1 THEN Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?
2 When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?
3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:
4 And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.
5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:
6 And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.
8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.
9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.
10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.
11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
12 And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
14 And Saul’s uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.
15 And Saul’s uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.
16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.
17 And Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpeh;
18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:
19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands.
20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.
22 Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.
23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.
25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.
27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

1Then Samuel tooke a viall of oile, and powred it vpon his head, & kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anoynted thee to be captain ouer his inheritance?

2When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachels sepulchre in the border of Beniamin, at Zelzah: and they will say vnto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seeke, are found: and loe, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I doe for my sonne?

3Then shalt thou goe on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plaine of Tabor, and there shall meete thee three men, going vp to God to Bethel, one carying three kids, and another carying three loaues of bread, and another carying a bottle of wine.

4And they will salute thee, and giue thee two loaues of bread, which thou shalt receiue of their hands.

5After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garison of the Philistines: and it shall come to passe when thou art come thither to the citie, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets comming downe from the high place, with a psalterie, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harpe before them, and they shall prophecie.

6And the Spirit of the Lord will come vpon thee, and thou shalt prophecie with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

7And let it be when these signes are come vnto thee, that thou doe as occasion serue thee, for God is with thee.

8And thou shalt goe downe before me to Gilgal, and behold, I will come downe vnto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seuen dayes shalt thou tarie, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt doe.

9 And it was so that when he had turned his backe to go from Samuel, God gaue him another heart: and all those signes came to passe that day.

10And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of the prophets met him, and the spirit of God came vpon him, and hee prophesied among them.

11And it came to passe when all that knew him beforetime, saw, that behold, hee prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come vnto the sonne of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

12And one of the same place answered, and sayd, But who is their father? Therefore it became a prouerbe, Is Saul also among the Prophets?

13And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 And Sauls vncle saide vnto him, and to his seruant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seeke the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.

15And Sauls vncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said vnto you.

16And Saul sayd vnto his vncle; He told vs plainely that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdome, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

17 And Samuel called the people together vnto the Lord to Mizpeh;

18And said vnto the children of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I brought vp Israel out of Egypt, and deliuered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdomes, and of them that oppressed you.

19And ye haue this day reiected your God, who himselfe saued you out of all your aduersities & your tribulations: and ye haue said vnto him, Nay, but set a king ouer vs. Now therefore present your selues before the Lord by your tribes, and by your thousands.

20And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come neere, the tribe of Beniamin was taken.

21When he had caused the tribe of Beniamin to come neere by their families, the familie of Matri was taken, and Saul the sonne of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.

22Therefore they enquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither: and the Lord answered, Behold, hee hath hid himselfe among the stuffe.

23And they ranne, and fetched him thence, and when he stood among the people, he was higher then any of the people, from the shoulders & vpward.

24And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whome the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and saide, God saue the King.

25Then Samuel tolde the people the maner of the kingdome, and wrote it in a booke, and layd it vp before the Lord, and Samuel sent all the people away, euery man to his house.

26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah, and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

27But the children of Belial sayd, Howe shall this man saue vs? and they despised him, and brought him no presents: but he held his peace.

I == Deut 32:9 ; 1st Sam 9:16 ; 16:13 ; 2nd Kings 9:3 ; 2nd Kings 9:3 , 6 ; Ps 2:12 ; 78:71 ; Acts 13:21

II == Gen 35:19-20 ; Josh 18:28

 

 

 

 

III == Gen 28:22 ; 35:1 , 3 , 7

 

 

 

 

IV == Judg 18:15

V == Ex 15:20-21 ; 1st Sam 9:12 ; 10:10 ; 13:3 ; 2nd Kings 3:15 ; 1st Cor 14:1

 

 

 

VI == Num 11:25 ; 1st SAm 10:10 ; 16:13 ; 19:23-24

VII == Ez 4:8 ; Judg 6:12 ; 9:33 ; Luke 2:12

 

VIII == 1st Sam 11:14-15 ; 13:4 , 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

X == 1st Sam 10:5-6 ; 19:20

 

XI == 1st Sam 19:24 ; Matt 13:54-55 ; John 7:15 ; Acts 4:13

 

 

 

XII == Isa 54:13 ; John 6:45 ; 7:16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVII == Judg 11:11 ; 20:1 ; 1st Sam 7:5-6 ; 11:15

XVIII == Judg 6:8-9

 

 

XIX == 1st Sam 8:7 , 19 ; 12:12

 

 

 

 

XX == Josh 7:14 , 16-17 ; Acts 1:24 , 26

 

 

 

 

XXII == 1st Sam 23:2 , 4 , 10-11

 

XXIII == 1st Sam 9:2

 

 

XXIV == 2nd Sam 21:6 ; 1st Kings 1:25 , 39 ; 2nd Kings 11:12

 

 

XXV == Deut 17:14 ; 1st Sam 8:11

 

XXVI == Judg 20:14 ; 1st Sam 11:4

 

XXVII == Deut 13:13 ; 1st Sam 11:12 ; 2nd Sam 8:2 ; 1st Kings 4:21 ; 10:25 ; 2nd Chr 17:5 ; Ps 72:10 ; Matt 2:11

 

1 Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul's head; he also kissed him, saying: "The LORD anoints you commander over his heritage. You are to govern the LORD'S people Israel, and to save them from the grasp of their enemies round about. "This will be the sign for you that the LORD has anointed you commander over his heritage:

2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel's tomb at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin, who will say to you, 'The asses you went to look for have been found. Your father is no longer worried about the asses, but is anxious about you and says, What shall I do about my son?'

