There was a man from the tribe of Benjamin named Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, from the tribe of Benjamin, a man of great standing.

Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. There was no one among the Israelites as handsome as he was; he stood a head taller than anyone else.

And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a 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.

Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost. Kish said to Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys."

And 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.

So they went through the hill country of Ephraim and the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. Then they went through the land of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. They passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they still did not find them.

And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

When they reached the region of Zuph, Saul said to the servant with him, "Come, let’s go back, or else my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us."

And 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 take thought for us.

But the servant replied, "Look, there is a man of God in this town, and he is highly respected. Everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now; perhaps he can tell us the way to go."

And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.

Saul said to his servant, "If we go, what can we give 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?"

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 God: what have we?

The servant answered Saul again, "Look, I have a quarter of a shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to go."

And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.

(Formerly in Israel, when people went to inquire of God, they would say, "Come, let us go to the seer," because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)

(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

Saul said to his servant, "Good idea. Let’s go." So they set out for the town where the man of God was.

Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, "Is the seer here?"

And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?

They answered, "Yes, he is ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to the town today, for the people are offering a sacrifice at the high place."

And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:

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 arrives because he must bless the sacrifice first. After that, those who have been invited can eat. Go now, for you will find him at this time.

As soon as ye be 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 be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

So they went up to the city, and as they were entering it, Samuel was coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.

Now the LORD had revealed to Samuel the day before Saul came,

Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,

"About this time tomorrow, I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. You shall anoint him as ruler over my people Israel. He will deliver my people from the hand of the Philistines, for I have seen my people and their cry has reached me."

To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, "Here is the man I told you about; he will govern my people."

And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.

Saul approached Samuel at the city gate and asked, "Please tell me where the seer's house is."

Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.

Samuel answered, "I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for you will eat with me today. In the morning, I will send you on your way and tell you all that is on your heart.

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 to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel directed? Is it not to you and your whole family?"

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?

Saul 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 do you speak to me this way?"

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 so to me?

Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them at the head of those who had been invited—about thirty in number.

And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.

Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion of meat I gave you, the one I told you to set aside."

And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.

So the cook took up the thigh with what was on it and placed it before Saul. Samuel said, "Here is what was kept for you. Eat it, because it was reserved for you for this appointed occasion when I said, 'I have invited the people.'" And Saul ate with Samuel that day.

And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.

After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof.

And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

They got up early, and at the break of dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, saying, "Get up, and I will send you on your way." So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went outside together.

And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.

As they were going down to the outskirts of the town, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us"—and the servant went on—"but you stay here for a moment, and I will give you a message from God."

And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.