1 T hen Samuel took the vial of oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him and said, Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over His heritage Israel?

¶ Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it upon his head and kissed him and said, Is it not because the LORD has anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

2 W hen you have left me today, you will meet two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, The donkeys you sought are found. And your father has quit caring about them and is anxious for you, asking, What shall I do about my son?

When thou art departed from me today, 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 didst go to seek are found, and thy father has left the care of the asses and sorrows for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

3 T hen you will go on from there and you will come to the oak of Tabor, and three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three kids, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin bottle of wine.

Then shalt thou go on forward from there, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and three men going up to God to Bethel shall meet thee, one carrying three kids and another carrying three loaves of bread and another carrying a bottle of wine.

4 T hey will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall accept from their hand.

And they will salute thee and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.

5 A fter that you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is; and when you come to the city, you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying.

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God where the garrison of the Philistines is, and it shall come to pass when thou art come there to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery and a tambourine and a pipe and a harp before them; and they shall prophesy.

6 T hen the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and you will show yourself to be a prophet with them; and you will be turned into another man.

And the Spirit of the LORD will prosper thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them and shalt be turned into another man.

7 W hen these signs meet you, do whatever you find to be done, for God is with you.

And let it be when these signs are come unto thee that thou do according as thou shalt find at hand, for God is with thee.

8 Y ou shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you shall do.

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 until I come to thee and show thee what thou shalt do.

9 A nd when had turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart, and all these signs came to pass that day.

¶ And it was so that when he had turned his shoulder to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart, and all those signs came to pass that day.

10 W hen they came to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he spoke under divine inspiration among them.

And when they came there to the hill, behold, the company of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God prospered him, and he prophesied among them.

11 A nd when all who knew Saul before saw that he spoke by inspiration among the prophets, the people said one to another, What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

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 has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

12 O ne from that same place answered, But who is the father of the others? So it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

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 W hen had ended his inspired speaking, he went to the high place.

And he ceased prophesying and came to the high place.

14 S aul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, Where did you go? And Saul said, To look for the donkeys, and when we found them nowhere, we went to Samuel.

And Saul’s uncle said unto him and to his servant, Where went ye? And he said, To seek the asses, and when we saw that they were nowhere, we came to Samuel.

15 S aul’s uncle said, Tell me, what did Samuel say to you?

And Saul’s uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.

16 A nd Saul said to his uncle, He told us plainly that the donkeys were found. But of the matter of the kingdom of which Samuel spoke he told him nothing.

And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he did not tell him.

17 A nd Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah

¶ And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh

18 A nd said to the Israelites, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: It was I Who brought up Israel out of Egypt and delivered you out of the hands of the Egyptians and of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.

and said unto the sons of Israel, Thus hath the LORD God of Israel said, 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 those that oppressed you.

19 B ut you have this day rejected your God, Who Himself saves you from all your calamities and distresses; and you have said to Him, No! Set a king over us. So now present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands.

But ye have this day rejected your God, who saves you out of all your afflictions and your troubles, and ye have said unto him, No, but set a king over us. Now, therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands.

20 A nd when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

21 W hen he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken. And Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he could not be found.

When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their lineages, the family of Matri was taken, and from it Saul the son of Kish was taken, and when they sought him, he could not be found.

22 T herefore they inquired of the Lord further, if the man would yet come back. And the Lord answered, Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.

Therefore, they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come there. And the LORD answered, Behold, he has hid himself among the stuff.

23 T hey ran and brought him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was a head taller than any of them.

And they ran and took him from there, and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

24 A nd Samuel said to all the people, Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen, that none like him is among all the people? And all the people shouted and said, Long live the king!

And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted and said, Long live the king.

25 T hen 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, each one to his home.

Then Samuel recited unto the people the rights of the kingdom and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his house.

26 S aul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of valiant men whose hearts God had touched.

And Saul also went home to Gibeah, and there went with him some from the army, whose hearts God had touched.

27 B ut some worthless fellows said, How can this man save us? And they despised him and brought him no gift. But he held his peace and was as if deaf.

But the sons of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him and brought him no presents. But he pretended not to notice.