Saul Meets Samuel
1 Kish was a wealthy man who belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. His father was Abiel, his grandfather was Zeror, his great-grandfather was Becorath, and his great-great-grandfather was Aphiah. 2 Kish had a son named Saul, who was better looking and more than a head taller than anyone else in all Israel.
3 Kish owned some donkeys, but they had run off. So he told Saul, “Take one of the servants and go look for the donkeys.”
4 Saul and the servant went through the hill country of Ephraim and the territory of Shalishah, but they could not find the donkeys. Then they went through the territories of Shaalim and Benjamin, but still there was no sign of the donkeys. 5 Finally they came to the territory where the clan of Zuph lived. “Let's go back home,” Saul told his servant. “If we don't go back soon, my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us!”
6 “Wait!” the servant answered. “There's a man of God who lives in a town near here. He's amazing! Everything he says comes true. Let's talk to him. Maybe he can tell us where to look.”
7 Saul said, “How can we talk to the prophet when I don't have anything to give him? We don't even have any bread left in our sacks. What can we give him?”
8 “I have a small piece of silver,” the servant answered. “We can give him that, and then he will tell us where to look for the donkeys.”
9-10 “Great!” Saul replied. “Let's go to the man who can see visions!” He said this because in those days God would answer questions by giving visions to prophets.
Saul and his servant went to the town where the prophet lived. 11 As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to get water, and the two men said to them, “We're looking for the man who can see visions. Is he in town?”
12 “Yes, he is,” they replied. “He's in town today because there's going to be a sacrifice and a sacred meal at the place of worship. In fact, he's just ahead of you. Hurry 13 and you should find him right inside the town gate. He's on his way out to the place of worship to eat with the invited guests. They can't start eating until he blesses the sacrifice. If you go now, you should find him.”
14 They went to the town, and just as they were going through the gate, Samuel was coming out on his way to the place of worship.
15 The day before Saul came, the Lord had told Samuel, 16 “I've seen how my people are suffering, and I've heard their call for help. About this time tomorrow I'll send you a man from the tribe of Benjamin, who will rescue my people from the Philistines. I want you to pour olive oil on his head to show that he will be their leader.”
17 Samuel looked at Saul, and the Lord told Samuel, “This is the man I told you about. He's the one who will rule Israel.”
18 Saul went over to Samuel in the gateway and said, “A man who can see visions lives here in town. Could you tell me the way to his house?”
19 “I am the one who sees visions!” Samuel answered. “Go on up to the place of worship. You will eat with me today, and in the morning I'll answer your questions. 20 Don't worry about your donkeys that ran off three days ago. They've already been found. Everything of value in Israel now belongs to you and your family.”
21 “Why are you telling me this?” Saul asked. “I'm from Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my clan is the least important in the tribe.”
Saul Eats with Samuel and Stays at His House
22 Samuel took Saul and his servant into the dining room at the place of worship. About 30 people were there for the dinner, but Samuel gave Saul and his servant the places of honor. 23-24 Then Samuel told the cook, “I gave you the best piece of meat and told you to set it aside. Bring it here now.”
The cook brought the meat over and set it down in front of Saul. “This is for you,” Samuel told him. “Go ahead and eat it. I had this piece saved especially for you, and I invited these guests to eat with you.”
After Saul and Samuel had finished eating, 25 they went down from the place of worship and back into town. A bed was set up for Saul on the flat roof of Samuel's house, 26 and Saul slept there.
About sunrise the next morning, Samuel called up to Saul on the roof, “Time to get up! I'll help you get started on your way.”
Saul got up. He and Samuel left together 27 and had almost reached the edge of town when Samuel stopped and said, “Tell your servant go on. Stay here with me for a few minutes, and I'll tell you what God has told me.”
