וַיְהִי־אִישׁ (מִבִּן־יָמִין) [מִבִּנְיָמִין] וּשְׁמוֹ קִישׁ בֶּן־אֲבִיאֵל בֶּן־צְרוֹר בֶּן־בְּכוֹרַת בֶּן־אֲפִיחַ בֶּן־אִישׁ יְמִינִי   9:1 גִּבּוֹר חָיִל׃

1Sam. 9:1   Now there was a man from Benjamin and his name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Bechorath son of Aphiah, the son of a man, a Benjaminite, a mighty man of valor.

A correction is applied to the third word.  It is in the brackets.

וְלוֹ־הָיָה בֵן וּשְׁמוֹ שָׁאוּל בָּחוּר וָטוֹב וְאֵין אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ מִשִּׁכְמוֹ וָמַעְלָה גָּבֹהַּ מִכָּל־   9:2 הָעָם׃

1Sam. 9:2   And he had a son and his name was Saul, so young and fine, that there was not a man from the children of Israel as fine as he.  From his shoulders and above he was taller than any of the people.                                                             [Return to Psal. 7:1]            [Return to Esth. 2:5]

וַתֹּאבַדְנָה הָאֲתֹנוֹת לְקִישׁ אֲבִי שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר קִישׁ אֶל־שָׁאוּל בְּנוֹ קַח־נָא אִתְּךָ אֶת־אַחַד מֵהַנְּעָרִים   9:3 וְקוּם לֵךְ בַּקֵּשׁ אֶת־הָאֲתֹנֹת׃

1Sam. 9:3   Now the asses of Kish, the father of Saul, were lost and Kish said to Saul, his son, “Now take one of the servants with you and get up, go get the asses.”

וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּהַר־אֶפְרַיִם וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּאֶרֶץ־שָׁלִשָׁה וְלֹא מָצָאוּ וַיַּעַבְרוּ בְאֶרֶץ־שַׁעֲלִים וָאַיִן וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּאֶרֶץ־יְמִינִי   9:4 וְלֹא מָצָאוּ׃

1Sam. 9:4   So he went into the hill country of Ephraim and passed over into the land of Shalishah but they found nothing.  Then they went into the land of Shaalim, and they were not.  Then he went into the land of the Benjaminites but they found nothing.

הֵמָּה בָּאוּ בְּאֶרֶץ צוּף וְשָׁאוּל אָמַר לְנַעֲרוֹ אֲשֶׁר־עִמּוֹ לְכָה וְנָשׁוּבָה פֶּן־יֶחְדַּל אָבִי מִן־הָאֲתֹנוֹת וְדָאַג   9:5 לָנוּ׃

1Sam. 9:5   They came into the land of Zuph and Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come and we will return, lest my father leaves off from the asses and becomes anxious for us.”

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הִנֵּה־נָא אִישׁ־אֱלֹהִים בָּעִיר הַזֹּאת וְהָאִישׁ נִכְבָּד כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־יְדַבֵּר בּוֹא יָבוֹא עַתָּה נֵלֲכָה שָּׁם   9:6 אוּלַי יַגִּיד לָנוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּנוּ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַכְנוּ עָלֶיהָ׃

1Sam. 9:6   But he said to him, “Behold, now, a man of God is in this city and the man is honorable. Everything that he says will surely come to pass.  Now let us go there; perhaps he can explain to us our journey on which we have been going.”

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לְנַעֲרוֹ וְהִנֵּה נֵלֵךְ וּמַה־נָּבִיא לָאִישׁ כִּי הַלֶּחֶם אָזַל מִכֵּלֵינוּ וּתְשׁוּרָה אֵין־לְהָבִיא לְאִישׁ    9:7 הָאֱלֹהִים מָה אִתָּנוּ׃

1Sam. 9:7   Then Saul said to his servant, “But lo, we will go, and what will we bring to the man?  For the bread is gone from our vessels and there is not a present to bring to the man.  What is with us?”

וַיֹּסֶף הַנַּעַר לַעֲנוֹת אֶת־שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה נִמְצָא בְיָדִי רֶבַע שֶׁקֶל כָּסֶף וְנָתַתִּי לְאִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וְהִגִּיד   9:8 לָנוּ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּנוּ׃

1Sam. 9:8   And the servant was to answer Saul again, and he said, “Behold, a fourth of a shekel of silver is delivered into my hand that I will give to the man of God and he may tell our way to us.”

לְפָנִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כֹּה־אָמַר הָאִישׁ בְּלֶכְתּוֹ לִדְרוֹשׁ אֱלֹהִים לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה עַד־הָרֹאֶה כִּי לַנָּבִיא הַיּוֹם יִקָּרֵא   9:9 לְפָנִים הָרֹאֶה׃

1Sam. 9:9   Long ago in Israel the man in his going to inquire of God said thus, “Come and we will go up to the seer.”   For being a prophet today was called a seer long ago.

