1 Samuel 9:1-13 ▼

1 There 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,

2 he had a son named Saul, who was a choice and handsome young man. There was no one among the Israelis as handsome as he, and he was a head taller than any of the other people.

3 The donkeys belonging to Kish, Saul's father, were lost, and Kish told his son Saul, |Take one of the young men with you, get up, and go look for the donkeys.|

4 He 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 descendants of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

5 When they entered the region of Zuph, Saul told 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.|

6 The 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.|

7 Saul told 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?|

8 The 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.|

9 (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.)

10 Saul told his young man, |That's a good suggestion! Come on, let's go!| Then they entered the town where the man of God was.

11 As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women going out to draw water, and they told them, |Is the seer here?|

12 They 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.

13 When 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.|