I Samuel 9 · שמואל א

Now there was a man of Binyamin, whose name was Qish, the son of Avi᾽el, the son of Żeror, the son of Bekhorat, the son of Afiaĥ, a (Bin) yemini, a mighty man of valour.

And he had a son, whose name was Sha᾽ul, a choice young man, and handsome: and there was not among the children of Yisra᾽el a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upwards he was taller than any of the people.

And the asses of Qish Sha᾽ul’s father were lost. And Qish said to Sha᾽ul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.

And he passed through mount Efrayim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Sha῾alim, and they were not there: and he passed through the land of the (Bin) yemini, but they did not find them.

And when they were come to the land of Żuf, Sha᾽ul said to his lad that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and become anxious about us.

And he said to him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he says is sure to come about: now let us go there; perhaps he can show us our way that we should go.

Then said Sha᾽ul 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?

And the servant answered Sha᾽ul again, and said, Behold, there is in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.

(Beforetime in Yisra᾽el, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spoke, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a prophet was beforetime called the seer.)

Then said Sha᾽ul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was.

And as they went up the hill to the city, they found some girls going out to draw water, and they said to them, Is the seer here?

And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came today to the city; for the people are making a sacrifice today in the high place:

as you come into the city, you shall find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice; and afterwards those that are invited eat. Now therefore go up; for about this time you shall find him.

And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Shemu᾽el came out towards them, to go up to the high place.

Now the Lord had revealed to Shemu᾽el a day before Sha᾽ul came, saying,

To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Binyamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be a prince over my people Yisra᾽el, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Pelishtim: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come to me.

And when Shemu᾽el saw Sha᾽ul, the Lord said to him, Behold the man of whom I spoke to thee! this one shall reign over my people.

Then Sha᾽ul drew near to Shemu᾽el in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is.

And Shemu᾽el answered Sha᾽ul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me to the high place; for you shall eat with me today, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thy heart.

And as for thy 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 Yisra᾽el? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?

And Sha᾽ul answered and said, Am not I a Ben-yemini, of the smallest of the tribes of Yisra᾽el? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Binyamin? Why then dost thou speak so to me?

And Shemu᾽el took Sha᾽ul and his servant, and brought them into the dining chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among those that were invited, who were about thirty persons.

And Shemu᾽el said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said to thee, Set it aside by thee.

And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Sha᾽ul. And (Shemu᾽el) said, Behold that which is left is set before thee; eat: for it has been kept for thee for this appointed time, when I said, I have invited the people. So Sha᾽ul did eat with Shemu᾽el that day.

And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Shemu᾽el spoke with Sha᾽ul upon the top of the house.

And they arose early: and it came to pass at about daybreak, that Shemu᾽el called Sha᾽ul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Sha᾽ul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Shemu᾽el out of doors.

And as they were going down to the end of the city, Shemu᾽el said to Sha᾽ul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still awhile, that I may make known to thee the word of God.