3 Farther on, when you arrive at the terebinth of Tabor, you will be met by three men going up to God at Bethel; one will be bringing three kids, another three loaves of bread, and the third a skin of wine.

4 They will greet you and offer you two wave offerings of bread, which you will take from them.

5 After that you will come to Gibeath-elohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. As you enter that city, you will meet a band of prophets, in a prophetic state, coming down from the high place preceded by lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps.

6 The spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will join them in their prophetic state and will be changed into another man.

7 When you see these signs fulfilled, do whatever you judge feasible, because God is with you.

8 Now go down ahead of me to Gilgal, for I shall come down to you, to offer holocausts and to sacrifice peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you; I shall then tell you what you must do."

9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. That very day all these signs came to pass. . . .

10 When they were going from there to Gibeah, a band of prophets met him, and the spirit of God rushed upon him, so that he joined them in their prophetic state.

11 When all who had known him previously saw him in a prophetic state among the prophets, they said to one another, "What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"

12 And someone from that district added, "And who is their father?" Thus the proverb arose, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

13 When he came out of the prophetic state, he went home.

14 Saul's uncle inquired of him and his servant, "Where have you been?" Saul replied, "To look for the asses. When we could not find them, we went to Samuel."

15 Then Saul's uncle said, "Tell me, then, what Samuel said to you."

16 Saul said to his uncle, "He assured us that the asses had been found." But he mentioned nothing to him of what Samuel had said about the kingship.

17 Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah

18 and addressed the Israelites: "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'It was I who brought Israel up from Egypt and delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.'

19 But today you have rejected your God, who delivers you from all your evils and calamities, by saying to him, 'Not so, but you must appoint a king over us.' Now, therefore, take your stand before the LORD according to tribes and families."

20 So Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.

21 Next he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward in clans, and the clan of Matri was chosen, and finally Saul, son of Kish, was chosen. But they looked for him in vain.

22 Again they consulted the LORD, "Has he come here?" The LORD answered, "He is hiding among the baggage."

23 They ran to bring him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was head and shoulders above all the crowd.

24 Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see the man whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among all the people!" Then all the people shouted, "Long live the king!"

25 Samuel next explained to the people the law of royalty and wrote it in a book, which he placed in the presence of the LORD. This done, Samuel dismissed the people, each to his own place.

26 Saul also went home to Gibeah, accompanied by warriors whose hearts the LORD had touched.

27 But certain worthless men said, "How can this fellow save us?" They despised him and brought him no present.

 

v 1. With the servant sent on ahead Saul is privately anointed king. The kiss showing Samuel’s respect and devotion to God’s appointed man.

 

 

v 2-8. Saul was well informed that he was to be king, but Samuel knew doubts would still arise, so gave Saul a series of about 25 circumstances which would confirm it. First he would meet two men in a specific place, by Rachel’s sepulcher, who would tell him the asses were found and of his father’s concern. Then at the oak of Tabor he would meet three men going up to God at Bethel, one carrying three kids, another carrying three loaves of bread, another carrying a skin of wine. They would greet him and give him two loaves of bread. Next he would meet a company of prophets at specific place, and accompanied by musical instruments would prophecy. Finally, the Spirit of the Lord would come on him and he too would prophesy as a different man. These were all to be a sign that God was with him. Then he was to go down to Gilgal and wait until Samuel came to make sacrifices and give further instruction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 9-13. The signs all came to pass precisely as stated, the Spirit of God came on Saul, and he prophesied. This amazed people who knew him, that this son of Kish would be doing this. After that he went to the high place as instructed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 14-16. Saul’s uncle quizzed him about where he had been, and he reported fully except he said nothing about the matter of the kingdom.

 

 

 

 

 

v 17-22. Samuel called all the people to his usual gathering place at Mizpah and reminded them how the Lord had delivered them from Egypt and all their enemies, but now they had rejected God and insisted on a king. In the selection he drew lot by tribe, by families and finally to the individual Saul. Saul had possibly hidden among the baggage, partly in modesty, partly because he realized many would look with disfavor upon him and he would give them a chance to select another, and partly because he feared the overwhelming responsibility for one not previously interested in such things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 23,24. When Samuel presented this tall man to the people they were very enthusiastic about him. Then Samuel gave instructions concerning a king, possibly from Deut. 17:14-20 as well as warnings he had previously given, 1 Sam. 8:10-17. All this he wrote in a book for permanent reference, and sent everyone home.

 

 

 

v 26,27. Some valiant men were immediately attracted to support Saul, while some wicked, ungodly men had nothing to do with him and ridiculed him. He could have executed them, but he was still humble at this point and let it pass.