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THER was one of the tribe of Benjamin, a man of a good family, and
of a virtuous disposition; his name was Kish. He had a son, a young man
of a comely countenance, and of a tall body, but his understanding and
his mind were preferable to what was visible in him: they called him Saul.
Now this Kish had some fine she-asses that were wandered out of the pasture
wherein they fed, for he was more delighted with these than with any other
cattle he had; so he sent out his son, and one servant with him, to search
for the beasts; but when he had gone over his own tribe in search after
the asses, he went to other tribes, and when he found them not there neither,
he determined to go his way home, lest he should occasion any concern to
his father about himself. But when his servant that followed him told him
as they were near the city of Ramah, that there was a true prophet in that
city, and advised him to go to him, for that by him they should know the
upshot of the affair of their asses, he replied, That if they should go
to him, they had nothing to give him as a reward for his prophecy, for
their subsistence money was spent. The servant answered, that he had still
the fourth part of a shekel, and he would present him with that; for they
were mistaken out of ignorance, as not knowing that the prophet received
no such reward
1
So they went to him; and when they were before the gates, they lit upon
certain maidens that were going to fetch water, and they asked them which
was the prophet's house. They showed them which it was; and bid them make
haste before he sat down to supper, for he had invited many guests to a
feast, and that he used to sit down before those that were invited. Now
Samuel had then gathered many together to feast with him on this very account;
for while he every day prayed to God to tell him beforehand whom he would
make king, he had informed him of this man the day before, for that he
would send him a certain young man out of the tribe of Benjamin about this
hour of the day; and he sat on the top of the house in expectation of that
time's being come. And when the time was completed, he came down and went
to supper; so he met with Saul, and God discovered to him that this was
he who should rule over them. Then Saul went up to Samuel and saluted him,
and desired him to inform him which was the prophet's house; for he said
he was a stranger and did not know it. When Samuel had told him that he
himself was the person, he led him in to supper, and assured him that the
asses were found which he had been to seek, and that the greatest of good
things were assured to him: he replied, "I am too inconsiderable to
hope for any such thing, and of a tribe to small to have kings made out
of it, and of a family smaller than several other families; but thou tellest
me this in jest, and makest me an object of laughter, when thou discoursest
with me of greater matters than what I stand in need of." However,
the prophet led him in to the feast, and made him sit down, him and his
servant that followed him, above the other guests that were invited, which
were seventy in number
2
and he gave orders to the servants to set the royal portion before Saul.
And when the time of going to bed was come, the rest rose up, and every
one of them went home; but Saul staid with the prophet, he and his servant,
and slept with him.