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^(D) a young man as could be found^(E) anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller^(F) than anyone else.

³ Now the donkeys^(G) belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” ⁴ So he passed through the hill^(H) country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha,^(I) but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys^(J) were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

⁵ When they reached the district of Zuph,^(K) Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying^(L) about us.”

⁶ But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God;^(M) he is highly respected, and everything^(N) he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”

⁷ Saul said to his servant, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift^(O) to take to the man of God. What do we have?”

⁸ The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have a quarter of a shekel^[a] of silver. I will give it to the man of God so that he will tell us what way to take.” ⁹ (Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire^(P) of God, they would say, “Come, let us go to the seer,” because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)^(Q)

¹⁰ “Good,” Saul said to his servant. “Come, let’s go.” So they set out for the town where the man of God was.

¹¹ As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw^(R) water, and they asked them, “Is the seer here?”

¹² “He is,” they answered. “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now; he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice^(S) at the high place.^{(T) 13} As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless^(U) the sacrifice; afterward, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time.”

¹⁴ They went up to the town, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel, coming toward them on his way up to the high place.

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^(V) him ruler^(W) over my people Israel; he will deliver^(X) them from the hand of the Philistines.^(Y) I have looked on my people, for their cry^(Z) has reached me.”

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

¹⁸ Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”

¹⁹ “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you are to eat with me, and in the morning I will send you on your way and will tell you all that is in your heart. ²⁰ As for the donkeys^(AB) you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire^(AC) of Israel turned, if not to you and your whole family line?”

²¹ Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe^(AD) of Israel, and is not my clan the least^(AE) of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin?^(AF) Why do you say such a thing to me?”

²² Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. ²³ Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.”

²⁴ So the cook took up the thigh^(AG) with what was on it and set it in front of Saul. Samuel said, “Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion from the time I said, ‘I have invited guests.’” And Saul dined with Samuel that day.

²⁵ After they came down from the high place to the town, Samuel talked with Saul on the roof^(AH) of his house. ²⁶ They rose about daybreak, and Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way.” When Saul got ready, he and Samuel went outside together. ²⁷ As they were going down to the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us”—and the servant did so—“but you stay here for a while, so that I may give you a message from God.”

Rebellious Israel Purged

20 In the seventh year, in the fifth month on the tenth day, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire^(A) of the Lord, and they sat down in front of me.^(B)

² Then the word of the Lord came to me: ³ “Son of man, speak to the elders^(C) of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Have you come to inquire^(D) of me? As surely as I live, I will not let you inquire of me, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(E)’

⁴ “Will you judge them? Will you judge them, son of man? Then confront them with the detestable practices of their ancestors^{(F) 5} and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I chose^(G) Israel, I swore with uplifted hand^(H) to the descendants of Jacob and revealed myself to them in Egypt. With uplifted hand I said to them, “I am the Lord your God.^(I)” ⁶ On that day I swore^(J) to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(K) the most beautiful of all lands.^{(L) 7} And I said to them, “Each of you, get rid of the vile images^(M) you have set your eyes on, and do not defile yourselves with the idols^(N) of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.^(O)”

⁸ “‘But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me;^(P) they did not get rid of the vile images they had set their eyes on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.^(Q) So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger against them in Egypt.^{(R) 9} But for the sake of my name, I brought them out of Egypt.^(S) I did it to keep my name from being profaned^(T) in the eyes of the nations among whom they lived and in whose sight I had revealed myself to the Israelites. ¹⁰ Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.^{(U) 11} I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, by which the person who obeys them will live.^{(V) 12} Also I gave them my Sabbaths^(W) as a sign^(X) between us,^(Y) so they would know that I the Lord made them holy.^(Z)

