וַיְהִי־אִ֣ישׁ (מבן ימין) [מִבִּנְיָמִ֗ין] וּ֠שְׁמ֠וֹ קִ֣ישׁ בֶּן־אֲבִיאֵ֞ל בֶּן־צְר֧וֹר בֶּן־בְּכוֹרַ֛ת בֶּן־אֲפִ֖יחַ בֶּן־אִ֣ישׁ יְמִינִ֑י גִּבּ֖וֹר חָֽיִל׃ There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Becorath son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of substance.
וְלוֹ־הָיָ֨ה בֵ֜ן וּשְׁמ֤וֹ שָׁאוּל֙ בָּח֣וּר וָט֔וֹב וְאֵ֥ין אִ֛ישׁ מִבְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל ט֣וֹב מִמֶּ֑נּוּ מִשִּׁכְמ֣וֹ וָמַ֔עְלָה גָּבֹ֖הַּ מִכׇּל־הָעָֽם׃ He had a son whose name was Saul, an excellent young man; no one among the Israelites was handsomer than he; aLit. “taller from his shoulders up.”he was a head taller-a than any of the people.
וַתֹּאבַ֙דְנָה֙ הָאֲתֹנ֔וֹת לְקִ֖ישׁ אֲבִ֣י שָׁא֑וּל וַיֹּ֨אמֶר קִ֜ישׁ אֶל־שָׁא֣וּל בְּנ֗וֹ קַח־נָ֤א אִתְּךָ֙ אֶת־אַחַ֣ד מֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְק֣וּם לֵ֔ךְ בַּקֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־הָאֲתֹנֹֽת׃ Once the asses of Saul’s father Kish went astray, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take along one of the servants and go out and look for the asses.”
וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ר בְּהַר־אֶפְרַ֛יִם וַיַּעֲבֹ֥ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־שָׁלִ֖שָׁה וְלֹ֣א מָצָ֑אוּ וַיַּעַבְר֤וּ בְאֶרֶץ־שַֽׁעֲלִים֙ וָאַ֔יִן וַיַּעֲבֹ֥ר בְּאֶרֶץ־יְמִינִ֖י וְלֹ֥א מָצָֽאוּ׃ He passed into the hill country of Ephraim. He crossed the district of Shalishah, but they did not find them. They passed through the district of Shaalim, but they were not there. They traversed the [entire] territory of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.
הֵ֗מָּה בָּ֚אוּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ צ֔וּף וְשָׁא֥וּל אָמַ֛ר לְנַעֲר֥וֹ אֲשֶׁר־עִמּ֖וֹ לְכָ֣ה וְנָשׁ֑וּבָה פֶּן־יֶחְדַּ֥ל אָבִ֛י מִן־הָאֲתֹנ֖וֹת וְדָ֥אַג לָֽנוּ׃ When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Let us turn back, or my father will stop worrying about the asses and begin to worry about us.”
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ הִנֵּה־נָ֤א אִישׁ־אֱלֹהִים֙ בָּעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את וְהָאִ֣ישׁ נִכְבָּ֔ד כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּ֖ר בּ֣וֹא יָב֑וֹא עַתָּה֙ נֵ֣לְכָה שָּׁ֔ם אוּלַי֙ יַגִּ֣יד לָ֔נוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּ֖נוּ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֥כְנוּ עָלֶֽיהָ׃ But he replied, “There is a man of God in that town, and the man is highly esteemed; everything that he says comes true. Let us go there; perhaps he will tell us about the errand on which we set out.”
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל לְנַעֲר֗וֹ וְהִנֵּ֣ה נֵלֵךְ֮ וּמַה־נָּבִ֣יא לָאִישׁ֒ כִּ֤י הַלֶּ֙חֶם֙ אָזַ֣ל מִכֵּלֵ֔ינוּ וּתְשׁוּרָ֥ה אֵין־לְהָבִ֖יא לְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים מָ֖ה אִתָּֽנוּ׃ “But if we go,” Saul said to his servant, “what can we bring the man? For the food in our bags is all gone, and there is nothing we can bring to the man of God as a present. What have we got?”
וַיֹּ֤סֶף הַנַּ֙עַר֙ לַעֲנ֣וֹת אֶת־שָׁא֔וּל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּה֙ נִמְצָ֣א בְיָדִ֔י רֶ֖בַע שֶׁ֣קֶל כָּ֑סֶף וְנָֽתַתִּי֙ לְאִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהִגִּ֥יד לָ֖נוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּֽנוּ׃ The servant answered Saul again, “I happen to have a quarter-shekel of silver. I can give that to the man of God and he will tell us about our errand.”—
לְפָנִ֣ים ׀ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר הָאִישׁ֙ בְּלֶכְתּוֹ֙ לִדְר֣וֹשׁ אֱלֹהִ֔ים לְכ֥וּ וְנֵלְכָ֖ה עַד־הָרֹאֶ֑ה כִּ֤י לַנָּבִיא֙ הַיּ֔וֹם יִקָּרֵ֥א לְפָנִ֖ים הָרֹאֶֽה׃ bThis verse explains the term “seer” in v. 11.Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for the prophet of today was formerly called a seer.—
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֧וּל לְנַעֲר֛וֹ ט֥וֹב דְּבָרְךָ֖ לְכָ֣ה ׀ נֵלֵ֑כָה וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֶל־הָעִ֔יר אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ Saul said to his servant, “A good idea; let us go.” And they went to the town where the man of God lived.
