At the gate of the city Saul was met by the prophet himself. God had revealed to Samuel that at that time the chosen king of Israel would present himself before him. As they now stood face to face, the Lord said to Samuel, "Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over My people." To the request of Saul, "Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is," Samuel replied, "I am the seer." Assuring him also that the lost animals had been found, he urged him to tarry and attend the feast, at the same time giving some intimation of the great destiny before him: "On whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?" The listener's heart thrilled at the prophet's words. He could not but perceive something of their significance, for the demand for a king had become a matter of absorbing interest to the whole nation. Yet with modest self-depreciation Saul replied, "Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?"

Saul mødte profeten selv i byens port. Gud havde åbenbaret for Samuel, at han ville møde Israels vordende konge på dette tidspunkt. Da de stod over for hinanden, sagde Herren til Samuel: "Se, der er den mand, om hvem jeg sagde til dig: Han skal herske over mit folk!" Da Saul sagde: "Vær så god at sige mig, hvor seerens hus er!" svarede Samuel: "Seeren - det er mig." Samuel forsikrede nu Saul om, at de bortløbne dyr var fundet, og opfordrede ham til at blive i byen og overvære festen. Samtidig røbede han den store opgave, der ventede Saul i fremtiden. "Til hvem står alt Israels begær uden til dig og hele dit fædrenehus?" Profetens ord greb hans tilhørers hjerte. Saul kunne ikke undgå at fatte lidt af meningen med dem, for hele nationen var opsat på at få en konge. Men til trods herfor svarede han ydmygt: "Er jeg ikke fra Benjamin, Israels mindste stamme? Og min slægt er den ringeste af alle Benjamins stammes slægter. Hvor kan du da tale således til mig?"