1Samuel took the flask of oil,10:1 Ex 30:23–33; 1Sm 16:13; 2Kg 9:3,6 poured it out on Saul’s head,10:1 2Kg 9:1–3 kissed him, and said, “Hasn’t the Lord anointed you10:1 1Sm 16:13; 26:9; 2Sm 1:14 ruler over his inheritance?10:1 LXX adds And you will reign over the Lord’s people, and you will save them from the hand of their enemies all around. And this is the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you ruler over his inheritance.10:1 Dt 32:9; Ps 78:71
2Today when you leave me, you’ll find two men at Rachel’s Grave10:2 Gn 35:19–20 at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you went looking for have been found,10:2 1Sm 9:3–5 and now your father has stopped being concerned about the donkeys and is worried about you, asking: What should I do about my son?’
3“You will proceed from there until you come to the oak of Tabor.10:3 Gn 35:8 Three men going up to God at Bethel10:3 Gn 28:19; 35:1,3,7 will meet you there, one bringing three goats, one bringing three loaves of bread, and one bringing a clay jar of wine.
4They will ask how you are and give you two loaves10:4 DSS, LXX read wave offerings of bread, which you will accept from them.
5“After that you will come to Gibeah of God10:5 1Sm 13:2–3 where there are Philistine garrisons.10:5 Or governors When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets10:5 1Sm 19:20; 2Kg 2:3,5,15 coming down from the high place prophesying.10:5 2Kg 3:15; 1Ch 25:1–6 They will be preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres.
6The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully on you,10:6 Nm 11:25,29; Jdg 14:6 you will prophesy with them,10:6 Ec 9:10 and you will be transformed.10:6 1Sm 19:23–24
7When these signs have happened to you, do whatever your circumstances require10:7 Lit do for yourself whatever your hand finds10:7 Jos 1:5 because God is with you.
8Afterward, go ahead of me to Gilgal. I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice fellowship offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what to do.”
9When Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart,10:9 Lit God turned to him another heart and all the signs came about that day.
10When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully on him, and he prophesied along with them.
11Everyone who knew him previously and saw him prophesy with the prophets asked each other, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 10:11 1Sm 19:24; Am 7:14–15; Mt 13:54–57
As a result, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” became a popular saying.
13Then Saul finished prophesying and went to the high place.
“To look for the donkeys,” Saul answered. “When we saw they weren’t there, we went to Samuel.”10:14 1Sm 9:4–6
15“Tell me,” Saul’s uncle asked, “what did Samuel say to you?”
16Saul told him, “He assured us the donkeys had been found.” However, Saul did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship.
Saul Received as King
18and said to the Israelites, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:10:18 Jdg 6:8–9 ‘I brought Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’
19But today you have rejected your God,10:19 1Sm 8:6–7 who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions. You said to him, ‘You10:19 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg read You said, ‘No, you must set a king over us.’10:19 1Sm 8:19 Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans.”10:19 Jos 7:14–18; 24:1; Pr 16:33
20Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.
21Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the Matrite clan was selected.10:21 LXX adds And he had the Matrite clan come forward, man by man. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected.10:20–21 Jos 7:16–18 But when they searched for him, they could not find him.
The Lord replied, “There he is, hidden among the supplies.”
And all the people shouted,10:24 LXX reads acknowledged and said “Long live the king!” 10:24 1Kg 1:25,34,39
25Samuel proclaimed to the people the rights of kingship.10:25 1Sm 8:11–17 He wrote them on a scroll, which he placed in the presence of the Lord.10:25 Dt 17:18–20 Then Samuel sent all the people home.
26Saul also went to his home in Gibeah,10:26 1Sm 11:4; 15:34 and brave men whose hearts God had touched went with him.
27But some wicked men said, “How can this guy save us?” They despised him and did not bring him a gift,10:27 1Kg 10:25; 2Ch 17:5 but Saul said nothing.10:27 DSS add Nahash king of the Ammonites had been severely oppressing the Gadites and Reubenites. He gouged out the right eye of each of them and brought fear and trembling on Israel. Of the Israelites beyond the Jordan none remained whose right eye Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had not gouged out. But there were seven thousand men who had escaped from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh-gilead.10:27 Lit gift, and he was like a mute person
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