הֵ֗מָּה עֹלִים֙ בְּמַעֲלֵ֣ה הָעִ֔יר וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ מָצְא֣וּ נְעָר֔וֹת יֹצְא֖וֹת לִשְׁאֹ֣ב מָ֑יִם וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לָהֶ֔ן הֲיֵ֥שׁ בָּזֶ֖ה הָרֹאֶֽה׃ As they were climbing the ascent to the town, they met some girls coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer in town?”
וַתַּעֲנֶ֧ינָה אוֹתָ֛ם וַתֹּאמַ֥רְנָה יֵּ֖שׁ הִנֵּ֣ה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ מַהֵ֣ר ׀ עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֤י הַיּוֹם֙ בָּ֣א לָעִ֔יר כִּ֣י זֶ֧בַח הַיּ֛וֹם לָעָ֖ם בַּבָּמָֽה׃ “Yes,” they replied. “He is up there ahead of you. cEmendation yields “Hurry, for he has just reached (‘attah kayyom ba, so Septuagint) the gate”; cf. v. 18.Hurry, for he has just come to the town-c because the people have a sacrifice at the shrine today.
כְּבֹאֲכֶ֣ם הָעִ֣יר כֵּ֣ן תִּמְצְא֣וּן אֹת֡וֹ בְּטֶ֩רֶם֩ יַעֲלֶ֨ה הַבָּמָ֜תָה לֶאֱכֹ֗ל כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יֹאכַ֤ל הָעָם֙ עַד־בֹּא֔וֹ כִּי־הוּא֙ יְבָרֵ֣ךְ הַזֶּ֔בַח אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן יֹאכְל֣וּ הַקְּרֻאִ֑ים וְעַתָּ֣ה עֲל֔וּ כִּי־אֹת֥וֹ כְהַיּ֖וֹם תִּמְצְא֥וּן אֹתֽוֹ׃ As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the shrine to eat; the people will not eat until he comes; for he must first bless the sacrifice and only then will the guests eat. Go up at once, for you will find him right away.”
וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּ הָעִ֑יר הֵ֗מָּה בָּאִים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֔יר וְהִנֵּ֤ה שְׁמוּאֵל֙ יֹצֵ֣א לִקְרָאתָ֔ם לַעֲל֖וֹת הַבָּמָֽה׃ {ס} So they went up to the town; and as they were entering the town,dEmendation yields “gate”; cf. v. 18. Samuel came out toward them, on his way up to the shrine.
וַֽיהֹוָ֔ה גָּלָ֖ה אֶת־אֹ֣זֶן שְׁמוּאֵ֑ל י֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד לִפְנֵ֥י בֽוֹא־שָׁא֖וּל לֵאמֹֽר׃ Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed the following to Samuel:
כָּעֵ֣ת ׀ מָחָ֡ר אֶשְׁלַח֩ אֵלֶ֨יךָ אִ֜ישׁ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ בִּנְיָמִ֗ן וּמְשַׁחְתּ֤וֹ לְנָגִיד֙ עַל־עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ אֶת־עַמִּ֖י מִיַּ֣ד פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים כִּ֤י רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י כִּ֛י בָּ֥אָה צַעֲקָת֖וֹ אֵלָֽי׃ “At this time tomorrow, I will send a man to you from the territory of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him ruler of My people Israel. He will deliver My people from the hands of the Philistines; for I have taken note of eSeptuagint and Targum read “the plight of My people”; cf. Exod. 3.7.My people,-e their outcry has come to Me.”
וּשְׁמוּאֵ֖ל רָאָ֣ה אֶת־שָׁא֑וּל וַיהֹוָ֣ה עָנָ֔הוּ הִנֵּ֤ה הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣רְתִּי אֵלֶ֔יךָ זֶ֖ה יַעְצֹ֥ר בְּעַמִּֽי׃ As soon as Samuel saw Saul, the LORD declared to him, “This is the man that I told you would govern My people.”
וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ שָׁא֛וּל אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל בְּת֣וֹךְ הַשָּׁ֑עַר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א לִ֔י אֵי־זֶ֖ה בֵּ֥ית הָרֹאֶֽה׃ Saul approached Samuel inside the gate and said to him, “Tell me, please, where is the house of the seer?”
