1 Samuel 10

1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul's head, and kissed him. He said, “Has not Yahweh anointed you to be a ruler over his inheritance?

And Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured [it] on his head, and kissed him, and said to him, Has not the Lord anointed thee for a ruler over his people, over Israel? and thou shalt rule among the people of the Lord, and thou shalt save them out of the hand of their enemies; and this [shall be] the sign to thee that the Lord has anointed thee for a ruler over his inheritance.

2 When you leave me today, you will find two men near Rachel's tomb, in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will say to you, 'The donkeys that you were looking for have been found. Now your father has stopped caring about the donkeys and is worried about you, saying, “What should I do about my son?”'

[As soon] as thou shalt have departed this day from me, thou shalt find two men by the burial-place of Rachel on the mount of Benjamin, exulting greatly; and they shall say to thee, The asses are found which ye went to seek; and, behold, thy father has given up the matter of the asses, and he is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

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

And thou shalt depart thence, and shalt go beyond that as far as the oak of Thabor, and thou shalt find there three men going up to God to Baethel, one bearing three kids, and another bearing three vessels of bread, and another bearing a bottle of wine.

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

And they shall ask thee how thou doest, and shall give thee two presents of bread, and thou shall receive them of their hand.

5 After that, you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is. When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre before them; they will be prophesying.

And afterward thou shalt go to the hill of God, where is the encampment of the Philistines; there [is] Nasib the Philistine: an it shall come to pass when ye shall have entered into the city, that thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from the Bama; and before them will be lutes, and a drum, and a pipe, and a harp, and they shall prophesy.

6 The Spirit of Yahweh will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them, and you will be changed into a different man.

And the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

7 Now, when these signs come to you, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.

And it shall come to pass when these signs shall come upon thee, —[then] do thou whatsoever thy hand shall find, because God [is] with thee.

8 Go down before me to Gilgal. Then I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you must do.”

And thou shalt go down in front of Galgal, and behold, I come down to thee to offer a whole-burnt-offering and peace-offerings: seven days shalt thou wait until I shall come to thee, and I will make known to thee what thou shalt do.

9 When Saul turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. Then all these signs came to pass that day.

And it came to pass when he turned his back to depart from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all these signs came to pass in that day.

10 When they came to the hill, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him so that he prophesied with them.

And he comes thence to the hill, and behold a band of prophets opposite to him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied in the midst of them.

11 When everyone who knew him before saw him prophesying with the prophets, the people said to each other, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul one of the prophets now?”

And all that had known him before came, and saw, and behold, he [was] in the midst of the prophets: and the people said every one to his neighbour, What [is] this that has happened to the son of Kis? [is] Saul also among the prophets?

12 A man who was from that same place answered, “Then who is their father?” Because of this, it became a saying, “Is Saul also one of the prophets?”

And one of them answered and said, And who [is] his father? and therefore it became a proverb, [Is] Saul also among the prophets?

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

And he ceased prophesying, and comes to the hill.

14 Then Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” He replied, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that we could not find them, we went to Samuel.”

And his kinsman said to him and to his servant, Whither went ye? and they said, To seek the asses; and we saw that they were lost, and we went in to Samuel.

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

And his kinsman said to Saul, Tell me, I pray thee, What did Samuel say to thee?

16 Saul replied 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, of which Samuel had spoken.

And Saul said to his kinsman, he verily told me that the asses were found. But the matter of the kingdom he told him not.

17 Now Samuel called the people together before Yahweh at Mizpah.

And Samuel summoned all the people before the Lord to Massephath.

18 He said to the people of Israel, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel says: 'I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.'

And he said to the children of Israel, Thus has the Lord God of Israel spoken, saying, I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you out of the hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and out of all the kingdoms that afflicted you.

19 But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all of your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, 'Set a king over us.' Now present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes and by your clans.”

And ye have this day rejected God, who is himself your Deliverer out of all your evils and afflictions; and ye said, Nay, but thou shalt set a king over us: and now stand before the Lord according to your tribes, and according to your families.

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

And Samuel brought nigh all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin is taken by lot.

21 Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their clans; and the clan of the Matrites was chosen; and Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when they went looking for him, he could not be found.

And he brings near the tribe of Benjamin by families, and the family of Mattari is taken by lot: and they bring near the family of Mattari, man by man, and Saul the son of Kis is taken; and he sought him, but he was not found.

22 Then the people wanted to ask God more questions, “Is there still another man to come?” Yahweh answered, “He has hidden himself among the baggage.”

And Samuel asked yet again of the Lord, Will the man come hither? and the Lord said, Behold, he is hid among the stuff.

23 Then they ran and retrieved Saul from there. When he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.

And he ran and took him thence, and he set him in the midst of the people; and he was higher than all the people by his shoulders and upwards.

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

And Samuel said to all the people, Have ye seen whom the Lord has chosen to himself, that there is none like to him among you all? And all the people took notice, and said, Let the king live!

25 Then Samuel told the people the customs and rules of kingship, wrote them down in a book, and placed it before Yahweh. Samuel then sent all the people away, each man to his own house.

And Samuel told the people the manner of the king, and wrote it in a book, and set it before the Lord: and Samuel sent away all the people, and each went to his place.

26 Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went some strong men, whose hearts God had touched.

And Saul departed to his house to Gabaa; and there went with Saul mighty men whose hearts God had touched.

27 But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” These people despised Saul and did not bring him any gifts. But Saul kept silent.

But evil men said, Who [is] this man [that] shall save us? and they despised him, and brought him no gifts.