1 T hen Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that Jehovah hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance?

Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on his head, kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?

2 W hen 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 off caring for the asses, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

When you go from me today, then you will find two men close to Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘ The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. Now behold, your father has ceased to be concerned about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’

3 T hen shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meet thee there 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:

Then you will go on further from there, and you will come as far as the oak of Tabor, and there three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a jug of wine;

4 a nd they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread, which thou shalt receive of their hand.

and they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hand.

5 A fter 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 band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying:

Afterward you will come to the 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 a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying.

6 a nd the Spirit of Jehovah will come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man.

7 A nd let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion shall serve thee; for God is with thee.

It shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires, for God is with you.

8 A nd 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 unto thee, and show thee what thou shalt do.

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

9 A nd 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.

Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day.

10 A nd when they came thither to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among them.

When they came to the hill there, behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them.

11 A nd it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied with 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?

It 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? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

12 A nd one of the same place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

A man there said, “Now, who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “ Is Saul also among the prophets?”

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

When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 A nd 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 not found, we came to Samuel.

Now Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “ To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they could not be found, we went to Samuel.”

15 A nd Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.

Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”

16 A nd Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But concerning the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

So Saul said to his uncle, “ He 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

17 A nd Samuel called the people together unto Jehovah to Mizpah;

Thereafter Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah;

18 a nd he said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you:

and he said to the sons of Israel, “ Thus 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 power of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’

19 b ut ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Jehovah by your tribes, and by your thousands.

But you have today rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, ‘No, but set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.”

20 S o Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.

21 A nd he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found.

Then 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.

22 T herefore they asked of Jehovah further, Is there yet a man to come hither? And Jehovah answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage.

Therefore they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” So the Lord said, “Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage.”

23 A nd 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.

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

24 A nd Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Jehovah hath chosen, that there is none like him along all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, Long live the king.

Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people.” So 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 Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

Then Samuel told the people the ordinances of the kingdom, and wrote them in the book and placed it before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his house.

26 A nd Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the host, whose hearts God had touched.

Saul also went to his house at Gibeah; and the valiant men whose hearts God had touched went with him.

27 B ut certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

But certain worthless men said, “How can this one deliver us?” And they despised him and did not bring him any present. But he kept silent.