1 Samuel 10

1 Then Samuel took the vial of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, "Has not YHWH anointed you to be ruler over his people Israel? And you shall rule over the people of YHWH, and you shall save them out of the hand of their enemies all around. And this shall be the sign to you that YHWH has anointed you to be ruler over his inheritance.

Then Samuel took the vial of oil and poured it on his head, then kissed him and said, “Hasn’t the LORD anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?

2 When you have departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel's tomb, in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will tell you, 'The donkeys which you went to seek have been found; and look, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, "What shall I do about my son?"'

When you have departed from me today, then you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb, on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found; and behold, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do for my son?”’

3 Then you will go on further from there and you will come to the oak of Tabor, and three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you. One will be carrying three young goats, and another carrying three containers of bread, and another carrying a container of wine.

“Then you will go on forward from there, and you will come to the oak of Tabor. Three men will meet you there going up to God to Bethel: one carrying three young goats, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a container of wine.

4 And they will greet you and give you two wave offerings of bread, which you shall accept from their hand.

They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hand.

5 After that you shall come to Gibeath Elohim, where the Philistine garrison is. And it shall happen, when you have come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with harps, and tambourines, and flutes, and lyres before them, and they will be prophesying.

“After that you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is; and it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a lute, a tambourine, a pipe, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.

6 And the Spirit of YHWH will come mightily on you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be transformed into a different person.

Then the LORD’s Spirit will come mightily on you, then you will prophesy with them and will be turned into another man.

7 And let it be, when these signs have come to you, that you do as the occasion demands, for God is with you.

Let it be, when these signs have come to you, that you do what is appropriate for the occasion; for God is with you.

8 You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and look, I will come down to you, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: you shall wait seven days, until I come to you, and show you what you shall do."

“Go down ahead of me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings. Wait seven days, until I come to you and show you what you are to do.”

9 When he had turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart, and all these signs came to pass that day.

It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those signs happened that day.

10 And he went from there to Gibeah, and look, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them.

When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied amongst them.

11 It happened, when all who knew him before saw that, look, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, "What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"

When all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said to one another, “What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also amongst the prophets?”

12 One of the same place answered, "Who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

One from the same place answered, “Who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also amongst the prophets?”

13 And when he had finished prophesying, and went home,

When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 then his uncle said to him and to his servant, "Where did you go?" And he said, "To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not found, we went to Samuel."

Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” He said, “To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel.”

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

Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”

16 Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys were found." But concerning the matter of the kingdom he did not tell him.

Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys were found.” But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him.

17 Samuel called the people together to YHWH to Mizpah;

Samuel called the people together to the LORD to Mizpah;

18 and he said to the children of Israel, "Thus says YHWH, the God of Israel, 'I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you:'

and he said to the children of Israel, “The LORD, the God of Israel, says ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’

19 but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said, 'No. Set a king over us.' Now therefore present yourselves before YHWH by your tribes, and by your thousands."

But you have today rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, ‘No! Set a king over us!’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands.”

20 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.

21 He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families, and the family of the Matrites was taken. And he brought the family of the Matrites near man by man, and Saul the son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he could not be found.

He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families and the family of the Matrites was chosen. Then Saul the son of Kish was chosen; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.

22 Therefore they asked of YHWH further, "Is there a man yet to come here?" YHWH answered, "Look, he has hidden himself among the baggage."

Therefore they asked of the LORD further, “Is there yet a man to come here?” The LORD answered, “Behold, he has hidden himself amongst the baggage.”

23 They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

They ran and got him there. When he stood amongst the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

24 Samuel said to all the people, "You see him whom YHWH has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?" All the people shouted, and said, "Let the king live."

Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him amongst all the people?” All the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”

25 Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it on a scroll, and laid it up before YHWH. Samuel sent all the people away, every man went to his place

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

26 Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the valient men, whose hearts YHWH had touched.

Saul also went to his house in Gibeah; and the army went with him, whose hearts God had touched.

27 But certain worthless fellows said, "How shall this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no present. Now Nahash, king of the Ammonites, was severely oppressing the Gadites and the Reubenites. He put out the right eye of all of them, and he would not allow anyone to rescue Israel. Not one was left of the children of Israel beyond the Jordan whose right eye Nahash, king of the Ammonites, did not put out, except for seven thousand men who had escaped from the Ammonites and went to Jabesh Gilead.

But certain worthless fellows said, “How could this man save us?” They despised him, and brought him no tribute. But he held his peace.