1 Samuel 9

1Now I there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Cis, the son of Abiel, the son of Seror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphia, the son of a man of Jemini, valiant and strong.

2And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and goodly man, and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he appeared above all the people.

3And the asses of Cis, Sauls father, were lost: and Cis said to his son Saul: Take one of the servants with thee, and arise, go, and seek the asses. And when they had passed through mount Ephraim,

4And through the land of Salisa, and had not found them, they passed also through the land of Salim, and they were not there: and through the land of Jemini, and found them not.

5And when they were come to the land of Suph, Saul said to the servant that was with him: Come, let us return, lest perhaps my father forget the asses, and be concerned for us.

6And he said to him: Behold there is a man of God in this city, a famous man: all that he saith, cometh certainly to pass. Now therefore let us go thither, perhaps he may tell us of our way, for which we are come.

7And Saul said to his servant: Behold we will go: but what shall we carry to the man of God? the bread is spent in our bags: and we have no present to make to the man of God, nor any thing at all.

8The servant answered Saul again, and said: Behold there is found in my hand the fourth part of a sicle of silver, let us give it to the man of God, that he may tell us our way.

9Now in time past, in Israel when a man went to consult God he spoke thus: Come, let us go to the seer. For he that is now called a prophet, in time past was called a seer.

10And Saul said to his servant: Thy word is very good, come, let us go. And they went into the city, where the man of God was.

11And when they went up the ascent to the city, they found maids coming out to draw water, and they said to them: Is the seer here?

12They answered and said to them: He is: behold he is before you, make haste now: for he came today into the city, for there is a sacrifice of the people today in the high place.

13As soon as you come into the city, you shall immediately find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat till he come: because he blesseth the victim, and afterwards they eat that are invited. Now therefore go up, for today you shall find him.

14And they went up into the city. And when they were walking in the midst of the city, behold Samuel was coming out over against them, to go up to the high place.

15Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel the day before Saul came, saying:

16Tomorrow about this same hour I will send thee a man of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel: and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked down upon my people, because their cry is come to me.

17And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him: Behold the man, of whom I spoke to thee, this man shall reign over my people.

18And Saul came to Samuel in the midst of the gate and said: Tell me, I pray thee, where is the house of the seer?

19And Samuel answered Saul, saying: I am the seer, go up before me to the high place, that you may eat with me today, and I will let thee go in the morning: and tell thee all that is in thy heart.

20And as for the asses, which were lost three days ago, be not solicitous, because they are found. And for whom shall be all the best things of Israel? Shall they not be for thee and for all thy father’s house?

21And Saul answering, said: Am not I a son of Jemini of the least tribe of Israel, and my kindred the last among all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then hast thou spoken this word to me?

22Then Samuel taking Saul and his servant, brought them into the parlour, and gave them a place at the head of them that were invited. For there were about thirty men.

23And Samuel said to the cook: Bring the portion, which I gave thee, and commanded thee to set it apart by thee.

24And the cook took up the shoulder, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said: Behold what is left, set it before thee, and eat: because it was kept of purpose for thee, when I invited the people. And Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25And they went down from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul upon the top of the house: and he prepared a bed for Saul on the top of the house, and he slept.

26And when they were risen in the morning, and it began now to be light, Samuel called Saul on the top of the house, saying: Arise, that I may let thee go. And Saul arose: and they went out both of them, to wit, he and Samuel.

27And as they were going down in the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul: Speak to the servant to go before us, and pass on: but stand thou still a while, that I may tell thee the word of the Lord.

1Et erat vir de Benjamin nomine Cis, filius Abiel, filii Seror, filii Bechorath, filii Aphia, filii viri Jemini, fortis robore.

2Et erat ei filius vocabulo Saul, electus et bonus: et non erat vir de filiis Israël melior illo: ab humero et sursum eminebat super omnem populum.

3Perierant autem asinæ Cis patris Saul: et dixit Cis ad Saul filium suum: Tolle tecum unum de pueris, et consurgens vade, et quære asinas. Qui cum transissent per montem Ephraim

4et per terram Salisa, et non invenissent, transierunt etiam per terram Salim, et non erant: sed et per terram Jemini, et minime repererunt.

