1There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish. He was the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite. He was a man of great strength and wealth.
2Kish had a son whose name was Saul. He was a fine young man, and handsome. There was no one among the people of Israel more handsome than he was. He stood a head taller than any of the people.
3The donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you. Get up and go and look for the donkeys."
4So Saul went through the hill country of Ephraim, and through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they went through the land of Shalim, and they were not there. Then he went through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, "Come, let us go back. My father may stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us."
6But the servant said to him, "Look, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is honoured. Everything he says comes true. Let us go there now. Perhaps he can show us the way we should go."
7Then Saul said to his servant, "But if we go, what shall we bring the man? The bread in our bags is gone, and we have no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"
8The servant answered Saul again and said, "Look, I have here a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, so that he will tell us our way."
9(In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to ask God something, he would say, "Come, let us go to the seer." For the one who is now called a Prophet was in earlier times called a Seer.)
10Then Saul said to his servant, "You have spoken well. Come, let us go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11As they went up the hill to the city, they found young girls going out to draw water. They said to them, "Is the seer here?"
12The girls answered them, "He is. Look, he is just ahead of you. Hurry now, for he came to the city today. There is a sacrifice of the people today at the high place."
13"As soon as you come into the city, you will find him at once, before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice. After that, those who are invited eat. So go up now, for about this time you will find him."
14So they went up into the city. As they came into the city, there was Samuel coming out towards them, on his way up to the high place.
16"Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin. You shall anoint him to be leader over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked on my people, because their cry has come to me."
17When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, "Look, this is the man I spoke to you about. This is the one who shall rule over my people."
19Samuel answered Saul, "I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go, and I will tell you all that is in your heart."
20"As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not think about them, for they have been found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father's house?"
21Saul answered, "Am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?"
22Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall. He gave them the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty people.
23Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion I gave you, the one I told you to set aside."
24So the cook took up the shoulder and what was on it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, "Look, here is what was kept back. Set it before you and eat. It has been kept for you until this time, since I said, 'I have invited the people.'" So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of the house.