NASB — 1 Samuel 9 — KJV

Saul’s Search

1 Now there was a man° of Benjamin° whose name° was aKish° 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 Ivalor°. 2 He had° a son° whose name° was Saul°, a achoice° and handsome° [man], and there° was not a more°° handsome° person° than° he among° the sons° of Israel°; bfrom his shoulders° and up he was taller° than° any° of the people°.

[1] IOr wealth or influence a1S 14:51; 1Ch 8:33; 9:36-39
[2] a1S 10:24 b1S 10:23

3 ¶ Now the donkeys° of Kish°, Saul’s° father°, were lost°. So Kish° said° to his son° Saul°, “Take° now° with you one° of the servants°, and arise°, go° search° for the donkeys°.” 4 He passed° through athe hill° country° of Ephraim° and passed° through the land° of bShalishah°, but they did not find° [them]. Then they passed° through the land° of cShaalim°, but [they were] not [there]. Then he passed° through the land° of the Benjamites°, but they did not find° [them].

[4] aJsh 24:33 b2K 4:42 cJsh 19:42

5 ¶ When they came° to the land° of aZuph°, Saul° said° to his servant° who° was with him, “Come°, and let us return°, bor° else° my father° will cease° [to be concerned] about° the donkeys° and will become° anxious° for us.” 6 He said° to him, “Behold° now°, there is aa man° of God° in this° city°, and the man° is held° in honor°; ball° that he says° surely° comes° true. Now° let us go° there°, cperhaps° he can tell° us about our journey° on which° we have set° out.” 7 Then Saul° said° to his servant°, “But behold°, if we go°, what° shall we bring° the man°? For the bread° is gone° from our sack° and there° is ano° present° to bring° to the man° of God°. What° do we have°?” 8 The servant° answered° Saul° again° and said°, “Behold°, I have° in my hand° a fourth° of a shekel° of silver°; I will give° [it] to the man° of God° and he will atell° us our way°.” 9 (Formerly° in Israel°, when a man° went° to inquire° of God°, he used to say°, “Come°, and let us go° to the seer°”; for [he who is called] a prophet° now° was formerly° called° aa seer°.) 10 Then Saul° said° to his servant°, “Well° said°; come°, let us go°.” So they went° to the city° where°° the man° of God° was.

[5] a1S 1:1 b1S 10:2
[6] aDt 33:1; 1K 13:1; 2K 5:8 b1S 3:19 cGn 24:42
[7] a1K 14:3; 2K 5:15; 8:8, 9; Ezk 13:19
[8] a1S 9:6
[9] a2S 24:11; 2K 17:13; 1Ch 9:22; 26:28; 29:29; Is 30:10; Am 7:12

11 ¶ As they went° up the slope° to the city°, athey found° young° women° going° out to draw° water° and said° to them, “Is the seer° here°?” 12 They answered° them and said°, “He is; Isee°, [he is] ahead° of you. Hurry° now°, for he has come° into the city° today°, for athe people° have a sacrifice° on bthe high° place° today°. 13 As soon as you enter° the city° you will find° him before° he goes° up to the high° place° to eat°, for the people° will not eat° until° he comes°, because° ahe must bless° the sacrifice°; afterward°° those who are invited° will eat°. Now° therefore, go° up for you will find° him at once°.” 14 So they went° up to the city°. As they came° into the city°, behold°, Samuel° was coming° out toward° them to go° up to the high° place°.

[11] aGn 24:11, 15; 29:8, 9; Ex 2:16
[12] IOr behold aGn 31:54; Nu 28:11-15; 1K 3:2 b1S 7:17; 10:5
[13] aLk 9:16; Jn 6:11

