1 T hen Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “ Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over His inheritance?

¶ 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 departed from me today, you will find two men by 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. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, “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 shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. 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 skin 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 A nd they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands.

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

5 A fter that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be 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, and you will prophesy with them and 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 A nd let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; 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 surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should 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 S o it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those 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 there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied 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 it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon 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 T hen a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore 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 A nd when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.

And he ceased prophesying and came to the high place.

14 T hen Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” So he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, 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 A nd Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.”

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

16 S o Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said. Saul Proclaimed King

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 T hen 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 children of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who 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 today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your clans.”

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 chosen.

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 chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought 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, “Has the man come here yet?” And the Lord answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.”

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 S o they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.

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 there is no one like him among all the people?” So 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 explained to the people the behavior of royalty, 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.

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 A nd Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, 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 rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

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.