How long ago?  Obviously this was written long after Saul and Samuel lived.  Was it in the time of David?  Solomon?  Or even later?  It had to be later, because there were already prophets.  Perhaps this was written during the Babylonian exile so it could be preserved for posterity.  More likely, however, it was written before then, but not much before.

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל לְנַעֲרוֹ טוֹב דְּבָרְךָ לְכָה נֵלֵכָה וַיֵּלְכוּ אֶל־הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים׃   9:10

1Sam. 9:10   Then Saul said to his servant, “Your words are good!  Come, let us go.”  So they went to the city where the man of God was.

הֵמָּה עֹלִים בְּמַעֲלֵה הָעִיר וְהֵמָּה מָצְאוּ נְעָרוֹת יֹצְאוֹת לִשְׁאֹב מָיִם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהֶן הֲיֵשׁ בָּזֶה הָרֹאֶה׃   9:11

1Sam. 9:11   They were going up on the ascent of the city and they met young maidens coming out to draw water and said to them, “Is there the seer in here?”

וַתַּעֲנֶינָה אוֹתָם וַתֹּאמַרְנָה יֵּשׁ הִנֵּה לְפָנֶיךָ מַהֵר עַתָּה כִּי הַיּוֹם בָּא לָעִיר כִּי זֶבַח הַיּוֹם לָעָם בַּבָּמָה׃   9:12

1Sam. 9:12   And they answered them and said, “There is, behold, before you.  Hurry now, for today he came in to the city, for today is a sacrifice for the people in the high place.”

כְּבֹאֲכֶם הָעִיר כֵּן תִּמְצְאוּן אֹתוֹ בְּטֶרֶם יַעֲלֶה הַבָּמָתָה לֶאֱכֹל כִּי לֹא־יֹאכַל הָעָם עַד־בֹּאוֹ כִּי־הוּא   9:13 יְבָרֵךְ הַזֶּבַח אַחֲרֵי־כֵן יֹאכְלוּ הַקְּרֻאִים וְעַתָּה עֲלוּ כִּי־אֹתוֹ כְהַיּוֹם תִּמְצְאוּן אֹתוֹ׃

1Sam. 9:13   “When you come in the city you must immediately find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people cannot eat until his arrival because he must bless the sacrifice; afterwards the bidden can eat.  So now go up, for it is at the time you can find him.”

וַיַּעֲלוּ הָעִיר הֵמָּה בָּאִים בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר וְהִנֵּה שְׁמוּאֵל יֹצֵא לִקְרָאתָם לַעֲלוֹת הַבָּמָה׃   9:14

1Sam. 9:14   As they went up the city they were coming in the midst of the city, and behold, Samuel came out toward them to go up to the high place.

וַיהוָה גָּלָה אֶת־אֹזֶן שְׁמוּאֵל יוֹם אֶחָד לִפְנֵי בוֹא־שָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר׃   9:15

1Sam. 9:15   Now the Lord had opened the ear of Samuel one day before He brought Saul saying,

כָּעֵת מָחָר אֶשְׁלַח אֵלֶיךָ אִישׁ מֵאֶרֶץ בִּנְיָמִן וּמְשַׁחְתּוֹ לְנָגִיד עַל־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת־עַמִּי מִיַּד   9:16 פְּלִשְׁתִּים כִּי רָאִיתִי אֶת־עַמִּי כִּי בָּאָה צַעֲקָתוֹ אֵלָי׃

1Sam. 9:16   “About this time tomorrow I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin and you will anoint him to be a prince over My people Israel, and he will save My people from the hand of the Philistines, for I regarded My people when its cry came to Me.”

וּשְׁמוּאֵל רָאָה אֶת־שָׁאוּל וַיהוָה עָנָהוּ הִנֵּה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ זֶה יַעְצֹר בְּעַמִּי׃   9:17

1Sam. 9:17   When Samuel saw Saul, then the Lord told him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you; the same shall prevail with My people.”

וַיִּגַּשׁ שָׁאוּל אֶת־שְׁמוּאֵל בְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׁעַר וַיֹּאמֶר הַגִּידָה־נָּא לִי אֵי־זֶה בֵּית הָרֹאֶה׃   9:18

1Sam. 9:18   Then Saul approached Samuel within the gate and said, “Please tell to me where the house of the seer is here.”