God’s Choice for King

15 ¶ Now a day° before° Saul’s° coming°, athe LORD° had Irevealed°° [this] to Samuel° saying°, 16 “About this time° tomorrow° I will send° you a man° from the land° of Benjamin°, and ayou shall anoint° him to be prince° over° My people° Israel°; and he will deliver° My people° from the hand° of the Philistines°. For bI have regarded° My people°, because° their cry° has come° to Me.” 17 When Samuel° saw° Saul°, the LORD° Isaid° to him, “aBehold°, the man° of whom° I spoke° to you! This° one° shall rule° over My people°.” 18 Then Saul° approached° Samuel° in the gate° and said°, “Please° tell° me where° the seer’s° house° is.” 19 Samuel° answered° Saul° and said°, “I am the seer°. Go° up before° me to the high° place°, for you shall eat° with me today°; and in the morning° I will let° you go°, and will tell° you all° that is on your mind°. 20 aAs for your donkeys° which were lost° three° days° ago°, do not set° your mind° on them, for they have been found°. And bfor whom° is all° that is desirable° in Israel°? Is it not for you and for all° your father’s° household°?” 21 Saul° replied°, “aAm I not a Benjamite°, of bthe smallest° of the tribes° of Israel°, and my family° the least° of all° the families° of the Itribe° of Benjamin°? Why° then do you speak° to me in this° way°?”

[15] ILit uncovered the ear a1S 15:1; Ac 13:21
[16] a1S 10:1 bEx 3:7, 9
[17] ILit answered a1S 16:12
[20] a1S 9:3 b1S 8:5; 12:13
[21] ISo some ancient versions; Heb tribes a1S 15:17 bJg 20:46-48

22 ¶ Then Samuel° took° Saul° and his servant° and brought° them into the hall° and gave° them a place° at the head° of those who were invited°, who° were about thirty° men°. 23 Samuel° said° to the cook°, “IBring° the portion° that I gave° you, concerning which° I said° to you, ‘Set° it IIaside°.’” 24 Then the cook° atook° up the leg° with what was on it and set° [it] before° Saul°. And [Samuel] said°, “Here° is what has been reserved°! Set° [it] before° you [and] eat°, because° it has been kept° for you until the appointed° time°, Isince I said° I have invited° the people°.” So Saul° ate° with Samuel° that day°.

[23] ILit Give IILit with you
[24] ILit saying aEx 29:22, 27; Lv 7:32, 33; Nu 18:18

25 ¶ When they came° down° from the high° place° into the city°, [Samuel] spoke° with Saul° aon the Iroof°. 26 And they arose° early°; and at daybreak° Samuel° called° to Saul° on the roof°, saying°, “Get° up, that I may send° you away°.” So Saul° arose°, and both° he and Samuel° went° out into the street°. 27 As they were going° down° to the edge° of the city°, Samuel° said° to Saul°, “Say° to the servant° that he might go° ahead° of us and pass° on, but you remain standing° now°, that I may proclaim° the word° of God° to you.”

[25] IGr adds and they spread a bed for Saul on the roof and he slept aDt 22:8; Lk 5:19; Ac 10:9


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Saul despairing to find his father's asses,

1 ¶ Now there was² a manº of Benjamin,º² whose nameº [was] Kish,º the sonº of Abiel,º the sonº of Zeror,º the sonº of Bechorath,º the sonº of Aphiah,º a Benjamite,º a mighty¹ man¹² of power.º 2 And he had² a son,º whose nameº [was] Saul,º a choice young man,º and a goodly:º and [there was] not² among the childrenº² of Israelº a goodlierº personº than² he: from his shouldersº² and upwardº [he was] higherº than any²² of the people.º 3 And the assesº of Kishº Saul'sº fatherº were lost.ºª And Kishº saidºª to² Saulº his son,º Takeºª now²² oneº of the servantsº² with² thee, and arise,ºª go¹ª² seekºª² the asses.º 4 And he passed throughºª mountº Ephraim,º and passed throughºª the landº of Shalisha,º but they foundºª [them] not:² then they passed throughºª the landº of Shalim,º and [there they were] not:² and he passed throughºª the landº of the Benjamites,º but they foundºª [them] not.² 5 [And] when they² were comeºª to the landº of Zuph,º Saulº saidºª to his servantº that² [was] with² him, Come,¹ª² and let us return;ºª lest² my fatherº leaveºª [caring] for² the asses,º and take thoughtºª for us.

