Samuel & King Saul

But the people would not heare the voyce of Samuel, but did say, Nay, but there shall be a King ouer vs.

And we also will be like all other nations, and our King shall iudge vs, and goe out before vs, and fight our battels.

Therefore when Samuel heard all ye wordes of ye people, he rehearsed the in ye eares of ye Lord.

And the Lord saide to Samuel, Hearken vnto their voyce, and make them a King. And Samuel said vnto the men of Israel, Goe euery man vnto his citie.

There was nowe a man of Beniamin, mightie in power named Kish, the sonne of Abiel, the sonne of Zeror, the sonne of Bechorath, the sonne of Aphiah, the sonne of a man of Iemini.

And he had a sonne called Saul, a goodly yong man and a faire: so that among the children of Israel there was none goodlier then he: from the shoulders vpwarde he was hier then any of the people.

And the asses of Kish Sauls father were lost: therefore Kish said to Saul his sonne, Take nowe one of the seruants with thee, and arise, goe, and seeke the asses.

So he passed through mount Ephraim, and went through the lande of Shalishah, but they found them not. Then they went through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: he went also through ye land of Iemini, but they found the not.

When they came to the lande of Zuph, Saul saide vnto his seruant that was with him, Come and let vs returne, lest my father leaue the care of asses, and take thought for vs.

And he said vnto him, Behold nowe, in this citie is a man of God, and he is an honorable man: all that he saith commeth to passe: let vs nowe goe thither, if so be that he can shewe vs what way we may goe.

Then saide Saul to his seruant, Well then, let vs goe: but what shall we bring vnto the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is no present to bring to the man of God: what haue we?

And the seruant answered Saul againe, and said, Beholde, I haue founde about me the fourth part of a shekell of siluer: that will I giue the man of God, to tell vs our way.

(Beforetime in Israel when a man went to seeke an answere of God, thus he spake, Come, and let vs goe to the Seer: for he that is called nowe a Prophet, was in the olde time called a Seer)

Then saide Saul to his seruant, Well saide, come, let vs goe: so they went into the citie where the man of God was.

And as they were going vp the hie way to the citie, they found maydes that came out to draw water, and said vnto them, Is there here a Seer?

And they answered them, and said, Yea: loe, he is before you: make haste nowe, for he came this day to the citie: for there is an offering of the people this day in the hie place.

When ye shall come into the citie, ye shall finde him straightway yet he come vp to the hie place to eate: for the people will not eate vntill he come, because he will blesse the sacrifice: and then eate they that be bidden to the feast: nowe therefore goe vp: for euen now shall ye find him.

Then they went vp into the citie, and when they were come into the middes of the citie, Samuel came out against them, to goe vp to the hie place.

But the Lord had reueiled to Samuel secretly (a day before Saul came) saying,

To morow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Beniamin: him shalt thou anoint to be gouernour ouer my people Israel, that he may saue my people out of the hands of the Philistims: for I haue looked vpon my people, and their crie is come vnto me.

When Samuel therefore sawe Saul, the Lord answered him, See, this is the man whom I spake to thee of, he shall rule my people.

Then went Saul to Samuel in the middes of the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the Seers house is.

And Samuel answered Saul, and saide, I am the Seer: goe vp before me vnto the hie place: for ye shall eate with me to day. and to morowe I will let thee goe, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

And as for thine asses that were lost three dayes ago, care not for them: for they are founde. and on whom is set all the desire of Israel? is it not vpon thee and on all thy fathers house?

But Saul answered, and said, Am not I the sonne of Iemini of the smallest tribe of Israel? and my familie is the least of all the families of the tribe of Beniamin. Wherefore then speakest thou so to me?