1 Samuel 10
10
1Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying: “The Lord anoints you ruler over his people Israel. You are the one who will govern the Lord’s people and save them from the power of their enemies all around them.#1 Sm 9:16–17; 16:13; 24:7; Jgs 9:9; 1 Kgs 1:39; Acts 13:21.
The Signs Foretold. “This will be the sign#The sign: the role of the new ruler is confirmed by specific signs; cf. Ex 7:9. for you that the Lord has anointed you ruler over his heritage: 2When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb#Here, as in Jer 31:15, Rachel’s tomb is placed at Ramah, north of Jerusalem. Later tradition understood Ephrath (Gn 35:19–20) as Bethlehem and placed the tomb farther south (Mt 2:16–18). at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you went to look for have been found. Now your father is no longer worried about the donkeys, but is anxious about you and says: What shall I do about my son?’#Jer 31:15; Mk 14:13. 3Farther on, when you arrive at the oak of Tabor,#Oak of Tabor: or terebinth. Such a tree often indicates a shrine. three men will meet you as they go up to God at Bethel; one will be bringing three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and the third a skin of wine. 4They will greet you and offer you two elevated offerings of bread, which you should accept from them. 5#1 Sm 13:3; 16:13; 19:20–21. After that you will come to Gibeath-elohim, where the Philistine garrison#The Philistine garrison: the Hebrew word for “garrison” has been explained alternatively to mean a stele established to mark the Philistine occupation, or an inspector or officer for the collection of taxes. Prophetic ecstasy: a condition of religious enthusiasm often induced by communal rituals of music and dancing. is located. As you enter that city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place. They will be preceded by lyres, tambourines, flutes, and harps, and will be in prophetic ecstasy. 6The spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will join them in their prophetic ecstasy and will become a changed man.#1 Sm 11:6; 16:13; Jgs 14:6, 19; 15:14; 2 Kgs 3:15. 7When these signs have come to pass, do whatever lies to hand, because God is with you. 8#1 Sm 13:8; Lv 3:1. Now go down ahead of me to Gilgal, for I shall come down to you, to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice communion offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you; I shall then tell you what you must do.”#By inserting this verse, with its seven days, an editor has named in the very context of Saul’s anointing the condition which in a later narrative will be the grounds for the rejection of the dynastic character of Saul’s kingship (13:8–15).
The Signs Come to Pass. 9As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart. That very day all these signs came to pass…. 10#An editor has abridged a longer version of this story by omitting mention of the first two signs Samuel has given (vv. 2–4). From there they arrived at Gibeah, where a band of prophets met Saul, and the spirit of God rushed upon him, so that he joined them in their prophetic ecstasy.#1 Sm 19:20–24; Nm 11:25. 11When all who had known him previously saw him in a prophetic state among the prophets, they said to one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”#1 Sm 19:24. 12And someone from that district responded, “And who is their father?” Thus the saying arose, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13When he came out of the prophetic ecstasy, he went home.
Silence About the Kingship. 14Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?” Saul replied, “Looking for the donkeys. When we could not find them, we went to Samuel.” 15Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me, then, what Samuel said to you.” 16Saul said to his uncle, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul told him nothing about what Samuel had said about the kingship.
Saul Chosen King. 17Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah#1 Sm 7:5. 18and addressed the Israelites: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: It was I who brought Israel up from Egypt and delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.#Ex 20:2; Lv 11:45; 25:38; Nm 15:41; Dt 5:6; Jgs 6:8–9. 19But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your evils and calamities, by saying, ‘No! You must appoint a king over us.’ Now, therefore, take your stand before the Lord according to your tribes and families.”#1 Sm 8:19. 20So Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.#Was chosen: probably by casting lots; cf. 14:40–42; Jos 7:14, 17. 21Next he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by clans, and the clan of Matri was chosen, and finally Saul, son of Kish, was chosen. But when they went to look for him, he was nowhere to be found. 22#1 Sm 30:24. Again they consulted the Lord, “Is there still someone else to come forward?” The Lord answered: He is hiding among the baggage. 23They ran to bring him from there; when he took his place among the people, he stood head and shoulders above all the people.#1 Sm 9:2; 16:7. 24Then Samuel addressed all the people, “Do you see the man whom the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people!” Then all the people shouted out, “Long live the king!”#2 Sm 16:16; 1 Kgs 1:25; 2 Kgs 11:12.