[1] 1S 14:51; 25:2; 2S 19:32; 1Ch 8:30; 9:36; Jb 1:3; Ac 13:21.
[2] Gn 6:2; Nu 13:33; 1S 10:23; 16:7; 17:4; 2S 14:25; Jr 9:23.
[3] Jg 5:10; 10:4; 1S 10:2.
[4] Gn 33:18; Jg 17:1; 19:1; 2K 4:42; Jn 3:23.
[5] 1S 1:1; 10:2; Mt 6:25, 28, 34; Lk 12:11, 22.

by the counsel of his servant,

6 And he saidºª unto him, Behold² now,² [there is] in this² cityº a manº of God,º and [he is] an honourableºª man;º all² that² he saithºª cometh¹ª surely to pass:ºª now² let us go¹ª² thither;² peradventure² he can shewºª us² our wayº that²² we should go.ºª 7 Then saidºª Saulº to his servant,º But, behold,² [if] we go,¹ª² what² shall we bringºª the man?º for² the breadº is spentºª in our vessels,º² and [there is] not² a presentº to bringºª to the manº of God:º what² have we? 8 And the servantº answeredºª² Saulº again,ºª and said,ºª Behold,² I have¹ª here² at handº the fourth partº of a shekelº of silver:º [that] will I giveºª to the manº of God,º to tellºª us² our way.º 9 (Beforetimeº in Israel,º when a manº went¹ª² to enquireºª of God,º thus² he spake,ºª Come,¹ª² and let us go¹ª² to² the seer:ºª for² [he that is] nowº [called] a Prophetº was beforetimeº calledºª a Seer.)ºª 10 Then said¹² Saulº to his servant,º Wellº said;¹ª² come,¹ª² let us go.¹ª² So they went¹ª² unto² the cityº where²² the manº of Godº [was].

[6] Dt 33:1; 1S 2:27; 3:19; 1K 13:1; 2K 6:6; Is 44:26; Zc 1:5; Mt 24:35; 1Th 2:10; 5:13; 1Ti 6:11.
[7] Jg 6:18; 13:15; 1K 14:3; 2K 4:42; 5:5; 8:8.
[8] 1S 9:8.
[9] Gn 25:22; Jg 1:1; 2S 24:11; 2K 17:13; 1Ch 26:28; 29:29; 2Ch 16:7, 10; Is 29:10; 30:10; Am 7:12.
[10] 2K 5:13.

and direction of young maidens,

11 ¶ [And] as they² went upºª the hillº to the city,º they² foundºª young maidensº going outºª to drawºª water,º and saidºª unto them, Isº the seerºª here?² 12 And they answeredºª them, and said,ºª He is;º behold,² [he is] beforeº you: make hasteºª now,² for² he cameºª to dayº to the city;º for² [there is] a sacrificeº of the peopleº to dayº in the high place:º 13 As soon as ye be comeºª into the city,º ye shall straightwayº findºª him, before² he go upºª to the high placeº to eat:ºª for² the peopleº will not² eatºª until² he come,ºª because² he² doth blessºª the sacrifice;º [and] afterwardsºº they eatºª that be bidden.ºª Now² therefore get you up;ºª for² about this timeº ye shall findºª him. 14 And they went upºª into¹ the city:º [and] when they² were comeºª into² the city,º behold,² Samuelº came outºª againstºª them, for to go upºª to the high place.º

[11] Gn 24:11, 18; Ex 2:16; Jg 5:11.
[12] Gn 31:54; Dt 12:6; 1S 16:2; 1K 3:2; 1Ch 16:39; 1Co 5:7.
[13] Mt 26:26; Mk 6:41; Lk 24:30; Jn 6:11, 23; 1Co 10:30; 1Ti 4:4.

according to God's revelation,

15 ¶ Now the LORDº had toldºª Samuelº in² his earº aº dayº beforeº Saulº came,ºª saying,ºª 16 To morrowº about this timeº I will sendºª thee a manº out of the landº² of Benjamin,º and thou shalt anointºª him [to be] captainº over² my peopleº Israel,º that he may saveºª² my peopleº out of the handº² of the Philistines:º for² I have looked¹ª upon²² my people,º because² their cryº is comeºª unto me.² 17 And when Samuelº sawºª² Saul,º the LORDº saidºª unto him, Behold² the manº whom² I spakeºª to² thee of! this same² shall reignºª over my people.º

