Samuel Anoints Saul

9 There was a Benjamite,^(A) a man of standing,^(B) whose name was Kish^(C) son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.

² Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome^(A) a young man as could be found^(B) anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller^(C) than anyone else.

¹⁵ Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed this to Samuel: ¹⁶ “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint^(A) him ruler^(B) over my people Israel; he will deliver^(C) them from the hand of the Philistines.^(D) I have looked on my people, for their cry^(E) has reached me.”

¹⁷ When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, “This^(F) is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”

²⁰ When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.

²¹ Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was taken.^(A) Finally Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found.

War Between the Houses of David and Saul^(A)

⁸ Meanwhile, Abner^(B) son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth^(C) son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.^{(D) 9} He made him king over Gilead,^(E) Ashuri^(F) and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.^(G)

¹⁰ Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David.