Kings I 10

1 And Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured [it] on his head, and kissed him, and said to him, Has not the Lord anointed you for a ruler over his people, over Israel? and you shall rule among the people of the Lord, and you shall save them out of the hand of their enemies; and this [shall be] the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you for a 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 Yhwh hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

2 [As soon] as you shall have departed this day from me, you shall find two men by the burial-place of Rachel on the mount of Benjamin, exulting greatly; and they shall say to you, The asses are found which you went to seek; and, behold, your father has given up the matter of the asses, and he is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for 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 donkeys which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the donkeys, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

3 And you shall depart thence, and shall go beyond that as far as the oak of Thabor, and you shall find there three men going up to God to Baethel, one bearing three kids, and another bearing three vessels of bread, and another bearing a bottle 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 Beth–el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

4 And they shall ask you how you do, and shall give you two presents of bread, and you shall receive them of their hand.

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

5 And afterward you shall go to the hill of God, where is the encampment of the Philistines; there [is] Nasib the Philistine: an it shall come to pass when you shall have entered into the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the Bama; and before them will be lutes, and a drum, and a pipe, and a harp, and they shall prophesy.

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 And the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man.

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

7 And it shall come to pass when these signs shall come upon you, —[then] do you whatever your hand shall find, because 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 And you shall go down in front of Galgal, and behold, I come down to you to offer a whole burnt offering and peace-offerings: seven days shall you wait until I shall come to you, and I will make known to you what you shall 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 And it came to pass when he turned his back to depart from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all these signs came to pass in 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 And he comes thence to the hill, and behold a band of prophets opposite to him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied in the midst of 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 And all that had known him before came, and saw, and behold, he [was] in the midst of the prophets: and the people said every one to his neighbor, What [is] this that has happened to the son of Kis? [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 And one of them answered and said, And who [is] his father? and therefore it became a proverb, [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 And he ceased prophesying, and comes to the hill.

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

14 And his kinsman said to him and to his servant, Whither went you? and they said, To seek the asses; and we saw that they were lost, and we went in to Samuel.

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

15 And his kinsman said to Saul, Tell me, I pray you, What did Samuel say to you?

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

16 And Saul said to his kinsman, he verily told me that the asses were found. But the matter of the kingdom he told him not.

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

17 And Samuel summoned all the people before the Lord to Massephath.

And Samuel called the people together unto Yhwh to Mizpeh;

18 And he said to the children of Israel, Thus has the Lord God of Israel spoken, saying, I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you out of the hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and out of all the kingdoms that afflicted you.

And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith Yhwh 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 And you have this day rejected God, who is himself your Deliverer out of all your evils and afflictions; and you said, Nay, but you shall set a king over us: and now stand before the Lord according to your tribes, and according to your families.

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 Yhwh by your tribes, and by your thousands.

20 And Samuel brought near all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin is taken by lot.

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

21 And he brings near the tribe of Benjamin by families, and the family of Mattari is taken by lot: and they bring near the family of Mattari, man by man, and Saul the son of Kis is taken; and he sought him, but he was not 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 And Samuel asked yet again of the Lord, Will the man come here? and the Lord said, Behold, he is hid among the stuff.

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

23 And he ran and took him thence, and he set him in the midst of the people; and he was higher than all the people by his shoulders and upwards.

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 And Samuel said to all the people, Have you seen whom the Lord has chosen to himself, that there is none like to him among you all? And all the people took notice, and said, Let the king live!

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

25 And Samuel told the people the manner of the king, and wrote it in a book, and set it before the Lord: and Samuel sent away all the people, and each went to his place.

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

26 And Saul departed to his house to Gabaa; and there went with Saul mighty 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 evil men said, Who [is] this man [that] shall save us? and they despised him, and brought him no gifts.

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.