[15] 1S 9:17; 15:1; 20:2; 2S 7:27; Jb 33:16; Ps 25:14; Am 3:7; Mk 11:2; 14:13; Ac 13:21; 27:23.
[16] Ex 2:23; 3:7; 1S 10:1; 15:1; 16:3; 1K 19:15; 2K 9:3; Ps 25:18; 106:44.
[17] 1S 3:13; 16:6; 2S 23:6; Ne 13:19, 25; Ho 13:11; Ac 13:21; Ro 13:3.

cometh to Samuel.

18 Then Saulº drew nearºª to² Samuelº inº the gate,º and said,ºª Tellºª me, I pray thee,² whereº² the seer'sºª houseº [is].

Samuel entertaineth Saul at the feast.

19 And Samuelº answeredºª² Saul,º and said,ºª I² [am] the seer:ºª go upºª beforeº me unto the high place;º for ye shall eatºª with² me to day,º and to morrowº I will let thee go,ºª and will tellºª thee all² that² [is] in thine heart.º 20 And as for thine assesº that were lostºª threeº daysº ago,º setºª not²² thy mindº on them; for² they are found.ºª And on whom² [is] all² the desireº of Israel?º [Is it] not² on thee, and on all² thy father'sº house?º 21 And Saulº answeredºª and said,ºª [Am] not² I² a Benjamite,º of the smallestº² of the tribesº of Israel?º and my familyº the leastº of all²² the familiesº of the tribeº of Benjamin?º wherefore² then speakestºª thou soº² to² me? 22 And Samuelº tookºª² Saulº and his servant,º and broughtºª them into the parlour,º and made them sitºª in the chiefestº placeº among them that were bidden,ºª which² [were] about thirtyº persons.º 23 And Samuelº saidºª unto the cook,º Bringºª² the portionº which² I gaveºª thee, of which² I saidºª unto² thee, Setºª it by² thee. 24 And the cookº took upºª² the shoulder,º and [that] which [was] upon² it, and setºª [it] beforeº Saul.º And [Samuel] said,ºª Behold² that which is left!ºª setºª [it] beforeº thee, [and] eat:ºª for² unto this timeº hath it been keptºª for thee since I said,ºª I have invitedºª the people.º So Saulº did eatºª with² Samuelº that² day.º

[19] Nu 24:4, 16; Jr 14:4; Jn 4:29; 1Co 14:25.
[20] 1S 4:20; 8:5, 19; 9:3; 12:13, 15; 1Ch 29:3; Ps 62:10; Col 3:2.
[21] Jg 6:14; 20:46; 1S 10:27; 15:17; 18:18, 23; Ps 68:27; Ho 13:1; Lk 14:11; Ep 3:8.
[22] Gn 43:32; Lk 14:10.
[23] Gn 43:34; 1S 1:5.
[24] Lv 7:32; Is 9:6; Ezk 24:4.

Samuel, after secret communication, bringeth Saul on his way.

25 ¶ And when they were come downºª from the high placeº² into the city,º [Samuel] communedºª with² Saulº upon² the top of the house.º 26 And they arose early:ºª and it came to pass² about the springºª of the day,º that Samuelº calledºª² Saulº to the top of the house,º saying,ºª Up,ºª that I may send thee away.ºª And Saulº arose,ºª and they went outºª bothº of them, he² and Samuel,º abroad.º 27 [And] as they² were going downºª to the endº of the city,º Samuelº saidºª to² Saul,º Bidºª the servantº pass onºª beforeº us, (and he passed on,)ºª but stand¹ª thou still²² a while,º that I may shewºª thee² the wordº of God.º

[25] Dt 22:8; 1S 9:13; 2S 11:2; Ne 8:16; Jr 19:13; Mt 10:27; Ac 10:9.
[26] Gn 19:14; 44:4; Jsh 7:13; Jg 19:28.
[27] 1S 15:16; 20:38; 2K 9:5; Jn 15:14.


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