[1] Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed
him, and said, Isn`t it that Yahweh has anointed you to be prince over his
inheritance? [2] When you are departed from me today, then you shall find
two men by Rachel`s tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they
will tell you, The donkeys which you went to seek are found; and, behold,
your father has left off caring for the donkeys, and is anxious for you,
saying, What shall I do for my son? [3] Then shall you go on forward from
there, and you shall come to the oak of Tabor; and there shall meet you
there three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and
another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of
wine: [4] and they will Greet you, and give you two loaves of bread, which
you shall receive of their hand. [5] After that you shall come to the hill
of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall happen, when
you are come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets
coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a
pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying: [6] and the
Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily on you, and you shall prophesy with
them, and shall be turned into another man. [7] Let it be, when these signs
are come to you, that you do as occasion shall serve you; for God is with
you. [8] You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come
down to you, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of
peace-offerings: seven days shall you wait, until I come to you, and show
you what you shall do. [9] 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] 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] It happened, when all who knew him before saw that,
behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to
another, What is this that is come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among
the prophets? [12] One of the same place answered, Who is their father?
Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? [13] When
he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. [14] Saul`s
uncle said to him and to his servant, Where went you? He said, To seek the
donkeys; and when we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel. [15]
Saul`s uncle said, Tell me, Please, what Samuel said to you. [16] Saul said
to his uncle, He told us plainly that the donkeys were found. But
concerning the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spoke, he didn`t tell
him. [17] Samuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah; [18] and
he said to the children of Israel, Thus says Yahweh, 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: [19]
but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all
your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, [No], but
set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your
tribes, and by your thousands. [20] So Samuel brought all the tribes of
Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. [21] 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. [22] Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, Is there
yet a man to come here? Yahweh answered, Behold, he has hid himself among
the baggage. [23] They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among
the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and
upward. [24] Samuel said to all the people, "You see him whom Yahweh has
chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?" All the
people shouted, and said, [Long] live the king. [25] Then Samuel told the
people the manner 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] Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the
host, whose hearts God had touched. [27] But certain worthless fellows
said, How shall this man save us? They despised him, and brought him no
present. But he held his peace.