וַיַּעַן שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר אָנֹכִי הָרֹאֶה עֲלֵה לְפָנַי הַבָּמָה וַאֲכַלְתֶּם עִמִּי הַיּוֹם וְשִׁלַּחְתִּיךָ בַבֹּקֶר   9:19 וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבְךָ אַגִּיד לָךְ׃

1Sam. 9:19   And Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer; come up with me to the high place and you shall eat with me today, and I will let you go in the morning, and all that is in your heart I will tell to you.”

וְלָאֲתֹנוֹת הָאֹבְדוֹת לְךָ הַיּוֹם שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַיָּמִים אַל־תָּשֶׂם אֶת־לִבְּךָ לָהֶם כִּי נִמְצָאוּ וּלְמִי כָּל־חֶמְדַּת   9:20 יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲלוֹא לְךָ וּלְכֹל בֵּית אָבִיךָ׃

1Sam. 9:20   As for the asses of yours that were lost the day three days ago, do not trouble your mind for them, for they have been found.  But for whom is all the desire of Israel?  Is it not for you and for all the house of your father?”

וַיַּעַן שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר הֲלוֹא בֶן־יְמִינִי אָנֹכִי מִקַּטַנֵּי׳1׳ שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִשְׁפַּחְתִּי הַצְּעִרָה מִכָּל־מִשְׁפְּחוֹת   9:21 שִׁבְטֵי בִנְיָמִן וְלָמָּה דִּבַּרְתָּ אֵלַי כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה׃

1Sam. 9:21   But Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel?  And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin?  Then why have you spoken to me in this manner?”

וַיִּקַּח שְׁמוּאֵל אֶת־שָׁאוּל וְאֶת־נַעֲרוֹ וַיְבִיאֵם לִשְׁכָּתָה וַיִּתֵּן לָהֶם מָקוֹם בְּרֹאשׁ הַקְּרוּאִים וְהֵמָּה   9:22 כִּשְׁלֹשִׁים אִישׁ׃

1Sam. 9:22   Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them in to the chamber, and gave the place at the head of those invited to them, and they were about thirty men.

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל לַטַּבָּח תְּנָה אֶת־הַמָּנָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָךְ אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ שִׂים אֹתָהּ עִמָּךְ׃   9:23

1Sam. 9:23   And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion that I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Bring it with you.’”

וַיָּרֶם הַטַּבָּח אֶת־הַשּׁוֹק וְהֶעָלֶיהָ וַיָּשֶׂם לִפְנֵי שָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה הַנִּשְׁאָר שִׂים־לְפָנֶיךָ אֱכֹל כִּי לַמּוֹעֵד   9:24 שָׁמוּר־לְךָ לֵאמֹר הָעָם קָרָאתִי וַיֹּאכַל שָׁאוּל עִם־שְׁמוּאֵל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא׃

1Sam. 9:24   And the cook took up the thigh and what was on it and set before Saul.  And he said, “Behold, what is reserved has been placed before you, eat.  Because it has been kept to the appointed time for you to say, ‘I have invited the people.’”  So Saul ate with Samuel on that day.

וַיֵּרְדוּ מֵהַבָּמָה הָעִיר וַיְדַבֵּר עִם־שָׁאוּל עַל־הַגָּג׃   9:25

1Sam. 9:25   Then they came down from the high place of the city and he spoke with Saul on the roof.

וַיַּשְׁכִּמוּ וַיְהִי כַּעֲלוֹת הַשַּׁחַר וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל־שָׁאוּל (הַגָּג) [הַגָּגָה] לֵאמֹר קוּמָה וַאֲשַׁלְּחֶךָּ וַיָּקָם שָׁאוּל   9:26 וַיֵּצְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם הוּא וּשְׁמוּאֵל הַחוּצָה׃

1Sam. 9:26   And they rose early when it was about the break of day, and Samuel called to Saul to the roof saying, “Arise, that I may send you away.”  So Saul rose up and the two of them, he and Samuel, went out abroad.

The ninth word in the verse should have a directional heh at the end of the word.  This is supplied in the word within the brackets.  From the wording of this verse and the preceding one, it seems that Saul (and his servant) had slept on the roof.

הֵמָּה יוֹרְדִים בִּקְצֵה הָעִיר וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר אֶל־שָׁאוּל אֱמֹר לַנַּעַר וְיַעֲבֹר לְפָנֵינוּ וַיַּעֲבֹר וְאַתָּה עֲמֹד   9:27 כַּיּוֹם וְאַשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת־דְּבַר אֱלֹהִים׃

1Sam. 9:27   They were going down by the edge of the city when Samuel said to Saul, “Say to the servant that he should go on before us.”  And he passed on.  “But you stay now that I may cause you to hear the word of God.”

In v. 9:26 it appeared that only Saul and Samuel had left.  In this verse we learn that the servant went along as well.  This is another example of how the scribe may omit details and then add them only when they are necessary.

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