1 Samuel 9:1-13 ▼

1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a mighty man of valor.

2 He had a son, whose name was Saul, a handsome young man; and there was no one among the children of Israel more handsome than he was. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, |Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.| So Saul got up and took one of the servants of his father with him and went to look for the donkeys of his father Kish.

4 He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they weren't there. Then he passed through the land of the Jaminites, but they did not find them.

5 When they had come to 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.|

6 He said to him, |See 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 comes to pass. Now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us concerning our journey on which we have set out.|

7 Then Saul said to his servant, |But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone in our vessels, and there is no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?|

8 The servant answered Saul again, and said, |Look, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. You shall give that to the man of God, to tell us about our journey.|

9 (In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he would say, |Come, and let us go to the seer|; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.)

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.

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?|

12 They answered them, and said, |He is. Look, he is ahead of you. Just now he has come to the city since the people have a sacrifice today on the high place.

13 As soon as you have come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice, and afterwards those who are invited may eat. Now therefore go up for you shall find him right now.|