1
Then Samueltook 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?
2
When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt findtwomen 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?
3
Then shalt thou go onforward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee threemen going up to God to Bethel, onecarryingthreekids, and anothercarryingthreeloaves of bread, and anothercarrying a bottle of wine:
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And they willsalute 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 comethither 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:
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And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into anotherman.
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And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasionserve thee; for God is with thee.
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And thou shalt go downbefore me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will comedown unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrificesacrifices of peace offerings: sevendays 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, Godgave him anotherheart: and all those signscame to pass that day.
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And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophetsmet him; and the Spirit of Godcame upon him, and he prophesiedamong them.
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And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetimesaw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the peoplesaidone to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
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And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
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And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.
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And Saul's unclesaid unto him and to his servant, Whitherwent ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.
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And Saul's unclesaid, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuelsaid unto you.
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And Saulsaid unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuelspake, he told him not.
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And Samuelcalled the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
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And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORDGod of Israel, I brought upIsrael 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:
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And ye have this dayrejected 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.
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And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
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When 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.
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Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet comethither. And the LORDanswered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.
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And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stoodamong the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
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And Samuelsaid 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 peopleshouted, and said, God save the king.
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Then Samueltold the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it upbefore the LORD. And Samuelsent all the peopleaway, every man to his house.
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And Saul also wenthome to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose heartsGod had touched.
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But the children of Belialsaid, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.