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.
1 Then Samuel took a jar of olive oil and poured it on Saul's head, kissed him, and said, “The Lord anoints you as ruler of his people Israel. You will rule his people and protect them from all their enemies. And this is the proof to you that the Lord has chosen you to be the ruler of his people: 2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel's tomb at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin. They will tell you that the donkeys you were looking for have been found, so that your father isn't worried any more about them but about you, and he keeps asking, ‘What shall I do about my son?’ 3 You will go on from there until you come to the sacred tree at Tabor, where you will meet three men on their way to offer a sacrifice to God at Bethel. One of them will be leading three young goats, another one will be carrying three loaves of bread, and the third one will have a leather bag full of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two of the loaves, which you are to accept. 5 Then you will go to the Hill of God in Gibeah, where there is a Philistine camp. At the entrance to the town you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the altar on the hill, playing harps, drums, flutes, and lyres. They will be dancing and shouting. 6 Suddenly the spirit of the Lord will take control of you, and you will join in their religious dancing and shouting and will become a different person. 7 When these things happen, do whatever God leads you to do. 8 You will go ahead of me to Gilgal, where I will meet you and offer burnt sacrifices and fellowship sacrifices. Wait there seven days until I come and tell you what to do.”
9 When Saul turned to leave Samuel, God gave Saul a new nature. And everything Samuel had told him happened that day. 10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Suddenly the spirit of God took control of him, and he joined in their ecstatic dancing and shouting. 11 People who had known him before saw him doing this and asked one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Has Saul become a prophet?” 12 A man who lived there asked, “How about these other prophets—who do you think their fathers are?” This is how the saying originated, “Has even Saul become a prophet?” 13 When Saul finished his ecstatic dancing and shouting, he went to the altar on the hill.
14 Saul's uncle saw him and the servant, and he asked them, “Where have you been?”
“Looking for the donkeys,” Saul answered. “When we couldn't find them, we went to see Samuel.”
15 “And what did he tell you?” Saul's uncle asked.
16 “He told us that the animals had been found,” Saul answered—but he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about his becoming king.
Saul Is Acclaimed as King
17 Samuel called the people together for a religious gathering at Mizpah 18 and said to them, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I brought you out of Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and all the other peoples who were oppressing you. 19 I am your God, the one who rescues you from all your troubles and difficulties, but today you have rejected me and have asked me to give you a king. Very well, then, gather yourselves before the Lord by tribes and by clans.’”
20 Then Samuel had each tribe come forward, and the Lord picked the tribe of Benjamin. 21 Then Samuel had the families of the tribe of Benjamin come forward, and the family of Matri was picked out. Then the men of the family of Matri came forward, and Saul son of Kish was picked out. They looked for him, but when they could not find him, 22 they asked the Lord, “Is there still someone else?”
The Lord answered, “Saul is over there, hiding behind the supplies.”
23 So they ran and brought Saul out to the people, and they could see that he was a foot taller than anyone else. 24 Samuel said to the people, “Here is the man the Lord has chosen! There is no one else among us like him.”
All the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
25 Samuel explained to the people the rights and duties of a king, and then wrote them in a book, which he deposited in a holy place. Then he sent everyone home. 26 Saul also went back home to Gibeah. Some powerful men, whose hearts God had touched, went with him. 27 But some worthless people said, “How can this fellow do us any good?” They despised Saul and did not bring him any gifts.
