1 T hen 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?

Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, “Hasn’t Yahweh anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?

2 W hen 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?”’

When you have departed from me today, then you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb, on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found; and behold, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do for my son?”’

3 T hen 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;

“Then you will go on forward from there, and you will come to the oak of Tabor. Three men will meet you there going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three young goats, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine.

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

They will greet you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hand.

5 A fterward 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.

“After that you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is; and it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a lute, a tambourine, a pipe, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.

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

Then Yahweh’s Spirit will come mightily on you, and you will prophesy with them, and will be turned into another man.

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

Let it be, when these signs have come to you, that you do what is appropriate for the occasion; for God is with you.

8 A nd 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.”

“Go down ahead of me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings. Wait seven days, until I come to you, and show you what you are to do.”

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

It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those signs happened that day.

10 W hen 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.

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

11 I t 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?”

When all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said to one another, “What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

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

One of the same place answered, “Who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

13 W hen he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

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

14 N ow 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.”

Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” He said, “To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel.”

15 S aul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”

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

16 S o 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

Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys were found.” But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him.

17 T hereafter Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah;

Samuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah;

18 a nd 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.’

and he said to the children of Israel, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says ‘I brought Israel up 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.’

19 B ut 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.”

But you have today rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, ‘No! Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes, and by your thousands.”

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

So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.

21 T hen 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.

He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was chosen. Then Saul the son of Kish was chosen; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.

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

Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, “Is there yet a man to come here?” Yahweh answered, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”

23 S o 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.

They ran and got him there. When he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

24 S amuel 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!”

Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” All the people shouted, and said, “Long live the king!”

25 T hen 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.

Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahweh. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

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

Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and the army went with him, whose hearts God had touched.

27 B ut 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.

But certain worthless fellows said, “How could this man save us?” They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.