25Samuel next explained to the people the rules of the monarchy,#Rules of the monarchy: a charter describing the relationship between the king and the people. wrote them in a book, and placed them before the presence of the Lord. Samuel then sent the people back to their own homes.#1 Sm 8:11; Dt 17:14–20. 26Saul also went home to Gibeah, accompanied by warriors whose hearts the Lord had touched. 27But some worthless people said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no tribute.#Tribute: a gift to honor a new ruler as a pledge of one’s loyalty; see Gn 32:14; Jgs 3:15; 2 Sm 8:2. #1 Sm 11:12.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
1 Kings 10
10
1And Samuel took a little vial of oil; and poured it upon his head; and kissed him; and said: Behold, the Lord hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance: and thou shalt deliver his people out of the hands of their enemies, that are round about them. And this shall be a sign unto thee, that God hath anointed thee to be prince.
2When thou shalt depart from me this day, thou shalt find two men by the sepulchre of Rachel in the borders of Benjamin to the south. And they shall say to thee: The asses are found which thou wentest to seek; and thy father thinking no more of the asses is concerned for you, and saith: What shall I do for my son?
3And when thou shalt depart from thence, and go farther on, and shalt come to the oak of Thabor, there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine.
4And they will salute thee, and will give thee two loaves. And thou shalt take them at their hand.
5After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is. And when thou shalt be come there into the city, thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place, with a psaltery and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp before them; and they shall be prophesying.
6And the spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee. And thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be changed into another man.
7When therefore these signs shall happen to thee, do whatsoever thy hand shall find, for the Lord is with thee.
8And thou shalt go down before me to Galgal (for I will come down to thee), that thou mayest offer an oblation, and sacrifice, victims of peace. Seven days shalt thou wait, till I come to thee: and I will shew thee what thou art to do.
9So when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave unto him another heart: and all these things came to pass that day.
10And they came to the foresaid hill, and, behold, a company of prophets met him. And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he prophesied in the midst of them.
11And all that had known him yesterday and the day before, seeing that he was with the prophets, and prophesied, said to each other: What is this that hath happened to the son of Cis? Is Saul also among the prophets?
12And one answered another, saying: And 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 to him, and to his servant: Whither went you? They answered: To seek the asses; and not finding them we went to Samuel.
15And his uncle said to him: Tell me what Samuel said to thee.
16And Saul said to his uncle: He told us that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom of which Samuel had spoken to him, he told him not.
17And Samuel called together the people to the Lord in Maspha.
18And he said to the children of Israel: Thus saith the Lord the 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 the kings who afflicted you.
19But you this day have rejected your God, who only hath saved you out of all your evils and your tribulations; and you have said: Nay: but set a king over us. Now therefore stand before the Lord by your tribes, and by your families.
20And Samuel brought to him all the tribes of Israel, and the lot fell on the tribe of Benjamin.
21And he brought the tribe of Benjamin and the kindreds thereof, and the lot fell Upon the kindred of Metri: and it came to Saul the son of Cis. They sought him therefore and he was not found.
22And after this they consulted the Lord whether he would come thither. And the Lord answered: Behold, he is hidden at home.
23And they ran and fetched him thence. And he stood in the midst of the people; and he was higher than any of the people from the shoulders and upward.
24And Samuel said to all the people: Surely you see him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people. And all the people cried and said: God save the king.
25And Samuel told the people the law of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord: and Samuel sent away all the people, every one to his own house.
26Saul also departed to his own house in Gabaa: and there went with him a part of the army, whose hearts God had touched.
27But the children of Belial said: Shall this fellow be able to save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he dissembled as though he heard not.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.