1 Samuel 9

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Among the men of Benjamin was a man cal ed Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son ofAphiah; a Benjaminite and a person of rank.	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, the son of a man of Benjamin, strong and robust.
2 He had a son cal ed Saul, a handsome man in the prime of life. Of al the Israelites there was no onemore handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders tal er than anyone else.	2 And 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.
3 Now since the donkeys belonging to Kish, Saul's father, had strayed, Kish said to his son Saul, 'My son,take one of the servants with you and be off; go and look for the donkeys.'	3 Now 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,
4 They went through the highlands of Ephraim, they went through the territory of Shalishah, and did notfind them; they went through the territory of Shaalim but they were not there; they went through the territory ofBenjamin and did not find them.	4 and 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.
5 When they reached the territory of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, 'Come on, let usgo back or my father wil stop worrying over the donkeys and start being anxious about us.'	5 And 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.”
6 The servant, however, replied, 'Look, there is a man of God in this town, a man who is held in honour;everything he says comes true. Let us go there, then; perhaps he wil be able to show us the way that we shouldtake.'	6 And 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.”
7 Saul said to his servant, 'But if we do go, what can we take to the man? The food in our sacks isfinished, and we have no present to offer the man of God. What else have we got?'	7 And 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.”
8 The servant spoke up again and said to Saul, 'Look, I happen to have a quarter of a silver shekel; Ishall give that to the man of God, for him to tel us which way to go.'	8 The 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 Israel, in olden days, when anyone used to go to consult God, he would say, 'Come on, let us go tothe seer,' for a man who is now cal ed a 'prophet' used to be cal ed a 'seer' in olden days.	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.)
10 Saul then said to his servant, 'Wel said! Come on, let us go.' And they went off to the town where theman of God was.	10 And 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.
11 As they were going up the slope to the town they came across some girls going out to draw water, andsaid to them, 'Is the seer there?'	11 And 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?”
12 The girls replied, 'He is. He arrived a moment or two ahead of you. You had better hurry: he has justcome to town because the people are having a sacrifice today on the high place.	12 And 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.
13 You can catch him as soon as you go into the town, before he goes up to the high place for the meal.The people wil not eat until he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will start eating. Ifyou go up now, you will find him straight away.'	13 Upon 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.”
14 So they went up to the town and, as they were going through the gate, Samuel came out towardsthem on his way to the high place.	14 And 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.
15 Now, Yahweh had given Samuel a revelation the day before Saul came, saying,	15 Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel, one day before Saul had arrived, saying:
16 'About this time tomorrow, I shal send you a man from the territory of Benjamin; you are to anoint himas prince of my people Israel, and he wil save my people from the power of the Philistines; for I have seen themisery of my people and their cries of anguish have come to me.'	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.”
17 When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh told him, 'That is the man of whom I said to you, "He is to govern mypeople." '	17 And 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.”
18 Saul accosted Samuel in the gateway and said, 'Tel me, please, where the seer's house is.'	18 Then 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?”
19 Samuel replied to Saul, 'I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place. You must eat with metoday. Tomorrow, when I let you go, I shal tell you whatever is on your mind.	19 And 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.
20 As regards your donkeys, however, which strayed three days ago, do not worry about them; they havebeen found. And for whom is the whole wealth of Israel destined, if not for you and for al the members of yourfather's family?'	20 And 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?”
21 To this, Saul replied, 'Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is not myfamily the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why are you saying a thing like this to me?'	21 And 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?”
22 Samuel then took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hal and gave them a place at thehead of the guests, of whom there were about thirty.	22 And 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.
23 Samuel then said to the cook, 'Serve the portion which I gave you and told you to put on one side.'	23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Present the portion that I gave to you, and which I instructed you to set apart beside you.”
24 The cook then picked up the leg and the tail and put it in front of Saul, saying, 'This is for you. This iswhat was left. Make a good meal . . .' That day, Saul ate with Samuel.	24 Then 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.
25 They came down from the high place into the town. A bed was made for Saul on the roof and he laydown there.	25 And 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.
26 At dawn, Samuel cal ed to Saul on the roof, 'Get up, and I shall send you on your way.' Saul got up,and Samuel and he went outside together.	26 And 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.
27 They had walked as far as the end of the town when Samuel said to Saul, 'Tell the servant to go onahead of us, but you stand stil for a moment, so that I can make known to you the word of God.'	27 And 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.”