1 Then Samuel{H8050} took{H3947}{(H8799)} a vial{H6378} of oil{H8081}, and poured{H3332}{(H8799)} it upon his head{H7218}, and kissed{H5401}{(H8799)} him, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, Is it not because the LORD{H3068} hath anointed{H4886}{(H8804)} thee to be captain{H5057} over his inheritance{H5159}?

2 When thou art departed{H3212}{(H8800)} from me{H5978} to day{H3117}, then thou shalt find{H4672}{(H8804)} two{H8147} men{H582} by Rachel's{H7354} sepulchre{H6900} in the border{H1366} of Benjamin{H1144} at Zelzah{H6766}; and they will say{H559}{(H8804)} unto thee, The asses{H860} which thou wentest{H1980}{(H8804)} to seek{H1245}{(H8763)} are found{H4672}{(H8738)}: and, lo, thy father{H1} hath left{H5203}{(H8804)} the care{H1697} of the asses{H860}, and sorroweth{H1672}{(H8804)} for you, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, What shall I do{H6213}{(H8799)} for my son{H1121}?

3 Then shalt thou go on{H2498}{(H8804)} forward{H1973} from thence, and thou shalt come{H935}{(H8804)} to the plain{H436} of Tabor{H8396}, and there shall meet{H4672}{(H8804)} thee three{H7969} men{H582} going up{H5927}{(H8802)} to God{H430} to Bethel{H1008}, one{H259} carrying{H5375}{(H8802)} three{H7969} kids{H1423}, and another{H259} carrying{H5375}{(H8802)} three{H7969} loaves{H3603} of bread{H3899}, and another{H259} carrying{H5375}{(H8802)} a bottle{H5035} of wine{H3196}:

4 And they will{H7592}{(H8804)} salute{H7965} thee, and give{H5414}{(H8804)} thee two{H8147} loaves of bread{H3899}; which thou shalt receive{H3947}{(H8804)} of their hands{H3027}.

5 After{H310} that thou shalt come{H935}{(H8799)} to the hill{H1389} of God{H430}, where is the garrison{H5333} of the Philistines{H6430}: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither{H935}{(H8800)} to the city{H5892}, that thou shalt meet{H6293}{(H8804)} a company{H2256} of prophets{H5030} coming down{H3381}{(H8802)} from the high place{H1116} with a psaltery{H5035}, and a tabret{H8596}, and a pipe{H2485}, and a harp{H3658}, before{H6440} them; and they shall prophesy{H5012}{(H8693)}:

6 And the Spirit{H7307} of the LORD{H3068} will come{H6743}{(H8804)} upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy{H5012}{(H8694)} with them, and shalt be turned{H2015}{(H8738)} into another{H312} man{H376}.

7 And let it be, when these signs{H226} are come{H935}{(H8799)} unto thee, that thou do{H6213}{(H8798)} as occasion{H4672}{(H8799)} serve{H3027} thee; for God{H430} is with thee.

8 And thou shalt go down{H3381}{(H8804)} before{H6440} me to Gilgal{H1537}; and, behold, I will come down{H3381}{(H8802)} unto thee, to offer{H5927}{(H8687)} burnt offerings{H5930}, and to sacrifice{H2076}{(H8800)} sacrifices{H2077} of peace offerings{H8002}: seven{H7651} days{H3117} shalt thou tarry{H3176}{(H8686)}, till I come{H935}{(H8800)} to thee, and shew{H3045}{(H8689)} thee what thou shalt do{H6213}{(H8799)}.

9 And it was so, that when he had turned{H6437}{(H8687)} his back{H7926} to go{H3212}{(H8800)} from Samuel{H8050}, God{H430} gave{H2015}{(H8799)} him another{H312} heart{H3820}: and all those signs{H226} came{H935}{(H8799)} to pass that day{H3117}.

10 And when they came{H935}{(H8799)} thither to the hill{H1389}, behold, a company{H2256} of prophets{H5030} met{H7125}{(H8800)} him; and the Spirit{H7307} of God{H430} came{H6743}{(H8799)} upon him, and he prophesied{H5012}{(H8691)} among{H8432} them.

11 And it came to pass, when all that knew{H3045}{(H8802)} him beforetime{H865}{H8032} saw{H7200}{(H8799)} that, behold, he prophesied{H5012}{(H8738)} among the prophets{H5030}, then the people{H5971} said{H559}{(H8799)} one{H376} to another{H7453}, What is this that is come unto the son{H1121} of Kish{H7027}? Is Saul{H7586} also among the prophets{H5030}?

12 And one{H376} of the same place answered{H6030}{(H8799)} and said{H559}{(H8799)}, But who is their father{H1}? Therefore it became a proverb{H4912}, Is Saul{H7586} also among the prophets{H5030}?

