1. Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.

2. He had a son, whose name was SAUL, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a better person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.

3. The donkeys of Kish, SAUL's father, were lost. Kish said to SAUL his son, "Take now one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys."

4. He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn't find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and there they weren't there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn't find them.

5. When they had come to the land of Zuph, SAUL said to his servant who was with him, "Come, and let us return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys, and be anxious for us."

6. The servant said to him, "Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says surely happens. Now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go."

7. Then SAUL said to his servant, "But, behold, if we go, what should we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our sacks, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"

8. The servant answered SAUL again, and said, "Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way."

9. (In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, "Come, and let us go to the seer"; for he who is now called a prophet was before called a seer.)

10. Then SAUL said to his servant, "Well said. Come, let us go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.

11. As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, "Is the seer here?"

12. They answered them, and said, "He is. Behold, he is before you. Hurry now, for he has come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.

13. As soon as you have come into the city, you will immediately find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he come, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards those who are invited eat. Now therefore go up; for at this time you will find him."

14. They went up to the city. As they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.

15. Now the LORD had revealed to Samuel a day before SAUL came, saying,

16. "Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me."

17. When Samuel saw SAUL, the LORD said to him, "Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! He will have authority over my people."

18. Then SAUL approached Samuel in the gateway, and said, "Please tell me where the seer's house is."

19. Samuel answered SAUL, and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you are to eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is in your heart.

20. As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don't set your mind on them; for they have been found. For whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you, and for all your father's house?"

21. SAUL answered, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?"

22. Samuel took SAUL and his servant, and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons.

23. Samuel said to the cook, "Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, 'Set it aside.'"

24. The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before SAUL. Samuel said, "Behold, that which has been reserved! Set it before yourself and eat; because for the appointed time has it been kept for you, for I said, 'I have invited the people.'" So SAUL ate with Samuel that day.

25. When they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with SAUL on the housetop.

26. They arose early; and about daybreak, Samuel called to SAUL on the housetop, saying, "Get up, that I may send you away." SAUL arose, and they both went outside, he and Samuel, together.

27. As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to SAUL, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us." He went ahead, then Samuel said, "But stand still first, that I may cause you to hear God's message."

1. Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and 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 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 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 bottle of wine.

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

5. "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. Then The LORD's Spirit will come mightily on you, and you will prophesy with them, and will be turned into another man.

7. 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. "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. 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. 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 among them.

11. 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 among the prophets?"

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

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

14. 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."

16. 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 the LORD to Mizpah;

18. 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 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 chosen.

21. 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 the LORD further, "Is there yet a man to come here?"The LORD answered, "Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage."

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

24. Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among 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 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 the army went with him, whose hearts God had touched.

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

12. The people said to Samuel, "Who is he who said, 'Shall SAUL reign over us?' Bring those men, that we may put them to death!"

13. SAUL said, "No man shall be put to death today; for today the LORD has rescued Israel."

14. Then Samuel said to the people, "Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there."

15. All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made SAUL king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before The LORD; and there SAUL and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

I have given you a king in my anger,and have taken him away in my wrath.