Study Desk

And the sons of Israel said to Samuel, Don't cease to cry to Yahweh our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

And he said to him, Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man that is held in honor; all that he says surely comes to pass: now let us go there; perhaps he can tell us concerning our journey whereon we go.

Then Saul said to his attendant, But, look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what do we have?

And the attendant answered Saul again, and said, Look, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.

(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer; for he that is now called a Prophet was formerly called a Seer.)

Then said Saul to his attendant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was.

As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the attendant to pass on before us (and he passed on), but you stand still first, that I may cause you to hear the word of God.

Then you shall go on forward from there, and you shall come to the oak of Tabor; and you shall meet there three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three young goats, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

After that you shall come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is: and it shall come to pass, when you come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying:

And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as occasion shall serve you; for God is with you.

And it was so, that, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

And when they came there to the hill, look, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them.

and he said to the sons of Israel, This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you:

but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, Surely set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes, and by your thousands.

And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the host, whose hearts God had touched.

And the Spirit of God came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was greatly kindled.

But they forgot Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.

And when you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us; when Yahweh your God was your king.

If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, and both you and also the king that reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God, [well]:

And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for your slaves to Yahweh your God, that we will not die; for we have added to all our sins [this] evil, to ask for ourselves a king.