| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Then 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? | 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 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?” ’ | 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 will go on from there until you come to the Oak 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. | 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. |
| 4They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept 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 will come to Gibeah of God, 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. | 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 rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be transformed into a different person. | 6Then the spirit of the LORD will rush upon you and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. |
| 7When these signs have come, 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. |
| 8And 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.” | 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." |
| 9As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all the 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 Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied along with 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. |
| 11All those who had formerly known Saul and saw him prophesying with the prophets asked one another, “What has happened to 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 who lived there replied, “And who is their father?” So the saying 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 Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the high place. | 13When Saul had finished prophesying, he went to the high place. |
| 14Now 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.” | 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." |
| 15“Tell me,” Saul’s uncle asked, “what did Samuel say to you?” | 15Saul's uncle said, "Tell me what Samuel said to you." |
| 16And 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. | 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. |
| 17After this, Samuel summoned the people to the LORD at Mizpah | 17Then Samuel called the people together before the LORD at Mizpah. |
| 18and said to the Israelites, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the hands of the Egyptians and of all the kingdoms that 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 today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and 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.'" |
| 20Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected. | 20Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. |
| 21Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the clan of Matri was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they looked for him, they could not find him. | 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. |
| 22So again they inquired of the LORD, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD replied, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” | 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 Saul, and when he stood among the people, he was a head taller than any of the others. | 23So they ran and brought him from there. When he took his position among the people, he stood head and shoulders above them all. |
| 24Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “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 rights of kingship. He wrote them on a scroll and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each to his own home. | 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. |
| 26Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, and the men of valor whose hearts God had touched went with him. | 26Even Saul went to his home in Gibeah. With him went some brave men whose hearts God had touched. |
| 27But some worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him and brought him no gifts; but Saul remained silent about it. | 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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