Saul Meets Samuel
1 There was a wealthy and influential man named Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin; he was the son of Abiel and grandson of Zeror, and belonged to the family of Becorath, a part of the clan of Aphiah. 2 He had a son named Saul, a handsome man in the prime of life. Saul was a foot taller than anyone else in Israel and more handsome as well.
3 Some donkeys belonging to Kish had wandered off, so he said to Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” 4 They went through the hill country of Ephraim and the region of Shalishah, but did not find them; so they went on through the region of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then they went through the territory of Benjamin, but still did not find them. 5 When they came into the region of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, “Let's go back home, or my father might stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
6 The servant answered, “Wait! In this town there is a holy man who is highly respected because everything he says comes true. Let's go to him, and maybe he can tell us where we can find the donkeys.”
7 “If we go to him, what can we give him?” Saul asked. “There is no food left in our packs, and we don't have a thing to give him, do we?”
8 The servant answered, “I have a small silver coin. I can give him that, and then he will tell us where we can find them.”
9-11 Saul replied, “A good idea! Let's go.” So they went to the town where the holy man lived. As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women who were coming out to draw water. They asked these women, “Is the seer in town?”
(At that time a prophet was called a seer, and so whenever someone wanted to ask God a question, he would say, “Let's go to the seer.”)
12-13 “Yes, he is,” the young women answered. “In fact, he is just ahead of you. If you hurry, you will catch up with him. As soon as you go into town, you will find him. He arrived in town today because the people are going to offer a sacrifice on the altar on the hill. The people who are invited won't start eating until he gets there, because he has to bless the sacrifice first. If you go now, you will find him before he goes up the hill to eat.” 14 So Saul and his servant went on to the town, and as they were going in, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way to the place of worship.
15 Now on the previous day the Lord had told Samuel, 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the tribe of Benjamin; anoint him as ruler of my people Israel, and he will rescue them from the Philistines. I have seen the suffering of my people and have heard their cries for help.”
17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I told you about. He will rule my people.” 18 Then Saul went over to Samuel, who was near the gate, and asked, “Tell me, where does the seer live?”
19 Samuel answered, “I am the seer. Go on ahead of me to the place of worship. Both of you are to eat with me today. Tomorrow morning I will answer all your questions and send you on your way. 20 As for the donkeys that were lost three days ago, don't worry about them; they have already been found. But who is it that the people of Israel want so much? It is you—you and your father's family.”
21 Saul answered, “I belong to the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important one in the tribe. Why, then, do you talk like this to me?”
22 Then Samuel led Saul and his servant into the large room and gave them a place at the head of the table where the guests, about thirty in all, were seated. 23 Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, which I told you to set aside.” 24 So the cook brought the choice piece of the leg and placed it before Saul. Samuel said, “Look, here is the piece that was kept for you. Eat it. I saved it for you to eat at this time with the people I invited.”
So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 When they went down from the place of worship to the town, they fixed up a bed for Saul on the roof, 26 and he slept there.
Samuel Anoints Saul as Ruler
At dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, and I will send you on your way.” Saul got up, and he and Samuel went out to the street together. 27 When they arrived at the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” The servant left, and Samuel continued, “Stay here a minute, and I will tell you what God has said.”
Saul ta vaekwa ta ningi ohamba
1 Ndele muBenjamin mwa li omulumenhu, oshipuna shinene, edina laye la li Kis yaAbiel yaSeror yaBegorat yaAfia, Omubenjamin. 2 Ndele ye okwa li e nomona omumati, edina laye Saul, omulumenhu omunyasha, muwa kolutu, heeno, mokati kovana vaIsrael inamu monika nande umwe e mu dule mouwa. Oule waye okudja komapepe aye, wa li u dule ovanhu aveshe.
