1 Samuel 10

1 Then Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet] took a flask [vial, small container] of oil [olive oil], poured it on Saul’s head [the topmost part of the body], kissed him [as a sign of affection and respect], and said, “Has not the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] anointed [set apart, consecrated] you [as a leader] ruler [leader, commander] over His inheritance [property, promised land, spiritual heritage]? word study 2 When you leave [depart from, go away from] me today [at this present time], you will find [discover, come across] two men [individuals, persons] at Rachel’s [the mother of Joseph and Benjamin] tomb [grave, sepulchre] in Zelzah [a place in Palestine] on the border [boundary, frontier] of Benjamin [the youngest son of Jacob]. They will say [speak, tell] to you, ‘The donkeys [female donkeys, she-asses] you seek [search for, look for] have been found [discovered, located], and now your father [parent, ancestor] has stopped [left off, ceased] worrying [being anxious, concerned] about the donkeys [female donkeys, she-asses] and started [begun, commenced] worrying [being anxious, concerned] about you, asking [inquiring, questioning], “What [how, in what way] should I do [act, take action] about my son [child, offspring]?”’ word study 3 Then you will go on [forward, beyond] from there until you come to the Oak [terebinth, a strong tree] of Tabor [a mountain in Palestine]. Three men [individuals, persons] going up [ascending, to ascend] to God [Elohim, the supreme one] at Bethel [house of God, a significant location] will meet you there, one carrying three young goats [kids, juvenile goats], another carrying three loaves of bread [food, grain], and another carrying a skin [bag, vessel] of wine [fermented drink]. word study 4 They will greet [salute, ask about welfare] you and give [offer, put] you two [a pair, double] loaves of bread [food, grain], which you will accept [take, receive] from their hands [open hand]. word study 5 After that [following this event, afterwards] you will come to Gibeah [a small hill] of God [Elohim, the supreme God], where the Philistines [inhabitants of Philistia, a neighboring region] have an outpost [garrison, military post]. As you approach the city [town, settlement], you will meet a group [company, band] of prophets [those who speak for God, spokespersons] coming down from the high place [cultic platform, elevation], preceded by [accompanied by, before] harps [lyres, stringed instruments], tambourines [percussion instruments], flutes [pipes, wind instruments], and lyres [stringed instruments], and they will be prophesying [speaking under the influence of the divine spirit, foretelling]. word study 6 Then the Spirit [the breath of life] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will rush [to prosper or succeed] upon you, and you will prophesy [speak under the influence of the divine spirit] with them; and you will be transformed [completely changed] into a different [another, next] person [man, individual]. word study 7 When these [specific, miraculous] signs [wonders, beacons] have come, do [take action, make a decision] as the occasion [opportunity, circumstance] demands [requires, serves], for [because, since] God [Elohim, the supreme Lord] is with [together with, accompanying] you. word study 8 And you shall go before me to Gilgal [a region in Palestine, a wheel or rolling], and surely I [the speaker, the Lord] will come [approach, draw near] to you to offer [present, bring forth] burnt offerings [sacrifices completely consumed by fire] and to sacrifice [slaughter, give up] peace offerings [voluntary sacrifices to show thanks, express gratitude]. Wait [be patient, hope in] seven days until I come [arrive, reach] to you and show [reveal, make known] you what you are to do [the actions you must take, the path you must follow].” word study 9 As Saul turned [went away from] to leave Samuel [Shemuel, the prophet of God], God [Elohim, the supreme ruler] changed [overturned, transformed] Saul’s heart [inner being, mind and spirit], and all [every one of] the signs [miraculous tokens, wonders] came to pass [were fulfilled, happened] that day [at that time, in that moment]. word study 10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah [a small hill], a group [company, band] of prophets [those who speak for God] met him. Then the Spirit [the breath of life] of God [Elohim, the supreme God] rushed [came mightily, prospered] upon him, and he prophesied [spoke under the divine influence] along with them [in their midst]. word study 11 All those who had [previously, from a former time] formerly known Saul and saw him prophesying [speaking under the influence of the divine spirit] with the prophets [men who speak messages from God] asked one another, “What has happened [come to pass, occurred] to the son [descendant, offspring] of Kish? Is Saul [the desired one] also [even, too] among the prophets [those who speak for God]?” word study 12 Then a man [an individual, a person] who lived there [in that place, at that location] replied, “And who [what person, whose father] is their father [parent, ancestor, source of origin]?” So the saying [expression, statement, proverb] became a proverb [a short saying, a wise maxim]: “Is Saul [Shaul, the desired one] also [too, in addition] among the prophets [those who speak for God, messengers of the Lord]?” word study 13 And when Saul had finished [come to an end, ceased from] prophesying [speaking under divine influence, declaring God’s message], he went up to the high place [elevated area, cultic platform]. word study 14 Now