1 Samuel 10

King James Version

Full text for 1 Samuel Chapter 10

1¶ Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured [it] upon his head, and kissed him, and said, [Is it] not because the LORD hath anointed thee [to be] captain over his inheritance?

2When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

3Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

4And they will salute thee, and give thee two [loaves] of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.

5After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where [is] the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:

6And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

7And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, [that] thou do as occasion serve thee; for God [is] with thee.

8And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, [and] to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

9¶ And it was [so], that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

10And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

11And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What [is] this [that] is come unto the son of Kish? [Is] Saul also among the prophets?

12And one of the same place answered and said, But who [is] their father? Therefore it became a proverb, [Is] Saul also among the prophets?

13And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

14And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that [they were] no where, we came to Samuel.

15And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.

16And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

17¶ And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;

18And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, [and] of them that oppressed you:

19And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, [Nay], but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

20And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

21When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.

22Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.

23And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

24And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that [there is] none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

25Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, 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.

26And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

27But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Samuel anoints Saul as king, providing him with prophetic signs that quickly come to pass, including Saul prophesying and being transformed by the Spirit of the LORD. Saul, however, conceals the full extent of Samuel's message from his uncle. Later, Samuel gathers Israel at Mizpeh, where Saul is publicly chosen by lot and presented to the people, who acclaim him as king. Samuel records the kingdom's ordinances, and Saul departs with loyal men, though some express contempt.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with Samuel privately anointing Saul with oil, designating him as captain over God's inheritance and giving him three specific prophetic signs to confirm his calling. These signs include finding the lost asses, receiving bread from travelers, and most significantly, encountering a company of prophets, where the Spirit of the LORD comes upon Saul, transforming him and causing him to prophesy. All these signs are fulfilled the same day, leading to the proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" Saul, however, chooses to conceal the matter of the kingdom from his uncle. Subsequently, Samuel gathers all Israel at Mizpeh, rebuking them for rejecting God by demanding a king. Through the casting of lots, Saul is divinely chosen, found hiding, and presented to the people, who acknowledge his stature and shout, "God save the king." Samuel then records the kingdom's ordinances, and Saul returns home accompanied by a band of men whose hearts God had touched, though some "children of Belial" despise him.

Long Summary

The chapter commences with Samuel privately anointing Saul with a vial of oil, thereby designating him as captain over the LORD's inheritance and confirming this selection with a kiss. Samuel then provides Saul with three specific prophetic signs to occur that very day: first, meeting two men near Rachel's sepulchre who will inform him the lost asses are found and his father is worried; second, encountering three men at the plain of Tabor journeying to Bethel, who will offer him two loaves of bread; and third, arriving at the Philistine garrison on the hill of God, where he will meet a company of prophets. At this final encounter, the Spirit of the LORD is prophesied to come upon Saul, causing him to prophesy with them and be "turned into another man." Samuel also instructs Saul to proceed to Gilgal and await him for seven days to offer sacrifices. As Saul departs from Samuel, God indeed gives him "another heart," and all the foretold signs are fulfilled. Saul encounters the prophets, and the Spirit of God comes upon him, leading him to prophesy, which astonishes those who knew him, giving rise to the proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" Upon returning, Saul's uncle questions his whereabouts, and while Saul confirms the asses were found, he deliberately withholds the information about the kingdom from Samuel. Later, Samuel convenes all the tribes of Israel at Mizpeh, where he sternly reminds them of God's past deliverance and their present rejection of Him by demanding a king. Through the casting of lots, the tribe of Benjamin is chosen, then the family of Matri, and finally Saul himself. When sought, Saul is found hiding among the baggage, but upon being presented, his imposing stature, being taller than any other person from the shoulders upward, is evident. Samuel then presents Saul as the LORD's chosen, and the people respond with a resounding shout, "God save the king." Samuel proceeds to write down the "manner of the kingdom" in a book, laying it before the LORD, before dismissing the people. Saul returns to Gibeah accompanied by a band of men whose hearts God had touched, while some "children of Belial" express contempt for him, refusing to bring him presents, though Saul remains silent.

Core Concepts

  • Divine AnointingSamuel anoints Saul with oil, signifying his selection and consecration by God as the future leader, or 'captain,' over Israel, God's inheritance.
  • Prophetic ConfirmationSamuel provides Saul with a series of specific, verifiable signs that serve to confirm the divine origin of his calling and the imminence of God's work in his life.
  • Transformation by the SpiritThe Spirit of the LORD comes upon Saul, causing him to prophesy and be 'turned into another man,' indicating a spiritual empowerment and change in his character suitable for leadership.
  • The Proverb 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'This saying arises from the unexpected sight of Saul, a seemingly ordinary man, prophesying among a company of prophets, highlighting the surprising nature of God's calling and transformation.
  • Rejection of God's Direct RuleSamuel rebukes Israel for their demand for a king, viewing it as a rejection of the LORD, who had continually saved them, and a desire to be like other nations.
  • Selection by LotSaul's public confirmation as king is achieved through the casting of lots at Mizpeh, a method used to discern God's will, which ultimately identifies Saul from among all the tribes and families.
  • Initial Opposition and SupportWhile a band of men whose hearts God had touched accompany Saul, some 'children of Belial' express contempt and refuse to acknowledge his authority, foreshadowing future challenges to his reign.