Samuel Tells Saul He Will Be King
After the servant had gone,
Sawulu taata a faamaa la faloolu ñini
1 Fankamaa doo le mu, a keta nuŋ moo buuñaariŋ baa le ti. A too mu Kisi le ti, aduŋ a mu Abiyeli dinkewo le ti, Abiyeli Serori dinkewo, Serori Bekorati dinkewo, Bekorati Afiya dinkewo, Afiya wo tarata Benjamini lasiloo le kono. 2 A dinkewo too mu Sawulu le ti. Fondinkee muluŋ ñiimaa baa le mu, a niŋ Banisirayilankoolu maŋ kaañaŋ. Aduŋ ate le jamfata ì bee ti.
3 Kisi la faloolu le filita nuŋ, bituŋ a ko a diŋo Sawulu ye ko, “Dookuulaa kiliŋ taa, i niŋ a ye taa ñoo la, ali ye taa faloolu ñini.” 4 Bituŋ ì tambita niŋ Efurayimu* konkotundoo* la aniŋ Salisa maafaŋo, bari ì maŋ ì je. Bituŋ ì tententa ka taa Saalimu tundoo kaŋ, bari faloolu te jee fanaa to. Kabiriŋ ì bota Saalimu, ì taata niŋ Benjamini tundoo la, bari ì maŋ ì je. 5 Labaŋo la, kabiriŋ ì futata Sufu tundoo kaŋ, Sawulu ko a la dookuulaa ye ko, “Naa ŋà muruŋ, kaatu niŋ wo nte, m faamaa te i miira la faloolu la kuwo la, a be a dati la le ka dewuŋ ntolu la kuwo la.”
6 Bari dookuulaa ye a jaabi ñiŋ ne la ko, “M batu, ñiŋ saatewo to Alla la moo be jee le. Ì ye a horoma baake le, aduŋ a ye feŋ-wo-feŋ fo, a ka ke tooñaa le ti. Ŋà taa jee saayiŋ. Tumandoo a be a fo la ǹ ye le, ǹ ñanta meŋ ke la.”
7 Sawulu ko a la dookuulaa ye ko, “Niŋ ǹ taata, m̀ be muŋ ne dii la keendiŋo la? Domoroo meŋ be ǹ na bootoolu kono banta le. M̀ maŋ soorifeŋ soto, m̀ be meŋ dii la Alla la moo la. Muŋ ne be m̀ bulu?”
8 Dookuulaa ye a jaabi kotenke ko, “M batu, kodiforo kuntundiŋ be m bulu le. M be a dii la Alla la moo la le, i si a je, a si siloo fo ǹ ye, m̀ be taa meŋ na.”
Sawulu niŋ Samuweli benta
9-11 Sawulu ko dookuulaa ye ko, “A beteyaata. Naa ŋà taa.” Bituŋ ì taata saatewo to, Alla la moo be daameŋ. Kabiriŋ ì be sele kaŋ konkoo kaŋ ka taa saatewo ñiŋ to, ì niŋ sunkutoolu benta, wolu ka taa jiibiyo la. Bituŋ ì ye ì ñininkaa ko, “Juubeerilaa be jaŋ ne baŋ?”
Wo waatoo Banisirayila kono, niŋ moo faŋo be taa a la kuwo ñininkaa la Alla bulu, a ka a fo le ko, “Ali naa, ŋà taa juubeerilaa yaa,” kaatu wo waatoo annabiyomoolu, ì ka ì kili juubeerilaalu le la.
12 Sunkutoolu ye ì jaabi ko, “A be jaŋ ne. A be ali ñaato le. Ali i tariyaa, bii le faŋo a naata ǹ na saatewo kono, kaatu moolu ye beeyaŋ sadaaboo* le soto batudulaa to. 13 Niŋ ali dunta saatewo kono doroŋ, ali be a je la le, janniŋ a ka taa batudulaa to domoroo la. Moolu te domoroo dati la, fo a ye naa, kaatu a ñanta duwaa ke la ñiŋ beeyaŋ sadaa la kuwo kamma le. Niŋ wo keta, ì ye moolu mennu kumandi, wolu si naa domoroo ke. Ali taa saayiŋ. Ñiŋ waatoo ali ñanta a tara la jee le.” 14 Ì taata fo saatewo to, aduŋ kabiriŋ ì be duŋ kaŋ, Samuweli fanaa be naa kaŋ itolu maafaŋo la, ka taa a la siloo la batudulaa to.
