1 Now there was a man from the tribe of Benjamin named Kish {qish: personal name}, son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bekorath, son of Aphiah—a Benjaminite and a man of standing {gibbor: prominent and capable one}.
2 And he had a son named Saul {Shaul: one asked}, a young man {baḥur: selected youth} and handsome, and there was no man among the sons of Israel better than him from his shoulders upward; he was taller than all the people.
3 And the female donkeys {atonot: she-asses} of Kish, the father {avi: paternal ancestor} of Saul, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, “Please take with you one of the young men and arise, go, and seek the female donkeys.”
4 And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and the land of Shalisha, but they did not find {matsau: sought donkeys} them. Then he passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there {ayin: unlocated}. Then he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
5 They came to the land {erets: territory} of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, and we will return, lest {pen: preventive purpose} my father cease concern for the female donkeys and become anxious about us.”
6 And he said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God {Elohim, Divine Authority} in this city, and the man is honored; all that he speaks comes to pass. Come, let us go there now. Perhaps {ulay: expression of uncertainty} he will tell us the way we should take.”
7 And Saul said to his servant, “Behold, we are going; what shall we bring to the man? For the bread is finished from our provisions, and there is no gift {teshurah: customary tribute} to bring to the man of God {Elohim, Divine revelation intermediary}. What do we have with us?”
8 And the young man answered Saul {Shaul: Israel’s first king} again, and said, “Behold, there is in my hand a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God {Elohim: prophetic authority}, and he will tell us our way.”
9 Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God {Elohim, Supreme Counselor}, he would say, “Come, let us go to the seer {roeh: visionary},” for the one called a prophet today was formerly called a seer.
10 And Saul said to his servant {naʿărô: personal attendant}, “Good is your word.” Then he added, “Come; let us go.” And they went to the city where the man of God {Elohim, Divine Guide} was.
11 They were ascending the slope{ma‘aleh: ascent} of the city, and they found young women coming out to draw water, and they said to them, “Is the seer{haroeh: visionary leader} here?”
12 And they answered them and said, “he is there before you; hurry {maher: urgent command} now, for today he has come to the city, because today there is a sacrifice {zevach: ritual offering} for the people on the high place.”
13 When you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place {bamah: elevated worship site} to eat, because the people will not eat until he comes, for he will bless the sacrifice {zevakh: sacrificial offering}; after that, the invited will eat. And now, go up, for you will find him about this time.
14 And they went up to the city, entering its midst {betokh: inner area}, and behold, Samuel was going out to meet them, to go up to the high place {bamah: elevated precinct for worship}.
15 And the LORD {YHWH, Divine Revealer} revealed Samuel’s ear {ōzen: receptive hearing} the day before Saul came, saying
16 At this time {kaeit: appointed moment} tomorrow I {YHWH, Sovereign Initiator} will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and I will anoint him as ruler over my people Israel, and he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines, for I have seen my people because their cry has come to me.
17 And Samuel saw Saul, and the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Guide} answered him, “Behold, this is the man {ish: appointed leader} whom I told you about; he will restrain my people.”
18 And Saul approached Samuel in the midst of the gate {sha'ar: municipal entrance} and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s {ro'eh: prophecy practitioner} house is.”
19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer {ro'eh: vision interpreter}, go up before me to the high place {bamah: cultic site}, and you shall eat with me today, and I will send you away in the morning; and all that is in your heart I will tell you.”
20 And as for the female donkeys {atonot: female livestock} that were lost to you for three days, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And to whom is all the desire {chemdat: longing} of Israel, if not to you and to all the house of your father?
21 And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a son of Benjamin {binyamin: smallest tribe} and is not my clan {mishpachti: family group} the smallest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? And why have you spoken this word to me?”
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them to the hall {lishkathah: assembly chamber}, and gave them a place at the head of those called {qəruʾîm: summoned assembly}; and there were about thirty men
23 And Samuel said to the cook{tabbach: food preparer}, “Give the portion{manah: designated share} that I gave you and that I told you to put with you.”
24 And the cook lifted the leg portion and what was on it and set it before Saul, and Samuel said, “Behold the remainder{nisar: reserved portion}; put it before you and eat, for it has been reserved for you for the appointed time{moed: designated occasion}, saying, ‘I have called the people.’” And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.
25 And they went down from the high place {bamah: worship site} into the city, and he spoke with Saul on the roof {gag: flat terrace}.
26 And they rose early, and it was at dawn {shachar: morning light}, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof {gag: flat rooftop}, saying, “Arise, and I will send you.” And Saul arose, and the two of them went out into the street together.
27 And as they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the young man{na'ar: attendant}, ‘Let him go on ahead of us,’” and the young man went on. “But you stand here for a while, and I will make you hear the word of God{Elohim: Divine Sovereign}.”