Saul Chosen as King 1 UST Now there was a rich and influential man whose name was Kish. He belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. Kish was the son of Abiel, the grandson of Zeror, the great- grandson of Becorath, and the great- great- grandson of Aphiah. Kish lived within the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. 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 UST Kish had a son whose name was Saul. He was a handsome young man. In fact, he was one of the most attractive Israelite young men. He was also much taller than most other men. 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 UST Saul’ s father Kish owned some female donkeys, and one day they wandered off. So Kish told Saul,“Take one of the servants with you and go and look for those 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 UST So Saul did that. He took a servant, and they walked through the hilly area where the descendants of Ephraim lived, and then they went through the regions of Shalishah and Shaalim, and then they went through all the region belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, but they could not find the donkeys. 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 UST Finally, they came to the region of Zuph. Then Saul said to the servant,“We should go back home. If we do not do that, my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying 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 UST But the servant told Saul,“I have another idea. Please listen to it. One of God’ s prophets lives in this city. People respect him very much because everything he predicts comes true. Let us go and speak with him. Perhaps he can tell us where we should go to find the donkeys.” 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 UST Saul replied to the servant,“I agree that we should go and speak with him, but what can we give him as a gift? We have no more food in our sacks, and I do not know of something else we could give him. Do we have anything else 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 UST In response, the servant told Saul,“Actually, I do have a small piece of silver that I can give to the prophet.{ That way we can speak with him} and he will tell us where we should go to find the donkeys.” 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 UST Saul told his servant,“That is a good idea. Let us go and speak with him.” So they went to the city where the prophet lived. As they were going up the hill into the city, they met some young women who were coming out of the city to get some water from a well. They asked the women,“Is the seer currently in the city?”(They said that because at that time, when people in Israel wanted a message from God, they would say,“Let us go and speak with the seer.” They used the term“seer” to refer to the same kind of person whom people now call a“prophet.”) 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.)
12 UST The women replied,“Yes, he is in the city. In fact, he is just ahead of you. If you walk fast, you will catch up with him. He came back to the city this very day because the people will be gathering today on the hill to worship God, and he is going to bless the sacrifice of the animal that will provide the meat for this festival. 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 UST You should find him just inside the city. He will not have gone up the hill yet to take part in the festival, because{ first the people will prepare the feast, and then} he will come and bless the sacrifice. The guests will only start eating after he does that. So if you hurry, you will find him there right now.” 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 UST So Saul and the servant went to the city. As they were on their way in, amazingly, Samuel was coming from the opposite direction and met them. He was on his way to the hill where the people were going to hold their festival. 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 UST On the previous day, Yahweh had told Samuel, BSB BSB: Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,
16 UST “I will arrange for a man to arrive here at this time tomorrow from the land where the descendants of Benjamin live. I want you to pour olive oil on his head to show that I have chosen him to be the leader of my Israelite people. I have listened to them as they have called out to me for help, and I have seen how they are suffering. This man will rescue my people from the control of the Philistines.” 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 UST When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him,“This is the man I told you about yesterday! He is the one who will rule 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 UST As Saul was going in the city gate and Samuel was coming out of it, Saul went over to Samuel{ without realizing who he was} and asked him,“Would you please tell me where the house of the seer is?” BSB BSB: Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”
19 UST Samuel replied,“I am the seer. Now go ahead of me with your servant to the hill where the people are going to hold their festival. Both of you will be my guests today at the feast. Tomorrow morning I will tell you everything you want to know, and then I will send you home. 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 UST Also, do not worry anymore about those donkeys of yours that wandered away a couple of days ago. Someone has found them. But let us consider that the Israelites are looking for a king. You are the king they are looking for. You and your extended family will rule the Israelites.” 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 UST Saul replied,“I am from the tribe of Benjamin, which is the smallest of all the Israelite tribes! Beyond that, my clan is the least important clan in that tribe! So I do not understand why you have spoken to me about becoming the king of Israel.” 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 UST But{ even though Saul had objected}, Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the large room where the feast would be. About 30 people were guests at the feast, but Samuel had Saul and his servant sit in the seats where the most important guests would sit. 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 UST Then Samuel told the cook,“Serve{ my guest here} the special piece of meat that I gave you and that I told you to set aside.” BSB BSB: And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you and told you to set aside.”
24 UST So the cook brought the leg he had set aside, with its adjoining meat, and he served it to Saul. Samuel said to Saul,“We have just served you the special portion that we set aside for you. Please go ahead and start eating it. When I told the cook that I had invited people to this feast, I also told him to save this portion of the meat so that you could have it when you came.” So Saul ate the festive meal that day as Samuel’ s guest. 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 UST After they finished eating, they returned to the city. Then Samuel took Saul up onto the flat roof of his house and talked with him there. 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 UST Saul slept that night in a sheltered bed on the roof. Early the next morning, as the sun was rising, Samuel called up to him,“Get up! It is time for me to send you back home.” Once Saul had gotten up, he and Samuel left the house together. 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 UST When they got to the edge of the city, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead of them. After the servant left, Samuel said to Saul,“I want you to stay here for a few minutes so that I can give you a message I have received from God for you.” 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.