1 Then Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, 'Has not the LORD anointed you as ruler over His inheritance?'

Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, 'The donkeys you went to find have been found, and now your father has stopped worrying about the donkeys and is concerned about you, asking, “What shall I do about my son?”'

When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

3 From there, you will continue on and come to the oak of Tabor. There you will encounter three men going up to God at Bethel, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.

Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee 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 They will greet you kindly and offer you two loaves of bread, which you are to accept from their hands.

And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.

5 After that, you will come to the hill of God, where there are Philistine garrisons. As you approach the town, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, and they will be prophesying.

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:

6 Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be transformed into a different person.

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

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

And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

8 Go down ahead of me to Gilgal, and I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifices of peace offerings. You must wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you are to do.

And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart, and all these signs came to pass that day.

And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

10 When they arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets came to meet him. Then the Spirit of God came mightily upon Saul, and he began to prophesy among them.

And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

11 When all those who had known Saul previously saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked one another, 'What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?'

And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?

12 A man from there responded, 'And who is their father?' So it became a saying: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'

And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?

13 After Saul finished prophesying, he went up to the high place.

And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 Saul's uncle asked him and his servant, 'Where did you go?' Saul replied, 'To look for the donkeys, but when we saw that they were not found, we went to Samuel.'

And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.

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

And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.

16 Saul told his uncle, 'He assured us that the donkeys had been found.' However, Saul did not reveal to him what Samuel had said about the kingship.

And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

17 Samuel summoned the people to the LORD at Mizpah.

And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;

18 He said to the Israelites, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: "I brought Israel up from Egypt and rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hands of all the kingdoms oppressing you."'

And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:

19 'But today you have rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and distresses. You have said to Him, "Set a king over us." Now present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.'

And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

20 Then Samuel brought forward all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.

And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

21 He then brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected, but when they looked for him, he could not be found.

When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.

22 So they inquired further of the LORD, 'Has the man come here yet?' And the LORD said, 'He is hiding among the supplies.'

Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.

23 They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people, he was taller than any of them from his shoulders upward.

And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

24 Samuel said to the people, 'Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.' Then the people shouted, 'Long live the king!'

And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

25 Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of kingship. He wrote them in a scroll and laid it before the LORD. Then he sent all the people away, each to their home.

Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, accompanied by valiant men whose hearts God had touched.

And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

27 But some worthless men said, 'How can this man save us?' So they despised him and did not bring him a gift, but Saul kept silent.

But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.