Sh'muel (שמואל) - 1 Samuele 9

STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 וַיְהִי־אִישׁ [מִבִּן־יָמִין כ] (מִבִּנְיָמִין ק) וּשְׁמֹו קִישׁ בֶּן־אֲבִיאֵל בֶּן־צְרֹור בֶּן־בְּכֹורַת בֶּן־אֲפִיחַ בֶּן־אִישׁ יְמִינִי גִּבֹּור חָיִל	1 There was a stalwart man from Benjamin named Kish, who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite.
2 וְלֹו־הָיָה בֵן וּשְׁמֹו שָׁאוּל בָּחוּר וָטֹוב וְאֵין אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל טֹוב מִמֶּנּוּ מִשִּׁכְמֹו וָמַעְלָה גָּבֹהַּ מִכָּל־הָעָם	2 He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man. There was no other Israelite handsomer than Saul; he stood head and shoulders above the people.
3 וַתֹּאבַדְנָה הָאֲתֹנֹות לְקִישׁ אֲבִי שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר קִישׁ אֶל־שָׁאוּל בְּנֹו קַח־נָא אִתְּךָ אֶת־אַחַד מֵהַנְּעָרִים וְקוּם לֵךְ בַּקֵּשׁ אֶת־הָאֲתֹנֹת	3 Now the asses of Saul's father, Kish, had wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go out and hunt for the asses."
4 וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּהַר־אֶפְרַיִם וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּאֶרֶץ־שָׁלִשָׁה וְלֹא מָצָאוּ וַיַּעַבְרוּ בְאֶרֶץ־שַׁעֲלִים וָאַיִן וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּאֶרֶץ־יְמִינִי וְלֹא מָצָאוּ	4 Accordingly they went through the hill country of Ephraim, and through the land of Shalishah. Not finding them there, they continued through the land of Shaalim without success. They also went through the land of Benjamin, but they failed to find the animals.
5 הֵמָּה בָּאוּ בְּאֶרֶץ צוּף וְשָׁאוּל אָמַר לְנַעֲרֹו אֲשֶׁר־עִמֹּו לְכָה וְנָשׁוּבָה פֶּן־יֶחְדַּל אָבִי מִן־הָאֲתֹנֹות וְדָאַג לָנוּ	5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, "Come, let us turn back, lest my father forget about the asses and become anxious about us."
6 וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו הִנֵּה־נָא אִישׁ־אֱלֹהִים בָּעִיר הַזֹּאת וְהָאִישׁ נִכְבָּד כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּר בֹּוא יָבֹוא עַתָּה נֵלֲכָה שָּׁם אוּלַי יַגִּיד לָנוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּנוּ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַכְנוּ עָלֶיהָ	6 The servant replied, "Listen! There is a man of God in this city, a man held in high esteem; all that he says is sure to come true. Let us go there now! Perhaps he can tell us how to accomplish our errand."
7 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לְנַעֲרֹו וְהִנֵּה נֵלֵךְ וּמַה־נָּבִיא לָאִישׁ כִּי הַלֶּחֶם אָזַל מִכֵּלֵינוּ וּתְשׁוּרָה אֵין־לְהָבִיא לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים מָה אִתָּנוּ	7 But Saul said to his servant, "If we go, what can we offer the man? There is no bread in our bags, and we have no present to give the man of God. What have we?"
8 וַיֹּסֶף הַנַּעַר לַעֲנֹות אֶת־שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה נִמְצָא בְיָדִי רֶבַע שֶׁקֶל כָּסֶף וְנָתַתִּי לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וְהִגִּיד לָנוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּנוּ	8 Again the servant answered Saul, "I have a quarter of a silver shekel. If I give that to the man of God, he will tell us our way."
