Study Desk

The men of Bethshemesh said, "Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? To whom can we send Him?"

The Israelites said to Samuel, "Do not stop crying to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the Philistines."

The servant said, "See, there is a man of God in this city, and people honor him. All that he says comes true. Let us go there. It may be that he can tell us where we should go."

Then Saul said to his servant, "But if we go, what can we bring the man? The bread in our bags is gone. There is no gift to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"

The servant answered Saul and said, "See, I have a fourth of a piece of silver in my hand. I will give it to the man of God and he will tell us the way to go."

(Before in Israel, when a man went to ask God a question, he would say, "Come, let us go to the man of God." For he who is called a man who speaks for God now, was called a seer before.)

Saul said to his servant, "What you said is good. Come, let us go." So they went to the city where the man of God was.

As they went up the hill to the city, they met young women going out to get water. They said to them, "Is the man of God here?"

Samuel answered Saul and said, "I am the man of God. Go up before me to the high place. For you will eat with me today, and tomorrow I will let you go. And I will tell you all that is on your mind.

As they were going out of the city, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go on before us, but you stand here. Then I will make the Word of God known to you."

Then you will go farther and come to the oak tree of Tabor. There three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you. One will be carrying three young goats. Another will be carrying three loaves of bread. And another will be carrying a bottle of wine.

Then you will come to the hill of God where there are Philistine soldiers. When you come there to the city, you will meet a group of men who speak for God coming down from the high place. They will have harps, an object to beat sounds of joy, and a horn. And they will be speaking God's Word.

When you see these special things, do whatever you find that should be done. For God is with you.

When Saul turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart. And all these special things happened on that day.

When they came to the hill, a group of men who speak for God met him. The Spirit of God came upon him with power, so that he spoke God's Word with them.

When Saul had finished speaking the Word of God, he went to the altar at the high place.

He said to the people of Israel, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel out of Egypt. I saved you from the power of the Egyptians, and from the power of all the nations that made it hard for you.'

But today you have turned away from your God, Who saves you from all your troubles. You have said, ‘No! Have a king rule over us!' So now come before the Lord, by your family groups and by your thousands."

Saul went home to Gibeah. And the strong men whose hearts God had touched went with him.

The Spirit of God came upon Saul with power when he heard this news, and he became very angry.