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          DASV: 1 Samuel 9    

1 Now 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, a Benjaminite, and a man of prominence.
2 He had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man.
There was no one among the Israelites more handsome than he.
He was a head taller than anyone else.
3 The donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, had strayed off.
So Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants
with you, and go look for the donkeys."
4 So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, then
through the land of Shalishah, but they could not find them.
Then they crossed through the land of Shaalim, but the
donkeys were not there either. Then he passed through
the land of the Benjaminites, but they still could
not find them.
5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his
servant who was with him, "Come, and let us turn back
or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys,
and start worrying about us."

6 He said to Saul, "Look, there is in this town a man of God,
and he is highly respected. Everything he says comes true,
so let's go there and perhaps he can tell us where we
should go."
7 Then Saul said to his servant, "If we go, what can we bring
the man since the food in our bags is gone? We don't
have a gift to give to the man of God. What do we have?"
8 The servant answered Saul again, "Look, I have in my hand
a quarter of a shekel of silver, I will give it to the
man of God to tell us which way to go."
9 (Previously in Israel, when a person went to inquire of God,
he said, "Come, and let us go to the seer," for the one
who is now called a prophet, used to be called a seer.)
10 Then Saul said to his servant, "Good idea! Let's go."
So they went to the town where the man of God was.
11 As they went up the slope to the town, they found some
girls coming out to draw water, and asked them, "Is the
seer here?"
12 They answered, "He is. Look, he is right ahead of you.
Hurry, for he just came into town today, for the people
have a sacrifice today at the high place.
13 As soon as you enter the town, you can catch 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;
afterwards those invited may eat. Now get up there for
this is the time when you should be able to find him."
14 So they went up to the town. As they entered the town,
Samuel came out toward them on his way up to the high place.

15 Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,
16 "Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from
the land of Benjamin, anoint him to be the leader over
my people Israel. He will save my people out of the
hand of the Philistines; for I have taken note of my people,
because their cry has come to me."
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, "See,
this is the man I told you about! He will rule over
my people."
18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate, and asked,
"Please tell me, where is the seer's house?"
19 Samuel answered Saul, "I am the seer. Go up before me
to the high place, for you will eat with me today, then in
the morning I will let you go and tell you all that is
on your mind.
20 As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago,
don't worry about them, for they have been found.
Who is all Israel longing for? Is it not for you,
and for all your father's house?"
21 Saul answered, "Am I not a Benjaminite, the smallest
tribe of Israel, and is not my family the least of
all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?
Why then do you talk to me this way?"

22 Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them
into the hall, and made them sit at the head place
among those who were invited. There were about
thirty guests.
23 Then Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion
I gave you, the one I asked you to set aside."
24 Then the cook picked up the leg with all that
was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said,
"Look, this is what was reserved for you! Eat it
because it was kept special for you for this
appointed time, for I said, 'I have invited the guests.'"
So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 When they had come down from the high place into
the town, he spoke with Saul on the roof.
26 They got up at daybreak the next morning, and Samuel
called to Saul on the roof, "Get up, so that I may send
you away." So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel,
went outside.
27 As they were going down to the edge of town, Samuel
said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go ahead of us."
So he went ahead. "Stop here for a minute, so that
I may tell you a message from God."

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