¹³ “‘Yet the people of Israel rebelled^(AA) against me in the wilderness. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws^(AB)—by which the person who obeys them will live—and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths.^(AC) So I said I would pour out my wrath^(AD) on them and destroy^(AE) them in the wilderness.^{(AF) 14} But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned^(AG) in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.^{(AH) 15} Also with uplifted hand I swore^(AI) to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands^(AJ)— ¹⁶ because they rejected my laws^(AK) and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts^(AL) were devoted to their idols.^{(AM) 17} Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy^(AN) them or put an end to them in the wilderness. ¹⁸ I said to their children in the wilderness, “Do not follow the statutes of your parents^(AO) or keep their laws or defile yourselves^(AP) with their idols. ¹⁹ I am the Lord your God;^(AQ) follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.^{(AR) 20} Keep my Sabbaths^(AS) holy, that they may be a sign^(AT) between us. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.^(AU)”

²¹ “‘But the children rebelled against me: They did not follow my decrees, they were not careful to keep my laws,^(AV) of which I said, “The person who obeys them will live by them,” and they desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and spend my anger^(AW) against them in the wilderness.^{(AX) 22} But I withheld^(AY) my hand, and for the sake of my name^(AZ) I did what would keep it from being profaned in the eyes of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out. ²³ Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter^(BA) them through the countries, ²⁴ because they had not obeyed my laws but had rejected my decrees^(BB) and desecrated my Sabbaths,^(BC) and their eyes lusted after^(BD) their parents’ idols.^{(BE) 25} So I gave^(BF) them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live;^{(BG) 26} I defiled them through their gifts—the sacrifice^(BH) of every firstborn—that I might fill them with horror so they would know that I am the Lord.^(BI)’

²⁷ “Therefore, son of man, speak to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In this also your ancestors^(BJ) blasphemed^(BK) me by being unfaithful to me:^{(BL) 28} When I brought them into the land^(BM) I had sworn to give them and they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices, made offerings that aroused my anger, presented their fragrant incense and poured out their drink offerings.^{(BN) 29} Then I said to them: What is this high place^(BO) you go to?’” (It is called Bamah^[a] to this day.)

Rebellious Israel Renewed

³⁰ “Therefore say to the Israelites: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves^(BP) the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images?^{(BQ) 31} When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your children^(BR) in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not let you inquire of me.^(BS)

³² “‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen. ³³ As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will reign over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm^(BT) and with outpoured wrath.^{(BU) 34} I will bring you from the nations^(BV) and gather^(BW) you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand^(BX) and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.^{(BY) 35} I will bring you into the wilderness^(BZ) of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment^(CA) upon you. ³⁶ As I judged your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign Lord.^{(CB) 37} I will take note of you as you pass under my rod,^(CC) and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.^{(CD) 38} I will purge^(CE) you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.^(CF)

³⁹ “‘As for you, people of Israel, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Go and serve your idols,^(CG) every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name^(CH) with your gifts and idols.^{(CI) 40} For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel,^(CJ) declares the Sovereign Lord, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings^(CK) and your choice gifts,^[b] along with all your holy sacrifices.^{(CL) 41} I will accept you as fragrant incense^(CM) when I bring you out from the nations and gather^(CN) you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will be proved holy^(CO) through you in the sight of the nations.^{(CP) 42} Then you will know that I am the Lord,^(CQ) when I bring you into the land of Israel,^(CR) the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your ancestors.^{(CS) 43} There you will remember your conduct^(CT) and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves^(CU) for all the evil you have done.^{(CV) 44} You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake^(CW) and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(CX)’”

Prophecy Against the South

⁴⁵ The word of the Lord came to me: ⁴⁶ “Son of man, set your face toward^(CY) the south; preach against the south and prophesy against^(CZ) the forest of the southland.^{(DA) 47} Say to the southern forest:^(DB) ‘Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume^(DC) all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north^(DD) will be scorched by it.^{(DE) 48} Everyone will see that I the Lord have kindled it; it will not be quenched.^(DF)’”

⁴⁹ Then I said, “Sovereign Lord,^(DG) they are saying of me, ‘Isn’t he just telling parables?^(DH)’”^[c]