1Quis era un hombre rico e influyente de la tribu de Benjamín. Era hijo de Abiel, nieto de Zeror, bisnieto de Becorat y tataranieto de Afía.2Su hijo Saúl era el hombre más gallardo de Israel. Era más alto que todos los demás varones de Israel y los sobrepasaba desde los hombros hacia arriba.3Un día algunas burras de Quis se extraviaron, y este envió a Saúl y a un criado para que las buscaran.4Recorrieron la región montañosa de Efraín, la tierra de Salisá, el área de Salín y toda la tierra de Benjamín, pero no las pudieron encontrar en ningún lugar.5Finalmente, después de buscar en la tierra de Zuf, Saúl le dijo a su criado: ―Regresemos a casa, porque ahora mi padre debe estar más preocupado por nosotros que por las burras.6Pero el criado le dijo: ―Acaba de ocurrírseme una idea. Hay un profeta que vive en esta ciudad. Él es muy respetado por todos sus habitantes, porque todo lo que dice ocurre. Vamos, busquémoslo y quizás él pueda decirnos dónde están las burras.7―Pero no tenemos con qué pagarle —replicó Saúl—. Aun nuestro alimento se ha acabado y no tenemos nada que darle.8―Bueno —dijo el criado—, yo tengo tres gramos de plata. Por lo menos podemos ofrecérselo y ver qué ocurre.9―Bien —aprobó Saúl—, vayamos y probemos. Fueron entonces a la ciudad donde vivía el profeta. Mientras subían la colina hacia la ciudad, vieron a algunas jóvenes que salían a sacar agua y les preguntaron si sabían donde vivía el vidente: En aquellos días los profetas eran llamados videntes. «Vamos y preguntemos al vidente», decía la gente en vez de decir«vamos y preguntémosle al profeta».12―Sí —respondieron—, sigue este camino. Acaba de llegar de un viaje y va a tomar parte en un sacrificio público en el lugar alto.13Si se dan prisa lo encontrarán antes que salga. Pero apúrense, porque el pueblo no comerá antes que él llegue. Él es el que ha de bendecir el sacrificio antes del banquete.14Entraron en la ciudad y apenas habían cruzado las puertas, vieron a Samuel que salía para ir hacia el lugar.15El SEÑOR le había dicho a Samuel el día anterior:16«A esta hora, mañana, enviaré a un hombre de la tierra de Benjamín. Lo ungirás rey de mi pueblo. Él los salvará de los filisteos, pues he oído el clamor de mi pueblo».17Cuando Samuel vio a Saúl, el SEÑOR le dijo: «Este es el hombre del que te hablé: él gobernará a mi pueblo».18Saúl se acercó a Samuel y le preguntó: ―¿Puedes decirme dónde está la casa del vidente?19―Yo soy el vidente —respondió Samuel—, sube al lugar alto delante de mí y comeremos juntos. En la mañana te diré lo que quieres saber y te enviaré de regreso por tu camino.20Y no te preocupes acerca de las burras que se perdieron hace tres días, porque ya las han encontrado. Además, los más preciosos deseos de Israel se cumplirán por medio de ti y de tu familia.21―Perdóneme, señor —respondió Saúl—. Yo soy de la tribu de Benjamín, la menor de las tribus de Israel, y mi familia es la menos importante de todas las familias de mi tribu. Debe de haberse equivocado de hombre.22Samuel llevó a Saúl y a su criado, los hizo entrar en el comedor y los puso a la cabecera de la mesa, con lo que les daba el lugar de honor sobre los treinta invitados especiales.23Samuel dio orden al cocinero de que le sirviera a Saúl la mejor parte de la carne, la porción que él mismo le había entregado para el huésped de honor.24Y el cocinero trajo la espaldilla y la pierna y las puso delante de Saúl. ―Vamos, come —dijo Samuel—, porque esta parte la tenía reservada para ti, aun antes de que invitara a los demás. Saúl comió con Samuel.25Después de la fiesta, cuando regresaron a la ciudad, Samuel llevó a Saúl a la terraza, donde conversó con él.26Al despuntar el alba a la mañana siguiente, Samuel lo llamó: ―Levántate, es hora de que te marches. Saúl se levantó y Samuel lo acompañó hasta las puertas de la ciudad.27Cuando llegaron a las murallas, Samuel le dijo a Saúl que enviara adelante a su criado. Entonces le dijo: ―He recibido un mensaje del SEÑOR especialmente dirigido a ti.
English Standard Version
Saul Chosen to Be King
1There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth.2And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.3Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.”4And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.5When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant* who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.”6But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.”7Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”8The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel* of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way.”9(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for today’s “prophet” was formerly called a seer.)10And Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.11As they went up the hill to the city, they met young women coming out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?”12They answered, “He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Hurry. He has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place.13As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.”14So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.15Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel:16“Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince* over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen* my people, because their cry has come to me.”17When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.”18Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?”19Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind.20As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s house?”21Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”22Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited, who were about thirty persons.23And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Put it aside.’”24So the cook took up the leg and what was on it and set them before Saul. And Samuel said, “See, what was kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests.”* So Saul ate with Samuel that day.25And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep.*26Then at the break of dawn* Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Up, that I may send you on your way.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.27As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”
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