וַיַּ֨עַן שְׁמוּאֵ֜ל אֶת־שָׁא֗וּל וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אָנֹכִ֣י הָרֹאֶ֔ה עֲלֵ֤ה לְפָנַי֙ הַבָּמָ֔ה וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֥ם עִמִּ֖י הַיּ֑וֹם וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֣יךָ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֖ אַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃ And Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the shrine, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, after telling you whatever may be on your mind.
וְלָאֲתֹנ֞וֹת הָאֹבְד֣וֹת לְךָ֗ הַיּוֹם֙ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת הַיָּמִ֔ים אַל־תָּ֧שֶׂם אֶֽת־לִבְּךָ֛ לָהֶ֖ם כִּ֣י נִמְצָ֑אוּ וּלְמִי֙ כׇּל־חֶמְדַּ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֲל֣וֹא לְךָ֔ וּלְכֹ֖ל בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיךָ׃ {ס} As for your asses that strayed three days ago, do not concern yourself about them, for they have been found. And for whom is all Israel yearning, if not for you and all your ancestral house?”
וַיַּ֨עַן שָׁא֜וּל וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲל֨וֹא בֶן־יְמִינִ֤י אָנֹ֙כִי֙ מִקְּטַנֵּי֙ שִׁבְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי֙ הַצְּעִרָ֔ה מִכׇּֽל־מִשְׁפְּח֖וֹת שִׁבְטֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן וְלָ֙מָּה֙ דִּבַּ֣רְתָּ אֵלַ֔י כַּדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃ {ס} Saul replied, “But I am only a Benjaminite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my clan is the least of all the clans of the tribefHeb. plural. of Benjamin! Why do you say such things to me?”
וַיִּקַּ֤ח שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֶת־שָׁא֣וּל וְאֶֽת־נַעֲר֔וֹ וַיְבִיאֵ֖ם לִשְׁכָּ֑תָה וַיִּתֵּ֨ן לָהֶ֤ם מָקוֹם֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הַקְּרוּאִ֔ים וְהֵ֖מָּה כִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ם אִֽישׁ׃ Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of the guests, who numbered about thirty.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ לַטַּבָּ֔ח תְּנָה֙ אֶת־הַמָּנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לָ֑ךְ אֲשֶׁר֙ אָמַ֣רְתִּי אֵלֶ֔יךָ שִׂ֥ים אֹתָ֖הּ עִמָּֽךְ׃ And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you and told you to set aside.”
וַיָּ֣רֶם הַ֠טַּבָּ֠ח אֶת־הַשּׁ֨וֹק וְהֶעָלֶ֜יהָ וַיָּ֣שֶׂם ׀ לִפְנֵ֣י שָׁא֗וּל וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִנֵּ֤ה הַנִּשְׁאָר֙ שִׂים־לְפָנֶ֣יךָ אֱכֹ֔ל כִּ֧י לַמּוֹעֵ֛ד שָֽׁמוּר־לְךָ֥ לֵאמֹ֖ר הָעָ֣ם ׀ קָרָ֑אתִי וַיֹּ֧אכַל שָׁא֛וּל עִם־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ The cook lifted up the thigh and gMeaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “the broad tail.”what was on it,-g and set it before Saul. And [Samuel] said, hMeaning of Heb. uncertain.“What has been reserved is set before you. Eat; it has been kept for you for this occasion, when I said I was inviting the people.”-h So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
וַיֵּרְד֥וּ מֵהַבָּמָ֖ה הָעִ֑יר וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר עִם־שָׁא֖וּל עַל־הַגָּֽג׃ They then descended from the shrine to the town, and iMeaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads “They spread a bed for Saul on the roof, and he lay down. At…”[Samuel] talked with Saul on the roof.
וַיַּשְׁכִּ֗מוּ וַיְהִ֞י כַּעֲל֤וֹת הַשַּׁ֙חַר֙ וַיִּקְרָ֨א שְׁמוּאֵ֤ל אֶל־שָׁאוּל֙ (הגג) [הַגָּ֣גָה] לֵאמֹ֔ר ק֖וּמָה וַאֲשַׁלְּחֶ֑ךָּ וַיָּ֣קׇם שָׁא֗וּל וַיֵּצְא֧וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֛ם ה֥וּא וּשְׁמוּאֵ֖ל הַחֽוּצָה׃ Early, at-i the break of day, Samuel called to Saul on the roof. He said, “Get up, and I will send you off.” Saul arose, and the two of them, Samuel and he, went outside.
הֵ֗מָּה יֽוֹרְדִים֙ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הָעִ֔יר וּשְׁמוּאֵ֞ל אָמַ֣ר אֶל־שָׁא֗וּל אֱמֹ֥ר לַנַּ֛עַר וְיַעֲבֹ֥ר לְפָנֵ֖ינוּ וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֑ר וְאַתָּה֙ עֲמֹ֣ד כַּיּ֔וֹם וְאַשְׁמִיעֲךָ֖ אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר אֱלֹהִֽים׃ {פ}
As they were walking toward the end of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to walk ahead of us”—and he walked ahead—“but you stop here a moment and I will make known to you the word of God.”