1 Samuel 9

There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.

Ɛho nhia sɛ mekyerɛw mo fa mmoa a wɔboa Onyankopɔn nkurɔfo a wɔwɔ Yudea no ho.

Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.

Minim sɛ ɛyɛ mo pɛ sɛ moboa nti, mede mo ahoahoa me ho akyerɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ Makedonia no. Mekae se, “Anuanom a wɔwɔ Hela” no siesiee wɔn ho sɛ wɔbɛboa afe a etwaam no mu. Mo ahokeka no akanyan wɔn mu fa kɛse no.

Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.”

Afei merema anuanom yi aba mo nkyɛn sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a hoa a yɛde wɔn hoahoa yɛn ho no nyɛ nsɛnkeka kwa. Na, sɛnea mekae no, mubesiesie mo ho aboa.

So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

Sɛ anyɛ saa na sɛ nnipa no ne me fi Makedonia ba behu sɛ munsiesiee mo ho a, yɛn anim begu ase. Ɛnyɛ mo anim gu a ebegu ase nko, na mmom, sɛ yɛwɔ mo mu ahotoso no nso ka ho.

When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

Enti midwen ho hui sɛ, eye sɛ anuanom bi di m’anim kan na wɔkɔpɛ akyɛde a mohyɛɛ me ho bɔ no gu hɔ. Ɛba saa a, bere a medu hɔ no na ɛwɔ hɔ na adi adanse sɛ mo na momae efisɛ, na mopɛ sɛ moma nti, na mmom na ɛnyɛ sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ moma.

But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”

Monkae saa asɛm yi: Onipa a ogu aba kakraa bi no, betwa so kakraa bi, na nea ogu aba pii no, betwa so pii.

Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”

Mo mu biara mma sɛnea wadwene ho no a, ɛnyɛ sɛ yaw anaa ɔhyɛ mu, efisɛ, Onyankopɔn pɛ obi a ɔde anigye ma akyɛde no asɛm.

The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel^[a] of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.”

Na Onyankopɔn betumi ama wo aboro nea ɛho hia wo no so, enti daa na wowɔ nea ɛho hia wo na wubenya bi nso adi dwuma foforo a ɛfata sɛ wudi.

(Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)

Kyerɛwsɛm no ka se, “Ofi ne koma mu ma ahiafo, n’adɔe no tena hɔ daa.”

“Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was.

Na Onyankopɔn a ɔma ogufo no aba ne abodoo di no bɛma wo nso aba a ehia wo nyinaa na wahwɛ so ama anyin na wadɔe no nti, asow bebree.

As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?”

Daa ɔbɛhwɛ ma woanya ade na woayɛ adɔe, na ɛnam so ma dodow no ara ada Onyankopɔn ase wɔ mo akyɛde a munya fi yɛn nkyɛn no ho.

“He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place.

Saa adɔe a moyɛ yi, monyɛ mma Onyankopɔn nkurɔfo nko, na mmom, ɛnam so ma yɛda Onyankopɔn ase a enni kabea.

As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.”

Esiane dwuma a moadi de adi mo ho adanse pa no nti, nnipa gyina nokware a moadi wɔ Kristo asɛnka no ne mo adɔe a moyɛ maa obiara no so bɛkamfo Onyankopɔn.

They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.

Enti wɔde ɔdɔ bɛbɔ mpae ama mo, efisɛ, Onyankopɔn ama mo adom a ɛboro so.

Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel:

Yɛda Onyankopɔn ase wɔ n’akyɛde a enni kabea no ho.

“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.”

When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”

Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

“I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart.

As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”

Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?”

Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number.

Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.”

So the cook took up the thigh with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.

After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof of his house.

They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together.

As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”