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.

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].

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

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

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

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