9 לְפָנִים ׀ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּה־אָמַר הָאִישׁ בְּלֶכְתֹּו לִדְרֹושׁ אֱלֹהִים לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה עַד־הָרֹאֶה כִּי לַנָּבִיא הַיֹּום יִקָּרֵא לְפָנִים הָרֹאֶה	9 (In former times in Israel, anyone who went to consult God used to say, "Come, let us go to the seer." For he who is now called prophet was formerly called seer.)
10 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לְנַעֲרֹו טֹוב דְּבָרְךָ לְכָה ׀ נֵלֵכָה וַיֵּלְכוּ אֶל־הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים	10 Saul then said to his servant, "Well said! Come on, let us go!" And they went to the city where the man of God lived.
11 הֵמָּה עֹלִים בְּמַעֲלֵה הָעִיר וְהֵמָּה מָצְאוּ נְעָרֹות יֹצְאֹות לִשְׁאֹב מָיִם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהֶן הֲיֵשׁ בָּזֶה הָרֹאֶה	11 As they were going up the ascent to the city, they met some girls coming out to draw water and inquired of them, "Is the seer in town?"
12 וַתַּעֲנֶינָה אֹותָם וַתֹּאמַרְנָה יֵּשׁ הִנֵּה לְפָנֶיךָ מַהֵר ׀ עַתָּה כִּי הַיֹּום בָּא לָעִיר כִּי זֶבַח הַיֹּום לָעָם בַּבָּמָה	12 The girls answered, "Yes, there--straight ahead. Hurry now; just today he came to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place.
13 כְּבֹאֲכֶם הָעִיר כֵּן תִּמְצְאוּן אֹתֹו בְּטֶרֶם יַעֲלֶה הַבָּמָתָה לֶאֱכֹל כִּי לֹא־יֹאכַל הָעָם עַד־בֹּאֹו כִּי־הוּא יְבָרֵךְ הַזֶּבַח אַחֲרֵי־כֵן יֹאכְלוּ הַקְּרֻאִים וְעַתָּה עֲלוּ כִּי־אֹתֹו כְהַיֹּום תִּמְצְאוּן אֹתֹו	13 When you enter the city, you may reach him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he arrives; only after he blesses the sacrifice will the invited guests eat. Go up immediately, for you should find him right now."
14 וַיַּעֲלוּ הָעִיר הֵמָּה בָּאִים בְּתֹוךְ הָעִיר וְהִנֵּה שְׁמוּאֵל יֹצֵא לִקְרָאתָם לַעֲלֹות הַבָּמָה׃ ס	14 So they went up to the city. As they entered it, Samuel was coming toward them on his way to the high place.
15 וַיהוָה גָּלָה אֶת־אֹזֶן שְׁמוּאֵל יֹום אֶחָד לִפְנֵי בֹוא־שָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר	15 The day before Saul's arrival, the LORD had given Samuel the revelation:
16 כָּעֵת ׀ מָחָר אֶשְׁלַח אֵלֶיךָ אִישׁ מֵאֶרֶץ בִּנְיָמִן וּמְשַׁחְתֹּו לְנָגִיד עַל־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהֹושִׁיעַ אֶת־עַמִּי מִיַּד פְּלִשְׁתִּים כִּי רָאִיתִי אֶת־עַמִּי כִּי בָּאָה צַעֲקָתֹו אֵלָי	16 "At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin whom you are to anoint as commander of my people Israel. He shall save my people from the clutches of the Philistines, for I have witnessed their misery and accepted their cry for help."
17 וּשְׁמוּאֵל רָאָה אֶת־שָׁאוּל וַיהוָה עָנָהוּ הִנֵּה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ זֶה יַעְצֹר בְּעַמִּי	17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD assured him, "This is the man of whom I told you; he is to govern my people."
18 וַיִּגַּשׁ שָׁאוּל אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵל בְּתֹוךְ הַשָּׁעַר וַיֹּאמֶר הַגִּידָה־נָּא לִי אֵי־זֶה בֵּית הָרֹאֶה	18 Saul met Samuel in the gateway and said, "Please tell me where the seer lives."
