Samuel Anoints Saul

10 Then Samuel took a small container of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s^[a] head. Samuel^[b] kissed him and said, “The Lord has chosen you^[c] to lead his people Israel! You will rule over the Lord’s people and you will deliver them from the power of the enemies who surround them. This will be your sign that the Lord has chosen^[d] you as leader over his inheritance.^{[e] 2} When you leave me today, you will find two men near Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah on Benjamin’s border. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you have gone looking for have been found. Your father is no longer concerned about the donkeys but has become anxious about you two!^[f] He is asking, “What should I do about my son?”’

³ “As you continue on from there, you will come to the tall tree of Tabor. At that point three men who are going up to God at Bethel will meet you. One of them will be carrying three young goats, one of them will be carrying three round loaves of bread, and one of them will be carrying a container of wine. ⁴ They will ask you how you’re doing and will give you two loaves of bread. You will accept them. ⁵ Afterward you will go to Gibeah of God, where there are Philistine officials.^[g] When you enter the town, you will meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place. They will have harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying. ⁶ Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person.

⁷ “When these signs have taken place, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God will be with you.^{[h] 8} You will go down to Gilgal before me. I am going to join you there to offer burnt offerings and to make peace offerings. You should wait for seven days until I arrive and tell you what to do.”

Saul Becomes King

⁹ As Saul^[i] turned^[j] to leave Samuel, God changed his inmost person.^[k] All these signs happened on that very day. ¹⁰ When Saul and his servant^[l] arrived at Gibeah, a company of prophets was coming out to meet him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul^[m] and he prophesied among them. ¹¹ When everyone who had known him previously saw him prophesying with the prophets, the people asked one another, “What on earth has happened to the son of Kish? Does even Saul belong with the prophets?”

¹² A man who was from there replied, “And who is their father?” Therefore this became a proverb: “Is even Saul among the prophets?” ¹³ When Saul^[n] had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.

¹⁴ Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where did you go?” Saul^[o] replied, “To look for the donkeys. But when we realized they were lost,^[p] we went to Samuel.” ¹⁵ Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.”^{[q] 16} Saul said to his uncle, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul^[r] did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship.