybe he can tell us where to go."H559H5892H376H430H3513H376H1696H935H935H3212H5046H1870H19807Saul said, "If we go, what do we have to give him? There's no more bread in our sacks. We've nothing to bring as a gift to the holy man. Do we have anything else?"H559H7586H5288H3212H935H376H3899H235H3627H8670H935H376H4308The servant spoke up, "Look, I just happen to have this silver coin! I'll give it to the holy man and he'll tell us how to proceed!"H5288H6030H7586H3254H559H4672H3027H7253H8255H3701H5414H376H430H5046H18709(In former times in Israel, a person who wanted to seek God's word on a matter would say, "Let's visit the Seer," because the one we now call "the Prophet" used to be called "the Seer.")H6440H3478H376H3212H1875H430H559H3212H3212H7200H3117H5030H6440H7121H720010"Good," said Saul, "let's go." And they set off for the town where the holy man lived.H1697H7586H5288H2896H559H3212H3212H3212H5892H376H43011As they were climbing up the hill into the town, they met some girls who were coming out to draw water. They said to them, "Is this where the Seer lives?"H5927H4608H5892H4672H5291H3318H7579H4325H559H3426H720012They answered, "It sure is—just ahead. Hurry up. He's come today because the people have prepared a sacrifice at the shrine.H6030H559H3426H6440H4116H935H3117H5892H2077H5971H3117H111613As soon as you enter the town, you can catch him before he goes up to the shrine to eat. The people won't eat until he arrives, for he has to bless the sacrifice. Only then can everyone eat. So get going. You're sure to find him!"H935H5892H3651H4672H5927H1116H398H5971H398H935H1288H2077H310H3651H398H7121H5927H3117H467214They continued their climb and entered the city. And then there he was—Samuel!—coming straight toward them on his way to the shrine!H5927H8432H5892H935H5892H8050H3318H7125H5927H111615The very day before, GOD had confided in Samuel,H3068H1540H8050H241H259H3117H6440H7586H935H55916"This time tomorrow, I'm sending a man from the land of Benjamin to meet you. You're to anoint him as prince over my people Israel. He will free my people from Philistine oppression. Yes, I know all about their hard circumstances. I've heard their cries for help."H4279H6256H7971H376H776H1144H4886H5057H5971H3478H3467H5971H3027H6430H7200H5971H6818H93517The moment Samuel laid eyes on Saul, GOD said, "He's the one, the man I told you about. This is the one who will keep my people in check."H8050H7200H7586H3068H6030H376H559H6113H597118Saul came up to Samuel in the street and said, "Pardon me, but can you tell me where the Seer lives?"H7586H5066H8050H8432H8179H559H5046H335H7200H100419"I'm the Seer," said Samuel. "Accompany me to the shrine and eat with me. In the morning I'll tell you all about what's on your mind, and send you on your way.H8050H6030H7586H559H7200H5927H6440H1116H398H3117H1242H7971H5046H382420And by the way, your lost donkeys—the ones you've been hunting for the last three days—have been found, so don't worry about them. At this moment, Israel's future is in your hands."H860H6H7969H3117H3117H7760H3820H4672H2532H3478H1H100421Saul answered, "But I'm only a Benjaminite, from the smallest of Israel's tribes, and from the most insignificant clan in the tribe at that. Why are you talking to me like this?"H7586H6030H559H1145H6996H7626H3478H4940H6810H4940H7626H1144H1696H169722Samuel took Saul and his servant and led them into the dining hall at the shrine and seated them at the head of the table. There were about thirty guests.H8050H3947H7586H5288H935H3957H5414H7218H4725H7121H7970H37623Then Samuel directed the chef, "Bring the choice cut I pointed out to you, the one I told you to reserve."H8050H559H2876H5414H4490H5414H559H776024The chef brought it and placed it before Saul with a flourish, saying, "This meal was kept aside just for you. Eat! It was especially prepared for this time and occasion with these guests." Saul ate with Samuel—a memorable day!H2876H7311H7785H7760H6440H7586H559H7604H7760H6440H398H4150H8104H559H7121H5971H7586H398H8050H311725Afterward they went down from the shrine into the city. A bed was prepared for Saul on the breeze-cooled roof of Samuel's house.H3381H1116H5892H1696H7586H140626They woke at the break of day. Samuel called to Saul on the roof, "Get up and I'll send you off." Saul got up and the two of them went out in the street.H7925H5927H7837H8050H7121H7586H1406H559H6965H7971H7586H6965H3318H8147H8050H235127As they approached the outskirts of town, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell your servant to go on ahead of us. You stay with me for a bit. I have a word of God to give you."H3381H7097H5892H8050H559H7586H559H5288H5674H6440H5674H5975H3117H8085H1697H430