19 וַיַּעַן שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹכִי הָרֹאֶה עֲלֵה לְפָנַי הַבָּמָה וַאֲכַלְתֶּם עִמִּי הַיֹּום וְשִׁלַּחְתִּיךָ בַבֹּקֶר וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבְךָ אַגִּיד לָךְ	19 Samuel answered Saul: "I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. In the morning, before dismissing you, I will tell you whatever you wish.
20 וְלָאֲתֹנֹות הָאֹבְדֹות לְךָ הַיֹּום שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַיָּמִים אַל־תָּשֶׂם אֶת־לִבְּךָ לָהֶם כִּי נִמְצָאוּ וּלְמִי כָּל־חֶמְדַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲלֹוא לְךָ וּלְכֹל בֵּית אָבִיךָ׃ ס	20 As for the asses you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. Whom does Israel desire ardently if not you and your father's family?"
21 וַיַּעַן שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלֹוא בֶן־יְמִינִי אָנֹכִי מִקַּטַנֵּי שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי הַצְּעִרָה מִכָּל־מִשְׁפְּחֹות שִׁבְטֵי בִנְיָמִן וְלָמָּה דִּבַּרְתָּ אֵלַי כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה׃ ס	21 Saul replied: "Am I not a Benjaminite, of one of the smallest tribes of Israel, and is not my clan the least among the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why say such things to me?"
22 וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־שָׁאוּל וְאֶת־נַעֲרֹו וַיְבִיאֵם לִשְׁכָּתָה וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם מָקֹום בְּרֹאשׁ הַקְּרוּאִים וְהֵמָּה כִּשְׁלֹשִׁים אִישׁ	22 Samuel then took Saul and his servant and brought them to the room, where he placed them at the head of the guests, of whom there were about thirty.
23 וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל לַטַּבָּח תְּנָה אֶת־הַמָּנָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָךְ אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ שִׂים אֹתָהּ עִמָּךְ	23 He said to the cook, "Bring the portion I gave you and told you to put aside."
24 וַיָּרֶם הַטַּבָּח אֶת־הַשֹּׁוק וְהֶעָלֶיהָ וַיָּשֶׂם ׀ לִפְנֵי שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה הַנִּשְׁאָר שִׂים־לְפָנֶיךָ אֱכֹל כִּי לַמֹּועֵד שָׁמוּר־לְךָ לֵאמֹר הָעָם ׀ קָרָאתִי וַיֹּאכַל שָׁאוּל עִם־שְׁמוּאֵל בַּיֹּום הַהוּא	24 So the cook took up the leg and what went with it, and placed it before Saul. Samuel said: "This is a reserved portion that has been set before you. Eat, for it was kept for you until your arrival; I explained that I was inviting some guests." Thus Saul dined with Samuel that day.
25 וַיֵּרְדוּ מֵהַבָּמָה הָעִיר וַיְדַבֵּר עִם־שָׁאוּל עַל־הַגָּג	25 When they came down from the high place into the city, a mattress was spread for Saul on the roof,
26 וַיַּשְׁכִּמוּ וַיְהִי כַּעֲלֹות הַשַּׁחַר וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־שָׁאוּל [הַגָּג כ] (הַגָּגָה ק) לֵאמֹר קוּמָה וַאֲשַׁלְּחֶךָּ וַיָּקָם שָׁאוּל וַיֵּצְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם הוּא וּשְׁמוּאֵל הַחוּצָה	26 and he slept there. At daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, "Get up, and I will start you on your journey." Saul rose, and he and Samuel went outside the city together.
27 הֵמָּה יֹורְדִים בִּקְצֵה הָעִיר וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר אֶל־שָׁאוּל אֱמֹר לַנַּעַר וְיַעֲבֹר לְפָנֵינוּ וַיַּעֲבֹר וְאַתָּה עֲמֹד כַּיֹּום וְאַשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת־דְּבַר אֱלֹהִים׃ פ	27 As they were approaching the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but stay here yourself for the moment, that I may give you a message from God."