0 SAB 1 Samuel 9

1 Samuel

CHAPTER 9

God and Samuel select Saul as king
9:1-27

1 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.

There was a mighty man from the tribe of Benjamin named Kish, who was the son of Abiel. [1]

2 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.

Kish's son, Saul, was the best looking guy in Israel and was a foot taller than everyone else.

3 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.

Kish's asses were lost, so he sent Saul and a servant to retrieve them.

4 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.

They looked around mount Ephraim, the land of Shalisha, the land of Shalim, and the land of the Benjamites. But they couldn't find the lost asses.

5 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.

Finally, when they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant,
Let's go home. My father will worry about us.

6 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.

The servant said to Saul,
There's a man of God in this city. Whatever he says will happen happens. Maybe he'll know where the asses are.

7 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?

Saul said,
What can we pay him?

8 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.

9 (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.)

The servant said,
I have a quarter of a shekel of silver.

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.

So Saul said,
Okay then, let's go find the man of God.

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?

When they arrived in the city, they saw some girls at the well. They asked 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.

The girls said,
Yes, he's here. But hurry, they are about to eat.

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.

Samuel came out to meet them.

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.

The previous day, God told Samuel (in his ear),
Tomorrow I'll send a man from the land of Benjamin.

Anoint him as captain over Israel.

He will save the people from the Philistines, because I have heard the people's cry.

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.

When Samuel saw Saul, God said,
This is the guy I was telling you about!

He will 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.

Saul saw Samuel at the gate and asked him,

Where is the seer's house?

Samuel answered,

I am the seer.

20And 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?

Oh, and by the way, those asses you lost three days ago?

Don't worry about them. They've been found.

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.

Samuel and Saul ate dinner and hung out on the roof for a while.

Then Saul and his servant left for home.

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.

As they were leaving, Samuel said to Saul,
Let your servant go ahead, while I show you the word of God.
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