1 T hen 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?

Then Samuel took a bottle of oil and poured it on Saul’s head. He kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord chosen you to be a ruler over His land?

2 W hen 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?”’

When you leave me today, you will meet two men by Rachel’s grave in the land of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you went to look for have been found. Now your father has stopped worrying about the donkeys and is worried about you, saying, “What should I do about my son?”’

3 “ 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.

Then you will go farther and come to the oak tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you. One will be carrying three young goats. Another will be carrying three loaves of bread. And another will be carrying a bottle of wine.

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

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

5 “ 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.

Then you will come to the hill of God where there are Philistine soldiers. When you come there to the city, you will meet a group of men who speak for God coming down from the high place. They will have harps, an object to beat sounds of joy, and a horn. And they will be speaking God’s Word.

6 T hen Yahweh’s Spirit will come mightily on you, and you will prophesy with them, and will be turned into another man.

Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you with power. You will speak God’s Word with them and be changed into another man.

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

When you see these special things, do whatever you find that should be done. For God is with you.

8 “ 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.”

You will go down before me to Gilgal. Then see, I will come down to you to give burnt gifts and peace gifts. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do.”

9 I t 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.

When Saul turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart. And all these special things happened on that day.

10 W hen 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.

When they came to the hill, a group of men who speak for God met him. The Spirit of God came upon him with power, so that he spoke God’s Word with them.

11 W hen 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?”

People who had known him before saw him doing this and asked one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul one of the men who speak God’s Word?”

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

One of the men there answered, “Now, who is their father?” So it became a saying: “Is Saul one of the men who speak God’s Word?”

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

When Saul had finished speaking the Word of God, he went to the altar at the high place.

14 S aul’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.”

The brother of Saul’s father said to him and his servant, “Where have you been?” And Saul said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they could not be found, we went to Samuel.”

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

The brother of Saul’s father said, “Tell me, what did Samuel say to you?”

16 S aul 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.

Saul said to his father’s brother, “He told us that the donkeys had been found.” But he did not tell him what Samuel had told him about being king.

17 S amuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah;

Then Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah.

18 a nd 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.’

He said to the people of Israel, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel out of Egypt. I saved you from the power of the Egyptians, and from the power of all the nations that made it hard for you.’

19 B ut 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.”

But today you have turned away from your God, Who saves you from all your troubles. You have said, ‘No! Have a king rule over us!’ So now come before the Lord, by your family groups and by your thousands.”

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

When Samuel brought all the families of Israel near, the name of the family group of Benjamin was drawn.

21 H e 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.

Then he brought the family group of Benjamin near by its families, and the name of the Matrite family was drawn. Then the name of Saul the son of Kish was drawn. But when they looked for him, he could not be found.

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

So they asked the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” The Lord said, “See, he is hiding among the bags.”

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

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

24 S amuel 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!”

Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? For sure there is no one like him among all the people.” So all the people called out and said, “Long live the king!”

25 T hen 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.

Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the king and his nation. He wrote them in a book and laid it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home.

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

Saul went home to Gibeah. And the strong men whose hearts God had touched went with him.

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

But some men of no worth said, “How can this man save us?” They hated him and did not bring him any gift. But he kept quiet.