5Cum autem venissent in terram Suph, dixit Saul ad puerum qui erat cum eo: Veni et revertamur, ne forte dimiserit pater meus asinas, et sollicitus sit pro nobis.

6Qui ait ei: Ecce vir Dei est in civitate hac, vir nobilis: omne quod loquitur, sine ambiguitate venit. Nunc ergo eamus illuc, si forte indicet nobis de via nostra, propter quam venimus.

7Dixitque Saul ad puerum suum: Ecce ibimus: quid feremus ad virum Dei? panis defecit in sitarciis nostris, et sportulam non habemus ut demus homini Dei, nec quidquam aliud.

8Rursum puer respondit Sauli, et ait: Ecce inventa est in manu mea quarta pars stateris argenti: demus homini Dei, ut indicet nobis viam nostram.

9(Olim in Israël sic loquebatur unusquisque vadens consulere Deum: Venite, et eamus ad videntem. Qui enim propheta dicitur hodie, vocabatur olim videns.)

10Et dixit Saul ad puerum suum: Optimus sermo tuus. Veni, eamus. Et ierunt in civitatem in qua erat vir Dei.

11Cumque ascenderent clivum civitatis, invenerunt puellas egredientes ad hauriendam aquam, et dixerunt eis: Num hic est videns?

12Quæ respondentes, dixerunt illis: Hic est: ecce ante te, festina nunc: hodie enim venit in civitatem, quia sacrificium est hodie populi in excelso.

13Ingredientes urbem, statim invenietis eum antequam ascendat excelsum ad vescendum, neque enim comesurus est populus donec ille veniat: quia ipse benedicit hostiæ, et deinceps comedunt qui vocati sunt. Nunc ergo conscendite, quia hodie reperietis eum.

14Et ascenderunt in civitatem. Cumque illi ambularent in medio urbis, apparuit Samuel egrediens obviam eis, ut ascenderet in excelsum.

15Dominus autem revelaverat auriculam Samuelis ante unam diem quam veniret Saul, dicens:

16Hac ipsa hora quæ nunc est, cras mittam virum ad te de terra Benjaminm, et unges eum ducem super populum meum Israël: et salvabit populum meum de manu Philisthinorum, quia respexi populum meum: venit enim clamor eorum ad me.

17Cumque aspexisset Samuel Saulem, Dominus dixit ei: Ecce vir quem dixeram tibi: iste dominabitur populo meo.

18Accessit autem Saul ad Samuelem in medio portæ, et ait: Indica, oro, mihi, ubi est domus videntis.

19Et respondit Samuel Sauli, dicens: Ego sum videns: ascende ante me in excelsum, ut comedatis mecum hodie, et dimittam te mane: et omnia quæ sunt in corde tuo indicabo tibi.

20Et de asinis quas nudiustertius perdidisti, ne sollicitus sis, quia inventæ sunt. Et cujus erunt optima quæque Israël? nonne tibi et omni domui patris tui?

21Respondens autem Saul, ait: Numquid non filius Jemini ego sum de minima tribu Israël, et cognatio mea novissima inter omnes familias de tribu Benjamin? quare ergo locutus est mihi sermonem istum?

22Assumens itaque Samuel Saulem et puerum ejus, introduxit eos in triclinium, et dedit eis locum in capite eorum qui fuerant invitati: erant enim quasi triginta viri.

23Dixitque Samuel coco: Da partem quam dedi tibi, et præcepi ut reponeres seorsum apud te.

24Levavit autem cocus armum, et posuit ante Saul. Dixitque Samuel: Ecce quod remansit: pone ante te, et comede, quia de industria servatum est tibi quando populum vocavi. Et comedit Saul cum Samuele in die illa.

25Et descenderunt de excelso in oppidum, et locutus est cum Saule in solario: stravitque Saul in solario, et dormivit.

26Cumque mane surrexissent, et jam elucesceret, vocavit Samuel Saulem in solario, dicens: Surge, et dimittam te. Et surrexit Saul: egressique sunt ambo, ipse videlicet, et Samuel.

