1 Samuel 10

Saul among Prophets

1Then 1Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, 2kissed him and said, “Has not 3the Lord anointed you a ruler over 4His inheritance? 2When you go from me today, then you will find two men close to 5Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘6The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold, your father has 7ceased to be concerned about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’ 3Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the 89oak of Tabor, and there three men going up 10to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine; 4and they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hand. 5Afterward you will come to 1112the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is; and it shall be as soon as you have come there to the city, that you will meet 13a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and 14they will be prophesying. 6Then 15the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and 16you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man. 7It shall be when these signs come to you, 17do for yourself what 18the occasion requires, for 19God is with you. 8And 20you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and 21sacrifice peace offerings. 22You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do.”

9Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God 23changed 24his heart; and all those signs came about on that day. 1025When they came to 26the hill there, behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them. 11It came about, when all who knew him previously saw that he prophesied now with the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? 27Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12A man there said, “Now, who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “28Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

14Now 29Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “30To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they could not be found, we went to Samuel.” 15Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.” 16So Saul said to his uncle, “31He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom which Samuel had mentioned.

Saul Publicly Chosen King

17Thereafter Samuel called the 32people together to the Lord at Mizpah; 18and he said to the sons of Israel, “33Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the 34power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ 19But you 35have today rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have 36said, ‘No, but set a king over us!’ Now therefore, 37present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.”

20Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken; but when they looked for him, he could not be found. 22Therefore 38they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” So the Lord said, “Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage.” 23So they ran and took him from there, and when he stood among the people, 39he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him 40whom the Lord has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people.” So all the people shouted and said, “4142Long live the king!”

25Then Samuel told the people 43the ordinances of the kingdom, and wrote them in the book and 44placed it before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his house. 26Saul also went 45to his house at Gibeah; and the valiant men whose hearts God had touched went with him. 27But certain 4647worthless men said, “How can this one deliver us?” And they despised him and 48did not bring him any present. But he kept silent.