| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. | 1Now there was a Benjamite, a powerful man, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. |
| 2His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land. | 2And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people. |
| 3One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” | 3One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants and go look for the donkeys.” |
| 4So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere. | 4So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the land of Shalishah, but did not find the donkeys. He and the servant went through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they went through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them. |
| 5Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!” | 5When they reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, “Come, let us go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.” |
| 6But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.” | 6“Look,” said the servant, “in this city there is a man of God who is highly respected; everything he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now. Perhaps he will tell us which way to go.” |
| 7“But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.” | 7“If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” |
| 8“Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” | 8The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said “I have here in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.” |
| 9(In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.) | 9(Formerly in Israel, a man on his way to inquire of God would say, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.) |
| 10“All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived. | 10“Good,” said Saul to his servant. “Come, let us go.” So they set out for the city where the man of God was. |
| 11As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?” | 11And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?” |
| 12“Yes,” they replied. “Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up at the place of worship. | 12“Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place. |
| 13Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.” | 13As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.” |
| 14So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship. | 14So Saul and his servant went up toward the city, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel coming toward them on his way up to the high place. |
| 15Now the LORD had told Samuel the previous day, | 15Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel, |
| 16“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.” | 16“At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him leader over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.” |
| 17When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.” | 17When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke; he shall rule over My people.” |
| 18Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?” | 18Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?” |
| 19“I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. | 19“I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. And when I send you off in the morning, I will tell you all that is in your heart. |
| 20And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.” | 20As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And upon whom is all the desire of Israel, if not upon you and all your father’s house?” |
| 21Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?” | 21Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?” |
| 22Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests. | 22Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them in the place of honor among those who were invited—about thirty in all. |
| 23Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor. | 23And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you and told you to set aside.” |
| 24So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. “Go ahead and eat it,” Samuel said. “I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!” So Saul ate with Samuel that day. | 24So the cook picked up the leg and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Here is what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat, for it has been kept for you for this occasion, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’ ” So Saul dined with Samuel that day. |
| 25When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there. | 25And after they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house. |
| 26At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, “Get up! It’s time you were on your way.” So Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together. | 26They got up early in the morning, and just before dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way!” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went outside together. |
| 27When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.” | 27As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I will reveal to you the word of God.” So the servant went on. |
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