15 Tili kiliŋ koomanto, janniŋ Sawulu ka naa, Yaawe* ye ñiŋ fo Samuweli ye le ko, 16 “Saama ñiŋ ñoŋ waatoo m be kewo doo le kii la i ye naŋ, meŋ bota Benjamini bankoo kaŋ. Tuloo boŋ a kuŋo to, i ye a ke n na moolu Banisirayilankoolu la ñaatonkoo ti. A be n na moolu bondi la Filisitinkoolu bulu le. Ŋa ì la kuwo je le, kaatu ì la kumboo futata m ma le.”
17 Kabiriŋ Samuweli ye Sawulu je, Yaawe ko a ye ko, “Ŋa ñiŋ kewo le la kumoo fo i ye, ate le be n na moolu mara la.” 18 Sawulu taata Samuweli yaa saatewo dundaŋ daa* to, a ye a ñininkaa. A ko a ye ko, “Dukaree, a fo n ye juubeerilaa la buŋo be daameŋ.”
19 Samuweli ye a jaabi ñiŋ ne la ko, “Nte le mu juubeerilaa ti. Tambi n ñaato batudulaa to, kaatu bii i niŋ m be domoroo ke la ñoo kaŋ ne. Soomandaa m be i bula la le, i ye taa, aduŋ m be i la ñininkaaroolu bee jaabi la le. 20 Faloolu mennu filita tili saba koomanto, kana i miira ì la kuwo la, ì ye ì je le. Banisirayila ŋaniyoo be jumaa le ye, niŋ a maŋ ke ite faamaa la dimbaayaa ti?”
21 Sawulu ye a jaabi ko, “Bari fo nte maŋ ke Benjamini lasili moo le ti, lasiloo meŋ dooyaata Banisirayila bee kono? Fo n na dimbaayaa le maŋ koomankayaa Benjamini lasiloo bee kono baŋ? Muŋ ne ye a tinna, i ka ñiŋ kuu siifaa fo n ye?”
22 Bituŋ Samuweli ye Sawulu niŋ a la dookuulaa samba domori buŋo kono, a ye ì sindi moolu bee ñaatiliŋo la. Ì ye mennu buuñaatoo kumandi, wo taata le fo moo taŋ saba. 23 Samuweli ko tabirilaa ye ko, “Ŋa wo subu kuntoo meŋ dii i la, n ko, i ye a landi kara la, a samba naŋ.” 24 Bituŋ tabirilaa ye kooma siŋo aniŋ meŋ be a bala sika, a ye a landi Sawulu ñaatiliŋo la. Samuweli ko, “Ŋa meŋ maabo i ye nuŋ, a fele. A domo, kaatu ŋa a maabo i ye ñiŋ waatoo le kamma, fo i niŋ moolu ŋa mennu buuñaatoo kumandi si domoroo ke ñoo kaŋ.”
Wo luŋo Samuweli niŋ Sawulu ye domoroo ke. 25 Kabiriŋ ì bota naŋ batudulaa to ka naa saatewo to, Samuweli niŋ Sawulu diyaamuta a la buŋo santo, daameŋ teruta.
Samuweli ye Yaawe la kiilaariyaa fo Sawulu ye
26 Ì wulita fanikee maafaŋo le, aduŋ Samuweli ye Sawulu kumandi ka jii naŋ buŋo santo. A ko a ye ko, “I paree, m be i bula la le, i ye taa i la siloo la.” Kabiriŋ Sawulu pareeta, a niŋ Samuweli taata ñoo la banta.
27 Kabiriŋ ì futata saatewo dandulaa to, Samuweli ko Sawulu ye ko, “A fo dookuulaa ye tambi ǹ ñaato.” Dookuulaa taata, bituŋ Samuweli tententa ka a fo Sawulu ye ko, “M batu domandiŋ, i si a je, n si kiilaariyaa fo i ye, meŋ bota naŋ Alla yaa.”
