1 And there was a man from Benjamin, and his name was Kish, i son of Abiel, ii son of Zeror, iii son of Bechorath, iv son of Aphiah, v son of a Jaminite man, vi a mighty man of valor. 2 And to him was a son, and his name was Saul, vii a young man and good. And there was not a man from sons of Israel as good as him from his shoulder and upwards, taller than all the people.
3 And the female donkeys were lost to Kish, Saul's father, and Kish said to Saul his son, “Please take with you one from the boys and arise and go, seek for the female donkeys.” 4 And he passed over on mount Ephraim and passed over in the land of Shalisha, viii and they did not find. And they passed over in the land of Shaalim, ix and there was nothing. And they passed over in the land of the Jaminite, and they did not find.
5 And they came in to the land of Zuph, and Saul said to his young man that was with him, “Come and let's return, lest my father cease from the female donkeys and be anxious for us.” 6 And he said to him, “Look, please, a man of Gods is in this city, and the man is honored. All that he says surely comes. Now, let's go there. Perhaps, he shall declare to us our way upon which we should go.” 7 And Saul said to his boy, “So look, we go, and what shall we bring to the man? For the bread is gone from our vessels, and there is no gift to bring to the man of the Gods. What is with us?”
8 And the boy again answered Saul and said, “Look, it is found in my hand four shekels of silver, and I shall give to the man of the Gods; and he will declare to us our way.” 9 Before in Israel, thus the man in going to inquire of Gods he would say, “Come and let us go unto the Seer.” For the prophet of today was before called the Seer. 10 And Saul said to his boy, “Your word is good. Come and let's go.” And they went to the city where the man of the Gods was.
11 They were going up on the ascent of the city, and they found girls going out to draw water. And they said to them, “Is there in this the Seer?” 12 And they answered them and said, “There is. Behold, before you. Hurry now, for today he came to the city, for he will sacrifice today for the people at the high place. 13 As you come in the city, thus you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, for he shall bless the sacrifice. Afterwards, those invited will eat. So now, go up, for him, even today, x you shall find him.”
14 And they went up the city. xi They were coming in the midst of the city and behold, Samuel was going out to meet them to go up to the high place. 15 And Yehvah had revealed in Samuel's ear one day before the coming of Saul, saying, 16 “At this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him for a ruler over my people, Israel. And he shall save my people from the hand of Philistines. For I have seen my people, for their outcry has come to me.” 17 And Samuel saw Saul, and Yehvah answered him, “Behold, the man that I mentioned to you. This one will rule over my people.”
18 And Saul drew near Samuel in the midst of the gate and said, “Please tell me, where is this Seer's house?” 19 And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the Seer. Go up before me to the high place, and you will eat xii with me today. And I will send you away in the morning, and all that is in your heart I will declare to you. 20 And for the female donkeys lost to you today, three days ago, so do not set your heart to them, for they were found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not to you and to all your father's house?”
21 And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribes of Benjamin? So, why do you speak to me as this word?” 22 And Samuel took Saul and his boy and brought them in a room and gave to them a place at the head of those invited. And there were about thirty men. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Give the portion that I gave to you that I said to you, 'Put it with you.'” 24 So, the cook took the leg and its upper part and set before Saul. And he said, “Here is what was left. Set before you and eat, for to this appointed time it was kept for you, saying, I invited the people.” And Saul ate with Samuel on that day. 25 And they came down from the high place of the city, xiii and he spoke with Saul on the roof.
26 And they rose early. And it was, as the dawn was coming up, so Samuel called to Saul on the roof, xiv saying, “Arise, and let me send you away.” And Saul arose, and the two of them, he and Samuel, went out to the outside. 27 And they went down by the edge of the city, and Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the boy to pass on before us.” And he passed on. “And you, stand at the day, xv and I will cause you to hear the word of Gods.”
Translated by Darwin Fish. See original pdf.