13 And when he had made an end{H3615}{(H8762)} of prophesying{H5012}{(H8692)}, he came{H935}{(H8799)} to the high place{H1116}.

14 And Saul's{H7586} uncle{H1730} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto him and to his servant{H5288}, Whither{H575} went{H1980}{(H8804)} ye? And he said{H559}{(H8799)}, To seek{H1245}{(H8763)} the asses{H860}: and when we saw{H7200}{(H8799)} that they were no where{H369}, we came{H935}{(H8799)} to Samuel{H8050}.

15 And Saul's{H7586} uncle{H1730} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Tell{H5046}{(H8685)} me, I pray thee, what Samuel{H8050} said{H559}{(H8804)} unto you.

16 And Saul{H7586} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto his uncle{H1730}, He told{H5046}{(H8689)} us plainly{H5046}{(H8687)} that the asses{H860} were found{H4672}{(H8738)}. But of the matter{H1697} of the kingdom{H4410}, whereof Samuel{H8050} spake{H559}{(H8804)}, he told{H5046}{(H8689)} him not.

17 And Samuel{H8050} called{H6817}{(H8686)} the people{H5971} together unto the LORD{H3068} to Mizpeh{H4709};

18 And said{H559}{(H8799)} unto the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478}, Thus saith{H559}{(H8804)} the LORD{H3068} God{H430} of Israel{H3478}, I brought up{H5927}{(H8689)} Israel{H3478} out of Egypt{H4714}, and delivered{H5337}{(H8686)} you out of the hand{H3027} of the Egyptians{H4714}, and out of the hand{H3027} of all kingdoms{H4467}, and of them that oppressed{H3905}{(H8801)} you:

19 And ye have this day{H3117} rejected{H3988}{(H8804)} your God{H430}, who himself saved{H3467}{(H8688)} you out of all your adversities{H7451} and your tribulations{H6869}; and ye have said{H559}{(H8799)} unto him, Nay, but set{H7760}{(H8799)} a king{H4428} over us. Now therefore present{H3320}{(H8690)} yourselves before{H6440} the LORD{H3068} by your tribes{H7626}, and by your thousands{H505}.

20 And when Samuel{H8050} had caused all the tribes{H7626} of Israel{H3478} to come near{H7126}{(H8686)}, the tribe{H7626} of Benjamin{H1144} was taken{H3920}{(H8735)}.

21 When he had caused the tribe{H7626} of Benjamin{H1144} to come near{H7126}{(H8686)} by their families{H4940}, the family{H4940} of Matri{H4309} was taken{H3920}{(H8735)}, and Saul{H7586} the son{H1121} of Kish{H7027} was taken{H3920}{(H8735)}: and when they sought{H1245}{(H8762)} him, he could not be found{H4672}{(H8738)}.

22 Therefore they enquired{H7592}{(H8799)} of the LORD{H3068} further, if the man{H376} should yet come{H935}{(H8804)} thither{H1988}. And the LORD{H3068} answered{H559}{(H8799)}, Behold, he hath hid{H2244}{(H8737)} himself among the stuff{H3627}.

23 And they ran{H7323}{(H8799)} and fetched{H3947}{(H8799)} him thence: and when he stood{H3320}{(H8691)} among{H8432} the people{H5971}, he was higher{H1361}{(H8799)} than any of the people{H5971} from his shoulders{H7926} and upward{H4605}.

24 And Samuel{H8050} said{H559}{(H8799)} to all the people{H5971}, See{H7200}{(H8804)} ye him whom the LORD{H3068} hath chosen{H977}{(H8804)}, that there is none like him among all the people{H5971}? And all the people{H5971} shouted{H7321}{(H8686)}, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, God save{H2421}{(H8799)} the king{H4428}.

25 Then Samuel{H8050} told{H1696}{(H8762)} the people{H5971} the manner{H4941} of the kingdom{H4410}, and wrote{H3789}{(H8799)} it in a book{H5612}, and laid it up{H3240}{(H8686)} before{H6440} the LORD{H3068}. And Samuel{H8050} sent{H7971} all the people{H5971} away{H7971}{(H8762)}, every man{H376} to his house{H1004}.

26 And Saul{H7586} also went{H1980}{(H8804)} home{H1004} to Gibeah{H1390}; and there went{H3212}{(H8799)} with him a band of men{H2428}, whose hearts{H3820} God{H430} had touched{H5060}{(H8804)}.

27 But the children{H1121} of Belial{H1100} said{H559}{(H8804)}, How shall this man save{H3467}{(H8686)} us? And they despised{H959}{(H8799)} him, and brought{H935}{(H8689)} him no presents{H4503}. But he held his peace{H2790}{(H8688)}.