Shared Word Translation
1 Samuel 10
Samuel Anoints Saul
Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it upon Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you as ruler over his inheritance?”
Samuel Gives Saul Three Signs
“When you go from me today, you will find two men near Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you went to seek have been found. And look, your father has left the matter of the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do concerning my son?”’ Then you shall pass on from there and come to the oak of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you: one carrying three young goats, one carrying three loaves of bread, and one carrying a skin of wine. They will ask about your well-being and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall take from their hand. After that you shall come to the hill of God, where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen when you come there to the city that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place, with harp, tambourine, pipe, and lyre before them, and they will be prophesying. Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. And it shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what your hand finds, for God is with you. Then go down before me to Gilgal. Look, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice offerings of well-being. Seven days you shall wait until I come to you and make known to you what you shall do.”
Saul Prophesies
And it happened when he turned his shoulder to go from Samuel that God changed his heart into another, and all these signs came that day. They came there to Gibeah, and look, a band of prophets came to meet him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied in their midst. And it happened when everyone who had known him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with prophets, the people said each to his companion, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” A man from there answered and said, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” When he finished prophesying, he came to the high place.
Saul Does Not Tell His Uncle about the Kingship
Saul’s uncle said to him and to his young man, “Where did you go?” He said, “To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not found, we went to Samuel.” Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.” Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But the matter of the kingship, of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him.
Samuel Presents Israel before the LORD
Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah. He said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I brought Israel up from Egypt, and I rescued you from the hand of Egypt and from the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you. But today you have rejected your God, who himself saves you from all your evils and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘No, but set a king over us.’ And now present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.”
Saul Is Chosen by Lot
Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken, and Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they sought him, he could not be found. So they inquired again of the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” The LORD said, “Look, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” They ran and took him from there. He stood in the midst of the people, and he was taller than all the people from his shoulders upward. Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one whom the LORD has chosen? For there is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
Samuel Writes the Judgment of the Kingship
Samuel spoke to the people the judgment of the kingship and wrote it in a book and placed it before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each man to his house. Saul also went to his house at Gibeah, and with him went the valiant men whose hearts God had touched. But worthless men said, “How can this one save us?” They despised him and did not bring him a gift. But he was as one who kept silent.