1Now 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 valor . 2And he had a son , whose name was Saul , a 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 .
Saul's Search for His Father's Donkeys
3And 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. 4And 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 . 5When 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 off caring for the asses, and be anxious for us . 6And he said unto him , Behold now , there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honor ; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither ; peradventure he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go . 7Then 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 ? 8And 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 God , to tell us our way . 9( Beforetime in Israel , when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said , Come , and let us go to the seer ; for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer .) 10Then said Saul to his servant , Well said ; come , let us go . So they went unto the city where the man of God was .
Divine Appointment and Anointing
11As 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 ? 12And 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 . 13As soon as ye are come into the city , ye shall straightway find him , before he goeth 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 . 14And 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 . 15Now Jehovah had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul came , saying, 16To-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 .
Saul's Response and Initial Signs
17And when Samuel saw Saul , Jehovah said unto him , Behold , the man of whom I spake to thee ! this same shall have authority over my people . 18Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate , and said, Tell me , I pray thee , where the seer ’s house is . 19And 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 . 20And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago , set not thy mind on them ; for they are found . And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel ? Is it not for thee , and for all thy father’s house ? 21And 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 ? 22And Samuel took Saul and his servant , and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden , who were about thirty persons. 23And Samuel said unto the cook , Bring the portion which I gave thee , of which I said unto thee , Set it by thee . 24And 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 . 25And when they were come down from the high place into the city , he communed with Saul upon the housetop . 26And they arose early : and it came to pass about the spring of the 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 . 27As 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 first , that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.