1 Samuel took a small jar of olive oil and poured it on Saul's head. Then he kissed Saul and told him:
The Lord has chosen you to be the leader and ruler of his people. 2 When you leave me today, you'll meet two men near Rachel's tomb at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin. They'll tell you, “The donkeys you've been looking for have been found. Your father has forgotten about them, and now he's worrying about you! He's wondering how he can find you.”
3 Go on from there until you reach the big oak tree at Tabor, where you'll meet three men on their way to worship God at Bethel. One of them will be leading three young goats, another will be carrying three round loaves of bread, and the last one will be carrying a clay jar of wine. 4 After they greet you, they'll give you two loaves of bread.
5 Next, go to Gibeah, where the Philistines have an army camp. As you're going into the town, you'll meet a group of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They'll be going along prophesying while others are walking in front of them, playing small harps, small drums, and flutes.
6 The Spirit of the Lord will suddenly take control of you. You'll become a different person and start prophesying right along with them. 7 After these things happen, do whatever you think is right! God will help you.
8 Then go to Gilgal. I'll come a little later, so wait for me. It may even take a week for me to get there, but when I come, I'll offer sacrifices to please the Lord and to ask for his blessings. I'll also tell you what to do next.
Saul Goes Back Home
9 As Saul turned around to leave Samuel, God made Saul feel like a different person. That same day, everything happened just as Samuel had said. 10 When Saul arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. The Spirit of God suddenly took control of him, and right there in the middle of the group he began prophesying.
11 Some people who had known Saul for a long time saw that he was speaking and behaving like a prophet. They said to each other, “What's happened? How can Saul be a prophet?”
12 “Why not?” one of them answered. “Saul has as much right to be a prophet as anyone else!” That's why everyone started saying, “How can Saul be a prophet?”
13 After Saul stopped prophesying, he went to the place of worship.
14 Later, Saul's uncle asked him, “Where have you been?”
Saul answered, “Looking for the donkeys. We couldn't find them, so we went to talk with Samuel.”
15 “And what did he tell you?” Saul's uncle asked.
16 Saul answered, “He told us the donkeys had been found.” But Saul didn't mention that Samuel had chosen him to be king.
The Lord Shows Israel that Saul Will Be King
17 Samuel sent messengers to tell the Israelites to come to Mizpah and meet with the Lord. 18 When everyone had arrived, Samuel said:
The Lord God of Israel told me to remind you that he had rescued you from the Egyptians and from the other nations that abused you.
19 God has rescued you from your troubles and hard times. But you have rejected your God and have asked for a king. Now each tribe and clan must come near the place of worship so the Lord can choose a king.
20 Samuel brought each tribe, one after the other, to the altar, and the Lord chose the Benjamin tribe. 21 Next, Samuel brought each clan of Benjamin there, and the Lord chose the Matri clan. Finally, Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he was nowhere to be found.
22 The people prayed, “Our Lord, is Saul here?”
“Yes,” the Lord answered, “he is hiding behind the baggage.”
23 The people ran and got Saul and brought him into the middle of the crowd. He was more than a head taller than anyone else. 24 “Look closely at the man the Lord has chosen!” Samuel told the crowd. “There is no one like him!”
The crowd shouted, “Long live the king!”
25 Samuel explained the rights and duties of a king and wrote them all in a book. He put the book in one of the shrines where the Lord was worshiped. Then Samuel sent everyone home.
26 God had encouraged some young men to become followers of Saul, and when he returned to his hometown of Gibeah, they went with him. 27 But some worthless fools said, “How can someone like Saul rescue us from our enemies?” They did not want Saul to be their king, and so they didn't bring him any gifts. But Saul kept calm.
