Study Desk

And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, [fn] and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.

So the LORD said to Samuel, "Heed their voice, and make them a king." And Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."

And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, "Please take one of the servants with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys."

When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, "Come, let us return, lest my father cease caring about the donkeys and become worried about us."

Then Saul said to his servant, "But look, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread in our vessels is all gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?"

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

So they went up to the city. As they were coming into the city, there was Samuel, coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying,

Now Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall, and had them sit in the place of honor among those who were invited; there were about thirty persons.

Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: "Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over His inheritance? [fn]

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

Then Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, "Where did you go?" So he said, "To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel."

So Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found." But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said.

So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.

Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

But some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused.

So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen." And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.