1 Samuel

1 Samuel 9

1Saul the son of Kish is sent to seek his father's asses which were lost, and despairing to find them is counselled by his servant to apply to Samuel. 11He is directed by some young maidens where to meet with him. 15Samuel, having been told by God both of his coming and of his appointment to the kingdom, entertaineth him at a feast with great respect; 25and on the morrow, after a private conversation, bringeth him on his way.

1NOW there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was ^aKish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, ¹a Benjamite, a mighty man of ²power.

a ch. 14.51. 1Ch. 8.30-33; 9.36-39.

2And he had a son, whose name was Saul, ^ba 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.

b Ge. 6.2. ch. 10.23; 16.7. 2Sa. 14.25. Je. 9.23.

3And the ^casses 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.

c Job 1.3. Ge. 32.15. Ju. 5.10; 10.4. v.16.

4And he passed through ^dmount Ephraim, and passed through the land of ^eShalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of ^fShalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

d Jos. 17.15,18; 24.33. Ju. 17.1; 19.1. e 2Ki. 4.42. f Jn. 3.23. Ge. 33.18; 14.18.

5And when they were come to the ^gland 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 ^htake thought for us.

g ch. 1.1. h Mat. 6.27,31,34.

6And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city ⁱa man of God, and he is an ^jhonourable man; ^kall that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; ^*peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.

i ch. 2.27. De. 33.1. Ju. 13.6. 1Ki. 13.1. j 1Th. 2.10; 5.13. k ch. 3.19,20. Is. 44.26. Zec. 1.5,6.

7Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, ^lwhat shall we bring the man? for the bread ³is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what ⁴have we?

l 1Ki. 14.3. 2Ki. 4.42; 8.8; 5.5. Ju. 6.18; 13.17.

8And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, ⁵I 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 ^menquire 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 ⁿSeer.)

m Ge. 25.22. Ju. 1.1. n 2Sa. 15.27; 24.11. 2Ki. 17.13. Am. 7.12. Is. 29.10; 30.10. 1Ch. 26.28. 2Ch. 16.7,10.

10Then said Saul to his servant, ⁶Well ^osaid; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

o Job 31.13. Ec. 4.9,10.

11¶And as they went ⁷up the hill to the city, they found young maidens ^pgoing out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?

p Ge. 24.11. Ju. 5.11.

12And 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 ⁸sacrifice of the people to day in ^qthe high place:

q ch. 10.5.

13As 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 ^rbless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about ⁹this time ye shall find him.

r De. 8.10. Mat. 26.26. Lu. 24.30. 1Ti. 4.4. ch. 1.4. Le. 7.15,16.

14And 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.

15¶^sNow the LORD had ¹⁰told Samuel in his ear ^ta day before Saul came, saying,

s ch. 15.1. Ac. 13.21. t Ac. 15.18. Is. 43.12; 44.7; 45.21; 46.10; 48.6.

16To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and ^uthou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for ^vI have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

u ch. 10.1. v Ge. 29.32. Ex. 2.25; 3.7,9. De. 32.36. Ps. 106.44.

17And when Samuel saw Saul, ^wthe LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall ¹¹reign over my people.

w v.15. ch. 16.8,12. Pr. 3.5,6.

18Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.

19And 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.

20And as for ^xthine asses that were lost ¹²three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And ^yon whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?

x v.3 y ch. 8.5,19. v.2.

21And Saul answered and said, Am not I a ^zBenjamite, 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 ¹³so to me?

z Ps. 68.27. Ju. 20.46-48; 6.14,15. ch. 15.17.

22And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the ^a*parlour, and ^bmade them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.

a 2Ki. 23.11. b Ge. 43.33.

23And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the ^cportion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.

c ch. 1.5. Ge. 43.34.

24And the cook took up the ^dshoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is ¹⁴left! 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.

d Le. 7.32,33. Ex. 29.22,27.

25¶And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul ^eupon the top of the house.

e De. 22.8. 2Sa. 11.2. Mat. 10.27. Je. 19.13. Ac. 10.9. Ne. 8.16. Ju. 16.27.

26And 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 ^fSaul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, ^*abroad.

f Nu. 23.3. Ju. 3.20.

27And 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 ¹⁵a while, that I may ¹⁶shew thee the word of God.