Book 08 : NEVIIM - I SAMUEL - Chapter 009
09:001
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, the son
of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valour
09:002
And he had a son, whose name was Saul, young and goodly,
and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from
his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people
09:003
Now the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish
said to Saul his son: 'Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go
seek the asses.
09:004
And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and
passed through the land of Shalishah, but they found them not; then they passed
through the land of Shaalim, and there they were not; and he passed through the
land of the Benjamites, but they found them not
09:005
When they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his
servant that was with him: 'Come and let us return; lest my father leave caring
for the asses, and become anxious concerning us.
09:006
And he said unto him: 'Behold now, there is in this city a
man of G-d, and he is a man that is held in honour; all that he saith cometh
surely to pass; now let us go thither; peradventure he can tell us concerning
our journey whereon we go.
09:007
Then said Saul to his servant: 'But, behold, if we go, what
shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not
a present to bring to the man of G-d; what have we?
09:008
And the servant answered Saul again, and said: 'Behold, I
have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver, that will I give to the
man of G-d, to tell us our way.'-
09:009
Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of G-d,
thus he said: 'Come and let us go to the seer'; for he that is now called a
prophet was beforetime called a seer.-
09:010
Then said Saul to his servant: 'Well said; come, let us
go.' So they went unto the city where the man of G-d was
09:011
As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young
maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them: 'Is the seer here?
09:012
And they answered them, and said: 'He is; behold, he is
before thee; make haste now, for he is come to-day into the city; for the people
have a sacrifice to-day in the high place
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As soon as ye are come into the city, ye shall straightway
find him, before he go up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat
until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that
are bidden. Now therefore get you up; for at this time ye shall find him.
09:014
And they went up to the city; and as they came within the
city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place
09:015
Now HaShem had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul
came, saying
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'To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of
the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over My people
Israel, and he shall save My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I
have looked upon My people, because their cry is come unto Me.
09:017
And when Samuel saw Saul, HaShem spoke unto him: 'Behold
the man of whom I said unto thee: This same shall have authority over My
people.
09:018
Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said: 'Tell
me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.
09:019
And Samuel answered Saul, and said: 'I am the seer; go up
before me unto the high place, for ye shall eat with me to-day; and in the
morning I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thy heart
09:020
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set
not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of
Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?
09:021
And Saul answered and said: 'Am not I a Benjamite, of the
smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of
the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou to me after this manner?
09:022
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them
into the chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were
bidden, who were about thirty persons
09:023
And Samuel said unto the cook: 'Bring the portion which I
gave thee, of which I said unto thee: Set it by thee.
09:024
And the cook took up the thigh, and that which was upon
it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said: 'Behold that which hath been
reserved! set it before thee and eat; because unto the appointed time hath it
been kept for thee, for I said: I have invited the people.' So Saul did eat with
Samuel that day
09:025
And when they were come down from the high place into the
city, he spoke with Saul upon the housetop
09:026
And they arose early; and it came to pass about the break
of day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying: 'Up, that I may send
thee away.' And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel,
abroad
09:027
As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel
said to Saul: 'Bid the servant pass on before us--and he passed on--but stand
thou still at this time, that I may cause thee to hear the word of G-d.
Book 08 : NEVIIM - I SAMUEL - Chapter 009
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