Saul’s uncle [beloved, close relative] asked him and his servant [youth, young man], “Where [in what direction, to what place] did you go [walk, travel]?” “To look [seek, search] for the donkeys [she-asses, female donkeys],” Saul replied [said, spoke]. “When we saw [perceived, discovered] they were not [nothing, nowhere] to be found [located, discovered], we went [came, approached] to Samuel [Shemuel, heard by God].” word study 15 “Tell me [please, I pray thee],” Saul’s uncle [beloved, close relative] asked, “what [what thing, how] did Samuel [Shemuel, the prophet] say [declare, speak] to you [to your heart, personally]?” word study 16 And Saul [Shaul, the desired one] replied, “He assured us [told us plainly, gave us word] that the donkeys [she-asses, female donkeys] had been found [discovered, located].” But Saul did not tell [declare, inform] his uncle [beloved, close relative] what Samuel [Shemuel, heard by God] had said [spoken, declared] about the kingship [royal authority, realm of a king]. word study 17 After this, Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet of Israel] summoned [called together, assembled] the people [a nation, a group of individuals] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] at [toward, in the direction of] Mizpah [a watchtower, a place of observation] word study 18 and said to the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob], “This is what the LORD [Yehovah], the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel [as a nation, out of slavery] up out of Egypt [a land of bondage], and I rescued [delivered, saved] you from the hands [power, control] of the Egyptians [a powerful and oppressive nation] and of all the kingdoms [nations, dominions] that oppressed [cruelly treated, afflicted] you.’ word study 19 But today [this day, at this moment] you have rejected [turned away from, spurned] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God], who saves [delivers, rescues] you from all your troubles [adversities, calamities] and afflictions [distresses, sorrows], and you have said to Him, ‘No [nay, absolutely not], set a king [a ruler, a monarch] over us [to govern, to rule].’ Now therefore [at this time, for this reason] present yourselves [stand, take your place] before the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] by your tribes [clans, families] and clans [thousands, family groups].” word study 20 Thus Samuel [Shemuel, a judge and prophet] had all [every single one] the tribes [clans or families] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob] come forward [to present themselves, to approach], and the tribe [a clan] of Benjamin [son of the right hand, the youngest son of Jacob] was selected [taken, chosen by lot, captured]. word study 21 Then he had the tribe [a group of families] of Benjamin [son of the right hand, referring to the youngest son of Jacob] come forward by its clans [families, emphasizing the close relationship], and the clan [family, a tribe or nation] of Matri [an Israelite from the United Monarchy period] was selected [captured, seized, or taken]. Finally, Saul [desired, a personal name given to several individuals] son of Kish [an Israelite, the father of king Saul] was selected [chosen, taken]. But when they looked for him [sought, searched], they could not find him [he was nowhere to be seen, not found]. word study 22 So again they inquired [sought guidance, asked for direction] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], “Has the man [a male person, an individual] come here [to this place, hither] yet [still, again]?” And the LORD [the supreme God] replied, “Behold [look, see], he has hidden [concealed, withdrawn] himself among the baggage [articles, utensils, equipment].” word study 23 So they ran [quickly, with haste] and brought Saul, and when he stood [presented himself, took his place] among the people [the nation, the crowd], he was a head [from his shoulders and upward, higher than all] taller [exalted, lofty] than any of the others [all the people, everyone around him]. word study 24 Samuel [the prophet and judge of Israel] said to all the people, “Do you see the one [whom the Lord has selected, chosen for a special purpose] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] has chosen [elected, appointed]? There is no one [none like him, without equal] like him [unique, exceptional] among all the people [the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people].” And all the people shouted [with joy, in celebration], “Long live [may he have a long and prosperous life] the king [the ruler, the monarch]!” word study 25 Then Samuel [the prophet and judge] explained to the people the rights [manner, laws, and duties] of kingship [the kingdom, royal authority, and dominion]. He wrote them on a scroll [a written document, book] and laid it up before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. And Samuel sent all the people away, each [every individual, man] to his own home [house, dwelling place]. word study 26 Saul [the desired one] also went to his home [dwelling place, house] in Gibeah [a city in Palestine], and the men of valor [strength, might, or power] whose hearts [inner being, feelings, will, and intellect] God [Elohim, the supreme God] had touched [reached, struck, or motivated] went with him [accompanied, together]. word study 27 But some worthless [good-for-nothing] men said, “How [what] can this [Belial, wicked] man save [deliver, rescue] us?” So they [utterly] despised [held in contempt] him and brought him no [offering, gift] gifts; but Saul remained [held his peace, was silent] silent about it. word study