And there was a man from Binyamin, and his name was Qish, son of Avi'el, son of Tseror, son of Bekhorat, son of Afiḥ, son of a man of Yemini, a mighty, strong man.

And he had a son, and his name was Sha'ul, a choice and good young man, and there was no man among the sons of Yisra'el better than him, from his shoulder and upward, taller than all the people.

And the donkeys of Qish, father of Sha'ul, were lost, and Qish said to Sha'ul his son, 'Please take with you one of the young men, and arise, go, seek the donkeys.'

And he passed through the mountain of Efrayim, and he passed through the land of Shalishah, and they did not find. And they passed through the land of Sha'alim, and they were not there. And he passed through the land of Yemini, and they did not find.

They came to the land of Tsuf, and Sha'ul said to his young man who was with him, 'Come, and let us return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys and worry about us.'

And he said to him, 'Look, there is a man of Elohim in this city, and the man is honored; all that he speaks, it surely comes. Now, let us go there; perhaps he will tell us about our way on which we have walked.'

And Sha'ul said to his young man, 'And behold, we will go, but what will we bring to the man? For our food has run out from our containers, and there is no gift to bring to the man of Elohim; what do we have with us?'

And the young man answered Sha'ul again and said, 'Look, I have found in my hand a quarter shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of Elohim, and he will tell us our way.'

'Formerly in Yisra'el, thus a man said when he went to seek Elohim, 'Come, and let us go to the seer,' for the prophet today is called the seer of former times.'

And Sha'ul said to his young man, 'Your word is good; come, let us go.' And they went to the city where the man of Elohim was.

They were going up the ascent of the city, and behold, they met young women going out to draw water, and they said to them, 'Is the seer here?'

And they answered them and said, 'Yes, behold, he is before you; hurry now, for today the man has come to the city, for there is a sacrifice for the people today at the high place.

'As you enter the city, so 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 will bless the sacrifice; after that, the invited guests will eat. And now, go up, for today you will find him.'

And they went up to the city. As they were coming into the middle of the city, behold, Shemu'el was going out to meet them to go up to the high place.

And יהוה had revealed to the ear of Shemu'el one day before Sha'ul came, saying:

'About this time tomorrow, I will send to you a man from the land of Binyamin, and you shall anoint him as ruler over my people Yisra'el, and he will save my people from the hand of the Pelishtim, for I have seen my people, for their cry has come to me.'

And Shemu'el saw Sha'ul, and יהוה said to him, 'Behold, the man about whom I said to you, 'This one will restrain my people.''

And Sha'ul approached Shemu'el within the gate and said, 'Please tell me, where is the seer's house?'

And Shemu'el answered Sha'ul and said, 'I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, and you shall eat with me today, and I will send you away in the morning, and I will tell you all that is in your heart.'

'And concerning the donkeys that were lost to you three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all the desire of Yisra'el? Is it not for you and for all your father's house?'

And Sha'ul answered and said, 'Am I not a son of Yemini, from the smallest of the tribes of Yisra'el, and my family the least of all the families of the tribes of Binyamin? And why have you spoken to me this word?'

And Shemu'el took Sha'ul and his young man and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of the invited guests, and they were about thirty men.

And Shemu'el said to the butcher, 'Give the portion that I gave you, which I told you, 'Put it with you.''

And the butcher lifted the thigh and what was on it and put it before Sha'ul, and said, 'Behold, the remainder; put it before you, eat, for it has been kept for you for the appointed time, saying, 'I have invited the people.' And Sha'ul ate with Shemu'el that day.

And they came down from the high place to the city, and he spoke with Sha'ul on the roof.

And they got up early, and it was at the rising of the dawn, and Shemu'el called to Sha'ul on the roof, saying, 'Arise, and I will send you away.' And Sha'ul arose, and the two of them, he and Shemu'el, went out.

They were going down at the edge of the city, and Shemu'el said to Sha'ul, 'Tell the young man to pass before us,' and he passed. 'And you, stand still today, and I will make you hear the word of Elohim.'