Kish was a wealthy man from the tribe of Benjamin and the father of Saul, Israel's first king. He is known as a mighty warrior and an influential figure in his tribe. His sending of his son Saul to look for lost donkeys indirectly led to Saul's anointing as king.
1There was a man from Benjamin whose name was Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite; he was a man of standing.
2He had a son named Saul, young and handsome. There was no one among the Israelites more handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders above all the people.
3Now the donkeys belonging to Kish, Saul's father, had strayed off, and Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go look for the donkeys."
4So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the region of Shalishah, but they did not find them. They went on through the region of Shaalim, and they were not there. They passed through the territory of Benjamin, and still did not find them.
5When they came to the region of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, "Come, let us go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us."
21Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin forward by its clans, and the clan of Matri was chosen; and Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found.
14They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin, at Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father, and they did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer on behalf of the land.