- ש קי) qiysh) “Kish” - found also in 1 Samuel 9:3; 10:11, 21; 14:51; 2 Samuel 21:14; 1 Chronicles 8:30, 33; 9:36, 39; 12:1; 23:21-22; 24:29; 26:28; 2 Chronicles 29:12; Esther 2:5. ^
- ל יאל בי אב') aviy'êl) “Abiel” (God is my father) – found also in 1 Samuel 14:51; 1 Chronicles 11:32. ^
- ר צר) tseror) “Zeror” - only here as a name. Used elsewhere for a “small stone” (2 Samuel 17:13 BDB “pebble”) or “kernel” (NAS Amos 9:9). ^
- ת ברכור) bekhorat) “Bechorath” - only here ^
- יח פי אב') aphiyach) “Aphiah” - only here ^
- י ירמי יש ן־אי בן) ben-'iysh yemiyniy) “son of a Jaminite man” = son of a Benjaminite. See also 1 Samuel 9:4; 2 Samuel 20:1; Esther 2:5. ^
- ואאולּש) shâul) “Saul”; LXX Σαουλ (Saoul) – see footnote for Genesis 36:37. ^
- ה ואּש לי ואּש) shâlishâh) “Shalisha” - only here. There is also “Baal Shalisha” in 2 Kings 4:42. ^
- ים לי עב ת ש) sha`alim) “Shaalim” - only here ^
- ום ת ה כר י־אתתו כי) kiy-'oto khhayyom) “for him, even today”; “for at this time” YLT; “for about this time” NKJV; “at once” NAS – more literally, “for him, at today” ^
- No “to” i.e. just “the city”, no “to the city” - this wording goes along with verse 11, “the ascent of the city,” the ascent being considered part of the city. ^
- תןם אבכ') akhaltem) “you will eat” - plural “you,” thus the boy with Saul is included in this. ^
- ר עי ואּה ה ואּמ ואּב ת ה מל) mêhabbâmâh hâ`iyr) “from the high place of the city” - most translations have “to the city” or “into the city,” but there is no “to” or “into.” ^
- “roof the to) “haggâgâh (ה ת גּוא גּוא ה qere”; roof the) “haggâg (ה תגּואג Kethib ^
- ם ת כ) kayyom) “at the day”; YLT “at this time”; NKJV “here awhile” - evidently a figure of speech, this could be “at,” “as,” “like,” “according to,” etc. “the day.” ^
And there was one man from the Heights of Watchmen from mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephramite. -- ף צו) tsuph) “Zuph” - found also in 1 Samuel 9:5 (land of Zuph); 1 Chronicles 6:35(H20)
And I said I would uncover your ear saying, 'Before the inhabitants and before elders of my people, buy, if you will redeem, redeem. And if no redemption, tell me, and I will know. For there is none except you to redeem, and I am after you.” And he said, “I will redeem.” -- נמך זמ אז ה לה גמ אה י תי רמ מל אז ניי אנ') aniy 'âmartiy 'egleh 'âznekhâ) “I said I would uncover your ear” Green; “I said, I uncover thine ear” YLT; “I thought to inform you” NKJV, NAS; “I thought to advertise thee” KJV. To uncover the ear is a figure of speech meaning to inform or make known to someone something. This figure of speech is found also in 1 Samuel 9:15, 20:2, 20:12-13, 22:8(2x), 22:17; 2 Samuel 7:27; 1 Chronicles 17:25; Job 33:16, 36:10, 36:15.
And a greave of bronze was upon his feet and a javelin of bronze between his shoulders. -- ו לה גי רמ) raglâyv) “his feet” YLT; “his legs” NKJV, etc.; – this is more literally “feet,” yet this word can mean “leg” e.g. in Exodus 25:26; 37:13 for the “legs” of a table. This armor is likely protecting both feet and shins. There is also יים עמי רה כי) kerâ`ayim) the “legs” of animals (e.g. Leviticus 9:14) and insects (e.g. Leviticus 11:21), or יים שקקמ) shoqayim) for “legs” (e.g. Proverbs 26:7) sometimes translated “thigh” (e.g. 1 Samuel 9:24).
And doing three, you shall go down quickly and come to the place where you were hid on the day of the deed and stay beside the stone, the Ezel. -- אהזהל') ezel) “Ezel” YLT, etc.; “Departure” Stone CJB; “Going-Away” Rock CEV – related verb, הזעל( א ('âzal) “gone” e.g. Deuteronomy 32:36; 1 Samuel 9:7; Proverbs 20:14.
And a man was there from Saul's servants on that day detained before Yehvah, and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of the shepherds that were Saul's. -- ג ד) do'êg) “Doeg” - found also in 1 Samuel 22:9, 18 & 22 (דוילג] doyêg]); Psalm 52:1. Same root word as “anxious” in 1 Samuel 9:5 & 10:2. Same exact word as “worried” (CSB) in Jeremiah 38:19 (NKJV “afraid”).
And there happened to be there a man of Belial, and his name was Seven, son of Bichri, a man of a Jaminite. And he blew in the horn and said, “We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in Jesse's son. Each to his tents, Israel.” -- ירמייניי) yemiyniy) “Jaminite” = “Benjamite” - see footnote for 1 Samuel 9:1.