A reading from the book of 1 Samuel.

There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Avial, son of Zeroror,

son of Bikoroth, son of Athea, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth.

And 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. Now 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.

And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalicia,

but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaelim, but they were not

there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.

When they came to the land of Zouf, Saul said to a servant who was with him,

Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.

But 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. Then 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?

The 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.

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.

And Saul said to his servant, Well said, come, let us go.

So they went to the city where the man of God was.

As 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? They answered, He is. Behold, he is just ahead of you.

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