3 Eendongi eedidi daKis, xe yaSaul, eshi da kana, Kis okwa lombwela omona waye Saul: “Kufa umwe womovapiya pamwe naave ndele lilongekida u ye u ka konge eendongi.” 4 Ye okwa taulula keemhunda daEfraim noshikandjo shaSalisa, ndelenee ine di mona. Ndele va taulula moshikandjo shaSaalim, ndelenee naakwinya kada li ko. Ndele okwa taulula medu laBenjamin, ndelenee ine di mona. 5 Vo eshi ve uya moshikandjo shaSuf, Saul ta lombwele omupiya ou a li puye: “Ila, tu shune. Osheshi tate oku na oshisho nafye ndele ta dimbwa eendongi.” 6 Ndele ye okwe mu nyamukula: “Ndelenee tala, moshilando eshi omu nomulumenhu waKalunga, omulumenhu a fimanekwa. Keshe eshi te shi popi, tashi wanifwa. Natu ye ko ashike paife. Kashiimba ota dulu okuholola sha molwondjila ei tu li mo.” 7 Opo nee Saul ta pula komupiya waye: “Heeno, ngeenge hatu i ko, omulumenhu ohatu mu twalele shike? Osheshi omungome wa pwa mo momakutu etu ndele katu na omulongelo tu u twale komulumenhu waKalunga. Otu na shike?” 8 Nomupiya okwa nyamukula vali Saul, ndele ta ti: “Tala, ame ndi na natango oshisiliveli shoshitine shasekeli. Osho handi ka pa omulumenhu waKalunga, opo a shiive oku tu hololela sha molwondjila.” 9 Ovanhu vomuIsrael eshi va ya nale okupula kuKalunga tava ti: “Ila, tu ye komumonikokule. Osheshi ou ta ifanwa paife omuxunganeki, a ifanwa shito omumonikokule.” 10 Ndele Saul okwa nyamukula omupiya waye: “Ondjovo yoye oiwa. Tu ye.” Opo nee vo va ya koshilando musho mwa li omulumenhu waKalunga. 11 Fimbo tava i koshilando ndele tava londo komutune, va shakena noukadona ava ve uya okuteka, ndele va pula kuvo: “Omumonikokule opo e li?” 12 Ndele ve va nyamukula tava ti: “Oko e li komesho yeni. Endeleleni paife, osheshi ye e uya nena moshilando, shaashi ovanhu ve neyambo nena koshikulundu. 13 Ngeenge tamu uya koshilando, otamu mu hange fimbo ina ya koshikulundu a ka lye. Osheshi ovanhu itava li fimbo ye ine uya, shaashi oye ta nangeke eyambo noupuna. Opo nee ovaifanwa va lye. Indeni ko hano paife, osheshi tamu ke mu hanga paife eshi.” 14 Ndele va ya koshilando. Ndele naanaa eshi ve uya moshilando, opo tuu opo Samuel okwa pita mo te va shakeneke mokuya kwaye koshikulundu.
15 Osheshi Omwene a hololela Samuel mefiku la tetekela euyo laSaul ndee ta ti: 16 “Mefimbo tuu eli mongula Ame ohandi ke ku tumina omulumenhu umwe womoshilongo shaBenjamin, ou u noku mu vaeka a ninge ohamba yovanhu vange Ovaisraeli. Ndele ye ota ka xupifa ovanhu vange momake Ovafilisti. Osheshi Ame nda dimbulukwa ovanhu vange, shaashi onghuwo yavo ya fika kwaame.” 17 Samuel eshi a mona Saul, Omwene okwe mu lombwela: “Omulumenhu oye ou nde ku lombwelele. Ye ota ka pangela ovanhu vange.” 18 Ndele Saul okwa ehena kuSamuel moshivelo ndele ta ti: “Ulikile nge ongulu ei yomumonikokule.” 19 Opo nee Samuel a nyamukula Saul ndee ta ti: Aame omumonikokule! Tetekele nge u ye koshikulundu, opo nee nye tamu li pamwe naame nena. Ndele handi mu lekele ongula inene. Naashishe u shi kwete momwenyo, ame ohandi ke shi ku hololela. 20 Ndele ino kala noshisho sheendongi, odo da li de ku kana omafiku atatu, shaashi do oda monika. Noinima aishe oyo i holike muIsrael oyalyelye? Ndishi oyoye noyeumbo leni? 21 Ndele Saul okwa nyamukula ndele ta ti: Haame Omukwabenjamin womepata lininielela lomomapata aIsrael, noludi letu lixupielela momaludi omepata laBenjamin? Oshike to lombwele nge ngaha? 22 Ndelenee Samuel okwa kufa Saul nomupiya waye nokwe va twala molupale, ndele e va pa oipundi yokomesho yovaifanwa, ve fike povalumenhu omilongo nhatu. 23 Ndelenee Samuel okwa li a lombwela omuteleki: “Eta onhumba inya nde i ku pele, ndele nde ku lombwelele: ‘I tuvikila.’ ” 24 Nomuteleki okwa eta oshilama naasho sha endjelela ko, ndele te shi tula pomesho yaSaul. Ndele Samuel ta ti: “Oshoye, eshi sha xupa po, osho sha tulwa pomesho yoye. Lya, osheshi sho she ku tuvikililwa okafimbo tuu aka, ka ufwa, opo u shi lye novanhu nde va ifana.” Osho ngaha hano Saul okwa lya pamwe naSamuel. 25 Opo nee vo va dja koshikulundu va ya moshilando, Saul okwa yalelwa konhala yongulu, oye okwa ka nangala nokwa kofa.…Saul okwa yalwa konhala yongulu… 26 Ndele vo va penduka ongula inene. Eluwa eshi tali tende, Samuel okwa ifana Saul kombada yonduda ndele ta ti: “Penduka, ame ohandi ku findikile.” Ndele Saul okwa penduka, ndele vo aveshe vavali, ye naSamuel, va ya pondje. 27 Vo eshi ve uya komunghulo woshilando, Samuel ta ti kuSaul: “Lombwela omupiya, na pite komesho yetu.” Ndele omupiya a pita komesho, nopo nee Samuel a twikila: “Ove kanghama manga, opo ndi ku shiivifile ondjovo yaKalunga.”
