8 When Samuel was old, he named his sons judges of Israel to rule over the people and be their deliverers. 2 His first son, Joel, and his second son, Abijah, were judges in Beersheba, 3 but they were not like Samuel. They profited from dishonesty, took bribes, and fostered injustice. 4 So the elders of Israel gathered and came to Ramah to tell Samuel.
Elders: 5 You have grown old, Samuel, and your sons do not administer justice the way that you did. Before things worsen, appoint a king to rule us, as other nations have.
6 This request—"appoint a king to rule us"—bothered Samuel, so he prayed to the Eternal One 7 and received an answer.
Eternal One (to Samuel): Listen to what the people are asking you to do. It is not a rejection of you—it is a rejection of My rule over them. 8 It is what they have always done, from the day I brought them out of Egypt until today, rejecting Me and serving other gods. Now they are just doing it to you. 9 So listen to what they are asking you to do, but make it plain to them what they are asking. Warn them about what will happen if a king is appointed to rule them.
10 So Samuel told the people who were asking for a king what the Eternal One had said.
Samuel: 11 If a king rules over you, things will be different from now on. He will make your sons drive his chariots, be his horsemen, and go into battle ahead of his chariots. 12 Your king will select commanders over 1,000 and commanders over 50. He will make some of you to plow his fields and collect his harvest; some of you will be the blacksmiths forging his shields and swords for battle and outfitting his chariots. 13 He will force your daughters to make perfumes, to cook his meals, and to bake his bread. 14 He will seize the choicest of your fields, vineyards, and olive orchards to give to his courtiers, 15 and a tenth of your grain and your vineyards to give to his court eunuchs and servants. 16 This king you ask for will take your slaves, male and female, as his own and put the choicest of your donkeys and your young men to do his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks. You will essentially become his slaves. 18 One day you will cry for mercy from the Eternal One to save you from this king you have chosen for yourselves, but be assured, He will not hear you on that day.
People of Israel (ignoring Samuel): 19 We have decided that we will have a king who will rule over us 20 so that we will be like all other nations and will have someone to judge us and to lead us into battle.
21 After Samuel had heard their demands, he told the Eternal One what they had said.
Eternal One (to Samuel): 22 Do as they have asked. Give them a king.
So Samuel told the people of Israel to go back to their cities until he would call them together to anoint them a king.
9 A powerful man named Kish, who descended from Abiel, Zeror, Becorath, and Aphiah (the son of a Benjaminite), lived among the people of Benjamin. 2 Kish had a handsome young son named Saul. Now Saul was not only the most handsome man in Israel, but he was also the most imposing, standing taller than all others.
3 One day Saul's father Kish had lost his donkeys, having wandered away, so he told his son Saul to take one of the servants and look for them. 4 They traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, through the land of Shalishah, and through the land of Shaalim, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not see the donkeys.
5 At last, when they came to Zuph, Saul told the servant who accompanied him,
Saul: We had better turn around. If we keep going, my father will stop worrying about his donkeys and start worrying about us.
Servant: 6 I hear there is a man of God in this village, a man who is respected because what he predicts is always true. Before we go home, let's go and talk to him; maybe he will have some guidance about this journey we have begun.
Saul: 7 But if we go, what will we bring to this man? We can't show up empty-handed, but even the bread in our sacks is gone. I have nothing to give the man of God. Do you have anything?
Servant: 8 I have a tenth of an ounce of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and maybe he can tell us where to go.
9 It used to be in Israel that when people wanted to ask God a question, they would say, "Let's go talk to the seer." Now they are most commonly referred to as prophets, but they were called seers.
Saul: 10-11 Very good. Let's go, then.
As they traveled up to the city to visit the man of God, they saw some girls on their way to draw water at the well.
Saul: Can we find the seer here?
Girls: 12 Yes, he's just ahead of you. He has come here because there is a sacrifice today at the altar on the high place. You can catch him if you hurry. 13 Look for him just as you come into the city, and you should catch him before he goes up to the high place to eat. No one will eat until he gets there, since he is the one who will bless the sacrifice. After he does that, those who have been invited can eat. Now go on. You should encounter him right away.
14 They went immediately, and as they entered the city, Samuel was walking in their direction on his way up to the high place.
15 Now the Eternal One had told Samuel on the previous day,
Eternal One: 16 Tomorrow at about this same time I will send you a young man from Benjamin. You will anoint him to be a ruler over all Israel. I will give him strength to save My people from the Philistines because I hear their cries in their misery.
17 When Samuel saw Saul walking toward him, the Eternal spoke to him.
Eternal One: Look! This is the young man I told you about. I've chosen him to rule over My people.
18 There inside the gate, Saul walked up to Samuel.
Saul: Can you tell me, please, where I might find the seer's house?
Samuel: 19 You have found him. Come with me to the high place, and eat with me today. Tomorrow morning I will tell you what you need to know and then send you on your way. 20 As for those donkeys that wandered off three days ago? Don't give them any further thought. Someone has found them. Israel is more concerned today with you and your family.
Saul: 21 I come from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and I belong to the poorest family in Benjamin. Why are you saying these things to me?
22 Samuel took Saul and his servant up to the hall where around 30 people waited, and he made them sit in the places of honor.
Samuel (to the cook): 23 Bring the portion I gave you and asked you to set aside.
24 The cook brought the thigh along with other select parts and set them in front of Saul.
Samuel (pointing to the meat): Take a look. This was set aside for you. Eat and enjoy it all because this has been reserved for you until the appointed time. I have invited these people to be our guests.
So Saul feasted with Samuel the rest of the day. 25 When they returned to the city from eating at the high place, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof.
26 The next morning, at the break of dawn, Samuel shouted up to Saul on the roof.
Samuel (to Saul): Wake up! It is time for me to send you on your way.
Saul rose, and he and Samuel walked out into the street. 27 When they reached the edge of the city, Samuel told him,
Samuel: Send your servant on ahead. When he's far enough away, stop and let's talk. I need to give you a message from the True God.
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