9There was a man from Benjamin named Kish, Abiel's son, the grandson of Zeror and great-grandson of Aphiah's son Becorath. A prominent man from Benjamin,H376H1144H8034H7027H1121H22H1121H6872H1121H1064H1121H647H1145H1368H376H24282he had a son named Saul, who was a choice and handsome young man. There was no one among the Israelites as handsome as he, and he was a head taller than any of the other people.H1121H8034H7586H970H2896H1121H3478H2896H376H7926H4605H1364H59713The donkeys belonging to Kish, Saul's father, were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the young men with you, get up, and go look for the donkeys."H860H7027H7586H1H6H7027H559H7586H1121H3947H259H5288H6965H3212H1245H8604He went through the hill country of Ephraim and through the region of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they went through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. They also went through the territory of the Benjaminites, but they did not find them.H5674H2022H669H5674H776H8031H4672H5674H776H8171H5674H776H1145H46725When they entered the region of Zuph, Saul said to the young man with him, "Come on, let's go back so my father does not stop worrying about the donkeys and become anxious about us."H935H776H6689H7586H559H5288H3212H7725H1H2308H860H16726The young man said, "Look, there's a man of God in this town. The man is respected, and everything he predicts happens. Now, let's go there. Perhaps he can tell us about the journey on which we have set out."H559H5892H376H430H3513H376H1696H935H935H3212H5046H1870H19807Saul said to the young man, "Look, we could go, but what could we bring the man?The bread is gone from our bags, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have with us?"H559H7586H5288H3212H935H376H3899H235H3627H8670H935H376H4308The young man answered Saul again, "Look here! I have in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I'll give it to the man of God, and he will tell us about our journey."H5288H6030H7586H3254H559H4672H3027H7253H8255H3701H5414H376H430H5046H18709(Previously in Israel, a person would say when he went to inquire of God, "Come on! Let's go to the seer!" because the person known as a prophet today was formerly called a seer.)H6440H3478H376H3212H1875H430H559H3212H3212H7200H3117H5030H6440H7121H720010Saul said to his young man, "That's a good suggestion! Come on, let's go!" Then they entered the town where the man of God was.H1697H7586H5288H2896H559H3212H3212H3212H5892H376H43011As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women going out to draw water, and they said to them, "Is the seer here?"H5927H4608H5892H4672H5291H3318H7579H4325H559H3426H720012They answered them: "Yes, he's right there ahead of you. Hurry, for he came to town just today because there is a sacrifice for the people on the high place today.H6030H559H3426H6440H4116H935H3117H5892H2077H5971H3117H111613When you come into town you can find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people don't eat until he arrives, because he must bless the sacrifice and then after that those who are invited will eat. So go up right now because you can find him now."H935H5892H3651H4672H5927H1116H398H5971H398H935H1288H2077H310H3651H398H7121H5927H3117H467214They went up to the town, and as they were coming to the center of the town, Samuel was coming out to meet them, on his way up to the high place.H5927H8432H5892H935H5892H8050H3318H7125H5927H111615Now one day before Saul's arrival, the Lord had revealed to Samuel:H3068H1540H8050H241H259H3117H6440H7586H935H55916"About this time tomorrow I'll send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him as commander-in-chief over my people Israel. He'll deliver my people from the control of the Philistines, because I've seen the suffering of my people and because their cry has come up to me."H4279H6256H7971H376H776H1144H4886H5057H5971H3478H3467H5971H3027H6430H7200H5971H6818H93517When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, "Here is the man I told you about. This man will rule over my people."H8050H7200H7586H3068H6030H376H559H6113H597118As Saul approached Samuel in the middle of the gate, he said, "Please tell me where the seer's house is."H7586H5066H8050H8432H8179H559H5046H335H7200H100419Samuel answered Saul: "I'm the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, and eat with me today. In the morning I'll send you away and tell you everything that is on your mind.H8050H6030H7586H559H7200H5927H6440H1116H398H3117H1242H7971H5046H382420Now as for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, don't give any thought to them, because they've been found. Meanwhile, to whom is all Israel looking, if not to you and all of your father's household?"H860H6H7969H3117H3117H7760H3820H4672H2532H3478H1H100421Saul answered: "Am I not a Benjaminite from the least of the tribes of Israel?Isn't my family the least important of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?Why have you spoken to me like this?"H7586H6030H559H1145H6996H7626H3478H4940H6810H4940H7626H1144H1696H169722Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them to a room where he gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, of whom there were about 30 men.H8050H3947H7586H5288H935H3957H5414H7218H4725H7121H7970H37623Then Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion that I gave you, the one I told you to set aside."H8050H559H2876H5414H4490H5414H559H776024The cook picked up the thigh and what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Then Samuel said, "Here is what is left! Set it before you and eat, for it has been kept for you until the appointed time, about which I said, 'I've invited the people.'" So Saul ate with Samuel that day.H2876H7311H7785H7760H6440H7586H559H7604H7760H6440H398H4150H8104H559H7121H5971H7586H398H8050H311725When they had come down from the high place into town, Samuel spoke to Saul on the roof.H3381H1116H5892H1696H7586H140626They got up early in the morning, and about daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, "Get up and I'll send you off." Saul got up and the two of them, he and Samuel, went outside.H7925H5927H7837H8050H7121H7586H1406H559H6965H7971H7586H6965H3318H8147H8050H235127As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell your young man to go ahead of us and when he has gone ahead, stop for a while so I may declare God's word to you."H3381H7097H5892H8050H559H7586H559H5288H5674H6440H5674H5975H3117H8085H1697H430
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