1 Tad Samuēls ņēma eļļas trauciņu un to izlēja uz viņa galvu, un viņš to skūpstīja un sacīja: "Vai Tas Kungs nav tevi svaidījis par valdnieku pār Savu īpašumu - Israēla tautu? 2 Kad tu šodien no manis aiziesi, tad tu sastapsi divus vīrus pie Rahēles kapa uz Benjamīna robežām Celcā. Tie tev ziņos, sacīdami: tās ēzeļu mātes, ko tu biji izgājis meklēt, ir atrastas; un tavs tēvs tagad nebēdājas par ēzeļu mātēm, bet viņš raizējas par jums, domādams, ko varētu darīt sava dēla labad. 3 Un, no turienes vēl tālāk aizgājis, tu nonāksi pie Tābora ozola, un tur tevi satiks trīs vīri, kuri dosies kalnup uz Bēteli pie Dieva; viens nesīs trīs āžus, otrs trīs klaipus maizes, un trešais nesīs ādas maisu ar vīnu. 4 Un tie tevi sveicinās un dos tev divas maizes, tās ņem no viņu rokām. 5 Pēc tam tu nonāksi Dieva pakalnā, kur novietojusies filistiešu sardze, un notiks, kad tu ienāksi pilsētā, tad tu sastapsi tanī vietā praviešu pulku, kas pašreiz nāks lejā no upuru kalna. To priekšā skanēs arfas, bungas, stabules un cītaras, un tie pravietos. 6 Un Tā Kunga Gars būs pār tevi spēcīgs, un tu kopā ar viņiem pravietosi, un tu tiksi pārmainīts par citādu cilvēku. 7 Un redzi, kad šīs zīmes notiks un tās kļūs tev zināmas, tad dari pats, ko tava dvēsele atrod par pareizu, jo Dievs ir ar tevi. 8 Bet tev būs noiet man pa priekšu uz Gilgalu, un redzi, arī es nākšu lejā pie tevis, lai nestu dedzināmos upurus un arī kaujamos pateicības upurus. Bet tev tur jāgaida septiņas dienas, tiekāms es pie tevis nāku un saku, kas tev ir jādara." 9 Un notika, tikko viņš pagrieza muguru pret Samuēlu, lai turpinātu ceļu, Dievs pārmainīja viņa sirdi; un visas tās zīmes piepildījās tanī pat dienā. 10 Un tad tie devās uz Gibeu, un praviešu pulks viņam nāca pretī, un pēkšņi pār viņu nāca Tā Kunga Gars, un viņš viņu vidū pravietoja. 11 Un visi, kas viņu citkārt bija pazinuši, ne tikai kopš vakarējās un aizvakarējās dienas, kad redzēja, ka viņš kopā ar praviešiem pravietoja, tad cits citam teica: "Kas ar Kīša dēlu ir noticis? Vai tad arī Sauls pieder pie praviešiem?" 12 Tad kāds vīrs no turienes atbildēja un sacīja: "Un kas tad ir viņu, šo praviešu, tēvs?" Tādēļ ir cēlies šāds sakāmvārds: vai tad arī Sauls pieder pie praviešiem? 13 Un, kad viņš beidza pravietot, viņš devās uz augstieni. 14 Tad Saula radinieks prasīja viņam un viņa puisim: "No kurienes nākuši?" Un viņš atbildēja: "Ēzeļu mātes meklēt. Bet, kad redzējām, ka to tur nav, tad mēs devāmies pie Samuēla." 15 Tad Saula radinieks sacīja: "Pastāsti man, ko Samuēls jums teica." 16 Un Sauls sacīja savam radiniekam: "Viņš mums droši pateica, ka ēzeļu mātes atrastas." Bet par ķēniņa godu, par ko Samuēls arī bija vēstījis, viņš tam nekā neteica. 17 Tad Samuēls sasauca tautu Tā Kunga priekšā Micpā 18 un sacīja Israēla bērniem: "Tā saka Tas Kungs, Israēla Dievs: Es esmu izvedis Israēlu no Ēģiptes, un Es esmu arī tos glābis no ēģiptiešu rokas un arī no visu ķēniņu valstību varām, kas jūs ir apspiedušas; 19 bet jūs šodien paši esat savu Dievu atmetuši, kas jūs ir izglābis no visām jūsu likstām un no visām jūsu bēdām, un jūs esat Viņam teikuši: iecel pār mums ķēniņu! - Un tagad stājieties Tā Kunga priekšā, pēc jūsu ciltīm un pēc jūsu dzimtām!" 20 Un, kad Samuēls bija savedis kopā visas Israēla ciltis, tad tika mesti mesli, un tika iezīmēta Benjamīna cilts. 21 Un, kad Benjamīna cilts pēc savām dzimtām bija klāt pienākusi, tad ar meslu tika iezīmēta Matrija dzimta, un tā ar meslu tika izraudzīts Sauls, Kīša dēls. Un tie to meklēja, bet neatrada. 22 Tad tie vēlreiz vaicāja To Kungu: "Vai viņš vēl nāks?" Un Tas Kungs atbildēja: "Redzi, viņš ir paslēpies starp mantu kravām." 23 Tad tie steidzās un izvilka viņu no turienes laukā, un viņš nostājās tautas vidū, un viņš bija galvas tiesu pārāks nekā citi ļaudis. 24 Tad Samuēls sacīja visai tautai: "Vai jūs redzat, kādu Tas Kungs ir izredzējis? Tiešām, nav neviena cita visā tautā, kas būtu tāds kā viņš!" Tad visa tauta uzgavilēja un sauca: "Lai dzīvo ķēniņš!" 25 Tad Samuēls tautai teica, kādas ir ķēniņa varas tiesības, un viņš to ierakstīja grāmatā un nolika Tā Kunga priekšā; tad Samuēls atlaida tautu, ikvienu uz savām mājām. 26 Un arī Sauls gāja uz savām mājām Gibeā, un viņam līdzi gāja pulks vīru, kuru sirdis Dievs bija aizskāris. 27 Bet kādi nelieši sacīja: "Ko gan šis mums palīdzēs?" Un tie viņu nicināja un nenesa viņam dāvanas, bet viņš nelikās to dzirdējis.
