1 Samuel 10:1-16

Samuel Anoints Saul

1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance? ^[a]

2 When you leave me today, you will find two men at Rachel’s tomb in Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you seek have been found, and now your father has stopped worrying about the donkeys and started worrying about you, asking, “What should I do about my son?”’

3 Then you will go on from there until you come to the Oak ^[b] of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.

4 They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from their hands.

5 After that you will come to Gibeah of God, ^[c] where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by 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; and you will be transformed into a different person.

7 When these signs have come, do as the occasion demands, for God is with you.

8 And you shall go before me to Gilgal, and surely I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you are to do.”

Samuel’s Signs Fulfilled

9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all the signs came to pass that day.

10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, ^[d] a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied along with them.

11 When all those who had formerly known Saul saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

12 Then a man who lived there replied, “And who is their father?” So the saying became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

13 And when Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the high place.

14 Now Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where did you go?” “To look for the donkeys,” Saul replied. “When we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”

15 “Tell me,” Saul’s uncle asked, “what did Samuel say to you?”

16 And Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.

1 Samuel 10:1-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 10

In this chapter we read of Saul's being anointed king by Samuel, 1Sa 10:1, and of certain signs given as confirming the same, which should come to pass, and did, before Saul got to his father's house, 1Sa 10:2-13, of his arrival at his father's house, and of what passed between him and his uncle there, 1Sa 10:14-16, of Samuel's calling all Israel together at Mizpeh, and of the election of Saul by lot to be king, and of his being declared such, 1Sa 10:17-25, and of his return to his city, being respected by some, and despised by others, 1Sa 10:26,27.

Footnotes

• [a] Hebrew; LXX “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over Israel? And you will rule over the LORD’s people and save them from their enemies around them. This will be the sign to you that the LORD has appointed you to be leader over His inheritance.
• [b] Or Terebinth or Great Tree
• [c] Hebrew Gibeath-Elohim, meaning the hill of God
• [d] Gibeah means the hill.