Saul Chosen as King 1 ULT Now{ there} was a man from Benjamin, and his name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man, a Benjaminite, mighty of valor. BSB BSB: Now there was a Benjamite, a powerful man, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.
2 ULT And a son was to him, and his name{ was} Saul, a youth and good, and no man from the sons of Israel{ was} better than him. From his shoulder and upward{ he was} taller than all of the people. BSB BSB: And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.
3 ULT Now the female donkeys of Kish, the father of Saul, became lost. And Kish said to Saul his son,“Please take one of the servants with you and arise, go seek the female donkeys.” BSB BSB: One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants and go look for the donkeys.”
4 ULT And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and he passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find{ them}. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but nothing. And he passed through the land of the Benjaminite, but they did not find{ them}. BSB BSB: So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find the donkeys. He and the servant went through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they went through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.
5 ULT They came into the land of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant who was with him,“Come, and let us return, lest my father cease from the female donkeys and become concerned about us.” BSB BSB: When they reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, “Come, let us go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
6 ULT And he said to him,“Behold, please, a man of God{ is} in this city, and the man is honored. All that he speaks, coming, it comes. Now let us go there. Perhaps he will declare to us our way on which we have gone.” BSB BSB: “Look,” said the servant, “in this city there is a man of God who is highly respected; everything he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now. Perhaps he will tell us which way to go.”
7 ULT And Saul said to his servant,“Now behold, we shall go, but what shall we bring to the man? For the bread has gone from our sacks and{ there is} no gift to bring to the man of God. What{ is} with us?” BSB BSB: “If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
8 ULT And the servant resumed to answer Saul, and he said,“Behold, one fourth of a shekel of silver has been found in my hand. And I will give{ it} to the man of God, and he will declare to us our way.” BSB BSB: The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have here in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.”
9 ULT (Previously in Israel, a man said thus in his going to seek God:“Come, and let us go to the seer.” For the prophet today was called the seer previously.) BSB BSB: (Formerly in Israel, a man on his way to inquire of God would say, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.)
10 ULT And Saul said to his servant,“Your word is good. Come, let us go.” And they went to the city where the man of God was there. BSB BSB: “Good,” said Saul to his servant. “Come, let us go.” So they set out for the city where the man of God was.
11 ULT They were going up on the ascent of the city, and they found young women going out to draw water. And they said to them,“Is the seer in this{ place}?” BSB BSB: And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?”
12 ULT And they answered them and said,“He is, behold, to your face. Hurry now, for he has come to the city today because the sacrifice of the day{ is} to the people at the high place. BSB BSB: “Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place.
13 ULT In your entering the city, thus you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, for he himself will bless the sacrifice; after this, the invited{ ones} will eat. And now, go up, for him, according to today you will find him.” BSB BSB: As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.”
14 ULT So they went up{ to} the city. They were entering into the midst of the city, and behold, Samuel was coming out to meet them to go up{ to} the high place. BSB BSB: So Saul and his servant went up toward the city, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel coming toward them on his way up to the high place.
15 ULT Now Yahweh had uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before the coming of Saul, saying: BSB BSB: Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,
16 ULT “About{ this} time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him as ruler over my people Israel. And he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, for its cry has come to me.” BSB BSB: “At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him ruler over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”
17 ULT And Samuel saw Saul, and Yahweh answered him,“Behold the man{ about} whom I spoke to you! This{ one} will restrain my people.” BSB BSB: When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke; he shall rule over My people.”
18 ULT And Saul approached Samuel in the midst of the gate. And he said,“Please declare to me, where{ is} this, the house of the seer?” BSB BSB: Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”
19 ULT And Samuel answered Saul and said,“I{ am} the seer. Go up to my face to the high place, and you shall eat with me today. And I will send you away in the morning, and I will declare to you all that{ is} in your heart. BSB BSB: “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. And when I send you off in the morning, I will tell you all that is in your heart.
20 ULT Now as for the female donkeys to you having become lost today, three days, do not set your heart to them, for they have been found. Now to whom is all of the desire of Israel?{ Is it} not to you and to all of the house of your father?” BSB BSB: As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And upon whom is all the desire of Israel, if not upon you and all your father’s house?”
21 ULT And Saul answered and said,“{ Am} I not a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and{ is not} my clan the least of all of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? So why have you spoken to me according to this word?” BSB BSB: Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”
22 ULT But Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them to the room. And he gave to them a place at the head of the invited{ ones}.(Now they{ were} about 30 men.) BSB BSB: Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them in the place of honor among those who were invited—about thirty in all.
23 ULT And Samuel said to the cook,“Give the portion that I gave to you,{ about} which I said to you,‘Set it with you.’” BSB BSB: And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you and told you to set aside.”
24 ULT And the cook lifted the thigh and the{ thing} on it, and he set{ it} to the face of Saul. And he said,“Behold, the reserved{ thing} is set to your face. Eat, for{ it has been} kept for you for the appointed time, saying,‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel on that day. BSB BSB: So the cook picked up the leg and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Here is what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat, for it has been kept for you for this occasion, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul dined with Samuel that day.
25 ULT And they came down from the high place{ to} the city. And he spoke with Saul on the roof. BSB BSB: And after they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.
26 ULT And they arose early. And it happened, as the dawn came up, that Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying,“Arise, and I will send you away.” And Saul arose, and the two of them went out, he and Samuel, to the outside. BSB BSB: They got up early in the morning, and just before dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way!” So Saul got ready, and both he and Samuel went outside together.
27 ULT They were going down to the end of the city, and Samuel said to Saul,“Speak to the servant, that he may pass on to our face”(and he passed on),“but you, stand according to today, and I will make you hear the word of God.” BSB BSB: As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I will reveal to you the word of God.” So the servant went on.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.