| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: “Is it not because the LORD has anointed you commander over His inheritance? | 1Then Samuel took a small container of olive oil and poured it on Saul's head. Samuel kissed him and said, "The LORD has chosen you 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 you as leader over his inheritance. |
| 2When you have departed from me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for have been found. And now your father has ceased caring about the donkeys and is worrying about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’ | 2When 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! He is asking, "What should I do about my son?"' |
| 3Then you shall go on forward from there and come to the terebinth tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. | 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. |
| 4And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hands. | 4They will ask you how you're doing and will give you two loaves of bread. You will accept them. |
| 5After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. | 5Afterward you will go to Gibeah of God, where there are Philistine officials. 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. |
| 6Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. | 6Then the spirit of the LORD will rush upon you and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. |
| 7And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you. | 7"When these signs have taken place, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God will be with you. |
| 8You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.” | 8You 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." |
| 9So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. | 9As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his inmost person. All these signs happened on that very day. |
| 10When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. | 10When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a company of prophets was coming out to meet him. Then the spirit of God rushed upon Saul and he prophesied among them. |
| 11And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” | 11When everyone who had known him previously saw him prophesying with the prophets, the people all asked one another, "What on earth has happened to the son of Kish? Does even Saul belong with the prophets?" |
| 12Then a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?” | 12A man who was from there replied, "And who is their father?" Therefore this became a proverb: "Is even Saul among the prophets?" |
| 13And when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place. | 13When Saul had finished prophesying, he went to the high place. |
| 14Then Saul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” So he said, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel.” | 14Saul's uncle asked him and his servant, "Where did you go?" Saul replied, "To look for the donkeys. But when we realized they were lost, we went to Samuel." |
| 15And Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, please, what Samuel said to you.” | 15Saul's uncle said, "Tell me what Samuel said to you." |
| 16So Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said. | 16Saul said to his uncle, "He assured us that the donkeys had been found." But Saul did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship. |
| 17Then Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah, | 17Then Samuel called the people together before the LORD at Mizpah. |
| 18and said to the children of Israel, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ | 18He said to the Israelites, "This is what the LORD God of Israel says, 'I brought Israel up from Egypt and I delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you. |
| 19But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; 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 clans.” | 19But today you have rejected your God who saves you from all your trouble and distress. You have said, "No! Appoint a king over us." Now take your positions before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.'" |
| 20And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. | 20Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. |
| 21When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. | 21Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of Matri was chosen by lot. At last Saul son of Kish was chosen by lot. But when they looked for him, he was nowhere to be found. |
| 22Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.” | 22So they inquired again of the LORD, "Has the man arrived here yet?" The LORD said, "He has hidden himself among the equipment." |
| 23So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. | 23So they ran and brought him from there. When he took his position among the people, he stood head and shoulders above them all. |
| 24And 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?” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!” | 24Then Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see the one whom the LORD has chosen? Indeed, there is no one like him among all the people!" All the people shouted out, "Long live the king!" |
| 25Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. | 25Then Samuel talked to the people about how the kingship would work. He wrote it all down on a scroll and set it before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people away to their homes. |
| 26And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. | 26Even Saul went to his home in Gibeah. With him went some brave men whose hearts God had touched. |
| 27But some rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace. | 27But some wicked men said, "How can this man save us?" They despised him and did not even bring him a gift. But Saul said nothing about it. |
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