1 Samuel 9:21-27

9:21 Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the smallest of Israel’s tribes, and is not my family clan the smallest of all the tribes of Benjamin? Why do you speak to me in this way?”

9:22 Then Samuel brought ¹  Saul and his servant into the room and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. There were about thirty people present. 9:23 Samuel said to the cook, “Give me the portion of meat that I gave to you – the one I asked you to keep with you.”

9:24 So the cook picked up the leg and brought it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel ²  said, “What was kept is now set before you! Eat, for it has been kept for you for this meeting time, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

9:25 When they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. 9:26 They got up at dawn and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, so I can send you on your way.” So Saul got up and the two of them – he and Samuel – went outside. 9:27 While they were going down to the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” So he did. ³  Samuel then said, ⁴  “You remain here awhile, so I can inform you of God’s message.”

[9:22]  ¹ tn Heb “took and brought.”

[9:24]  ² tn Heb “he” (also in v. 25); the referent (Samuel) has been specified in both places in the translation for clarity.

[9:27]  ³ tc This statement is absent in the LXX (with the exception of Origen), an Old Latin ms, and the Syriac Peshitta.

[9:27]  ⁴ tn The words “Samuel then said” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.