And there was a man from the sons of Benjamin, and his name was Kish, son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a man of Jeminite, a mighty man
And to this one was a son, and his name was Saul, a man of great stature, a good man, and there was not among the sons of Israel a better than he, from shoulder upward he was taller than all the people.
And the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take with yourself one of the servants, and arise, and go, and seek the donkeys.
And they passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Salcha and did not find, and they passed through the land of Easakem and it was not, and they passed through the land of Jakim and did not find
When they had come to the land of Ziph, Saul said to his young man who was with him, Come, and let us turn back, lest my father, leaving aside the donkeys, be anxious about us.
And the young servant said to him, Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is honorable; all that he may speak, it is surely coming to pass. And now let us go, so that he may report to us our way on which we have gone for it.
And Saul said to his young man who was with him, And behold, we shall go, and what shall we carry to the man of God? For the loaves have failed from our vessels, and there is no more with us to bring in to the man of God what is in our possession.
And the young man added to answer Saul and said, Behold, there has been found in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver, and you shall give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.
Formerly in Israel thus each one used to say, in going to inquire of God, Come, let us go to the seer, for the people formerly called the prophet the seer.
And the maidens answered them and said to them, There is, behold, before your face; now he has come into the city because today there is a sacrifice for the people at Bamah.
As soon as you enter the city, so you will find him in the city before he goes up to Bamah to eat; for the people will by no means eat until he enters, because he blesses the sacrifice, and after this the strangers eat. And now go up, for because of the day you will find him.
At 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 shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines, because I have looked upon the humiliation of my people, because their cry has come to me.
And Samuel answered Saul and said, I am he. Go up before me to the high place, and 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.
And concerning your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And to whom are the good things of Israel, if not to you and to the house of your father?
And Saul answered and said, Am I not a son of a man of Benjamin, of the small tribe of Israel, and of the tribe the least out of the whole tribe of Benjamin? And why have you spoken to me according to this word?
And Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the lodging place and set for them a place among the first of the invited, about seventy men.
And the cook lifted up the thigh and set it before Saul, and Samuel said to Saul, Behold, the remainder; set it before you and eat, for it has been set for you as a testimony, beside the others. And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.
And he slept, and it came to pass as the dawn was going up that Samuel called Saul on the roof, saying, Rise up, and I will send you away. And Saul arose and went out, he and Samuel, as far as outside.
As they were going down into a part of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Say to the young man, and let him pass on before us; but you stand still today, and hear a word of God.