1 Samuel 9

Saul's Search for Donkeys 1 Samuel 9:3–10

³Verse 3. The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, “Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys.” ⁴Verse 4. 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 there they weren’t there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn’t find them. ⁵Verse 5. When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys, and be anxious for us.”

⁶Verse 6. The servant said to him, “Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says surely happens. Now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.” ⁷Verse 7. Then Saul said to his servant, “But, behold, if we go, what should we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our sacks, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” ⁸Verse 8. The servant answered Saul again, and said, “Behold, 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.”

⁹Verse 9. (In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, and let us go to the seer”; for he who is now called a prophet was before called a seer.) ¹⁰Verse 10. Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said. Come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

Meeting Samuel the Prophet 1 Samuel 9:11–21

¹¹Verse 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?” ¹²Verse 12. They answered them, and said, “He is. Behold, 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. ¹³Verse 13. As soon as you have come into the city, you will immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards those who are invited eat. Now therefore go up; for at this time you will find him.”

¹⁴Verse 14. They went up to the city. As they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place. ¹⁵Verse 15. Now Yahweh had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying, ¹⁶Verse 16. “Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me.” ¹⁷Verse 17. When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! He will have authority over my people.”

¹⁸Verse 18. Then Saul approached Samuel in the gateway, and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.” ¹⁹Verse 19. Samuel answered Saul, and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you are to eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart. ²⁰Verse 20. As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don’t set your mind on them; for they have been found. For whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you, and for all your father’s house?”

²¹Verse 21. Saul answered, “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 do you speak to me like this?”

Anointed as King 1 Samuel 9:22–24

²²Verse 22. Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons. ²³Verse 23. Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’” ²⁴Verse 24. The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said, “Behold, that which has been reserved! Set it before yourself and eat; because for the appointed time has it been kept for you, for I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

God’s Message to Saul 1 Samuel 9:25–27

²⁵Verse 25. When they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop. ²⁶Verse 26. They arose early; and about daybreak, Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” Saul arose, and they both went outside, he and Samuel, together. ²⁷Verse 27. As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” He went ahead, then Samuel said, “But stand still first, that I may cause you to hear God’s message.”