27Cumque descenderent in extrema parte civitatis, Samuel dixit ad Saul: Dic puero ut antecedat nos et transeat: tu autem subsiste paulisper, ut indicem tibi verbum Domini.

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 man of Benjamin, strong and robust.

2And he had a son called Saul, an elect and good man. And there was not a man among the sons of Israel better than he was. For he stood head and shoulders above all the people.

3Now the donkeys of Kish, the father of Saul, had become lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Take with you one of the servants, and rising up, go out and seek the donkeys.” And when they had passed through mount Ephraim,

4and through the land of Shalishah, and had not found them, they crossed also through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there, and through the land of Benjamin, and they found nothing.

5And when they had arrived in the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, otherwise perhaps my father may forget the donkeys, and become anxious over us.”

6And he said to him: “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, a noble man. All that he says, happens without fail. Now therefore, let us go there. For perhaps he may tell us about our way, because of which we have arrived.”

7And Saul said to his servant: “Behold, let us go. But what will we bring to the man of God? The bread in our sacks has run out. And we have no small gift that we might give to the man of God, nor anything at all.”

8The servant again responded to Saul, and he said: “Behold, there is found in my hand a coin of the fourth part of a stater. Let us give it to the man of God, so that he may reveal to us our way.”

9(In past times, in Israel, anyone going to consult God would speak in this way, “Come, and let us go to the seer.” For one who is called a prophet today, in past times was called a seer.)

10And Saul said to his servant: “Your word is very good. Come, let us go.” And they went into the city, where the man of God was.

11And as they were ascending the slope to the city, they found some young women going out to draw water. And they said to them, “Is the seer here?”

12And responding, they said to them: “He is. Behold, he is ahead of you. Hurry now. For he came into the city today, since there is a sacrifice for the people today, on the high place.

13Upon entering the city, you should find him immediately, before he ascends to the high place for the meal. And the people will not eat until he has arrived. For he blesses the victim, and thereafter those who were called will eat. Now therefore, go up. For you will find him today.”

14And they ascended into the city. And as they were walking in the midst of the city, Samuel appeared, advancing to meet them, so that he might ascend to the high place.

15Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel, one day before Saul had arrived, saying:

16“Tomorrow, at the same hour that it is now, I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him to be the leader over my people Israel. And he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor upon my people, because their outcry has reached me.”

17And when Samuel had caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him: “Behold, the man about whom I spoke to you. This one shall rule over my people.”

18Then Saul drew near to Samuel, at the middle of the gate, and he said, “Tell me, I beg you: where is the house of the seer?”

19And Samuel responded to Saul, saying: “I am the seer. Ascend before me to the high place, so that you may eat with me today. And I will send you away in the morning. And I shall reveal to you everything that is in your heart.

20And concerning the donkeys, which were lost the day before yesterday, you should not be anxious, for they have been found. And all the best things of Israel, for whom should they be? Will they not be for you and for all your father’s house?”

21And responding, Saul said: “Am I not a son of Benjamin, the least tribe of Israel, and are not my kindred the last among all the families from the tribe of Benjamin? So then, why would you speak this word to me?”

22And so Samuel, taking Saul and his servant, brought them into the dining room, and he gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. For there were about thirty men.

23And Samuel said to the cook, “Present the portion that I gave to you, and which I instructed you to set apart beside you.”

24Then the cook lifted up the shoulder, and he placed it before Saul. And Samuel said: “Behold, what remains, set it before you and eat. For it was preserved for you intentionally, when I called the people.” And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.

25And they descended from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul in the upper room. And he set out a bed for Saul in the upper room, and he slept.

26And when they had risen in the morning, and it now began to be light, Samuel called to Saul in the upper room, saying, “Rise up, so that I may send you on.” And Saul rose up. And they both departed, that is to say, he and Samuel.

27And as they were descending to the very limit of the city, Samuel said to Saul: “Tell the servant to go ahead of us, and to continue on. But as for you, stay here a little while, so that I may reveal the word of the Lord to you.”