The Lord’s choice is a man named Saul, who belongs to a prominent family from the tribe of Benjamin (9:1–13). He is tall—a head taller than anyone else—but he is looking for lost donkeys and not a crown when he encounters Samuel. After searching the tribal areas of Ephraim and Benjamin, Saul is ready to give up the search, but his servant suggests that they consult a highly respected man of God. Fortunately the servant has a small amount of silver to give to the prophet, for payment of some sort was customary (see 1 Kings 14:3). When the two men ask about the prophet, they are told that he is on his way to bless a sacrifice at the local high place. High places were shrines located on hills and contained, among other things, an altar. Later writers will associate high places with the worsh…