Dual Panel1There was a man from the territory of Benjamin, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bechorath, son of Aphiah a Benjamite. He was a man of substance,
2and had a son named Saul, a young man in his prime; there was no better man among the Israelites than he. He stood a head taller than any of the people.
3One day some donkeys belonging to Saul's father Kish had strayed, so he said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you, and go and look for the donkeys.”
4They crossed the hill-country of Ephraim and went through the district of Shalisha but did not find them; they passed through the district of Shaalim but they were not there; they passed through the district of Benjamin but again did not find them.
5When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, we ought to turn back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and begin to worry about us.”
6The servant answered, “There is a man of God in this town who has a great reputation, because everything he says comes true. Suppose we go there; he may tell us which way to take.”
7Saul said, “If we go, what shall we offer him? There is no food left in our packs and we have no present to give the man of God, nothing at all.”
8The servant answered him again, “Wait! I have here a quarter-shekel of silver. I can give that to the man, to tell us the way.”
9(In Israel in days gone by, when someone wished to consult God, he would say, “Let us go to the seer.” For what is nowadays called a prophet used to be called a seer.)
10Saul said, “Good! Let us go to him.” So they went to the town where the man of God lived.
11As they were going up the ascent to the town they met some girls coming out to draw water and asked them, “Shall we find the seer there?”
12“Yes,” they answered, “he is ahead of you; hurry now, for he has just arrived in the town because there is a feast at the shrine today.
13As you enter the town you will meet him before he goes up to the shrine to eat; the people will not start until he comes, for he has to bless the sacrifice before the invited company can eat. Go up now, and you will find him at once.”
14So they went up to the town and, just as they were going in, there was Samuel coming towards them on his way up to the shrine.
15The day before Saul's arrival there, the LORD had disclosed his intention to Samuel:
16“At this time tomorrow”, he said, “I shall send you a man from the territory of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him prince over my people Israel. He will deliver my people from the Philistines; for I have seen the sufferings of my people, and their cry has reached my ears.”
17The moment Saul appeared the LORD said to Samuel, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you. This man will govern my people.”
18Saul came up to Samuel in the gateway and said, “Tell me, please, where the seer lives.”
19Samuel replied, “I am the seer. Go on ahead of me to the shrine and eat with me today; in the morning I shall set you on your way, after telling you what you have on your mind.
20Trouble yourself no more about the donkeys lost three days ago; they have been found. To whom does the tribute of all Israel belong? It belongs to you and to your whole ancestral house.”
21“But I am a Benjamite,” said Saul, “from the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin. Why do you say this to me?”
22Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the dining-hall and gave them a place at the head of the invited company, about thirty in number.
23He said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you and told you to put on one side.”
24The cook took up the whole haunch and leg and put it before Saul; and Samuel said, “Here is the portion of meat kept for you. Eat it: it has been reserved for you at this feast to which I have invited the people.” Saul dined with Samuel that day,
25and when they came down from the shrine to the town a bed was spread on the roof for Saul, and he stayed there that night.
26At dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, and I shall set you on your way.” When Saul rose, he and Samuel went outside together,
27and as they came to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the boy to go on ahead.” He did so; then Samuel said, “Stay here a moment, and I shall tell you what God has said.”