Category: 1 Samuel

Hannah’s Vow

1 There was a man from Ramathaim-zophiminthe hill country of Ephraim.His name was Elkanahson of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

2 He had two wives,the first named Hannahand the second Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.

3 This man would go up from his town every yearto worship and to sacrificeto theLordof Hosts at Shiloh,where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were theLord’s priests.

4 Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he always gave portions of the meatto his wife Peninnah and to each of her sons and daughters.

5 But he gave a doubleportionto Hannah, for he loved her even though theLordhad kept her from conceiving.

6 Her rival would taunt her severely just to provoke her, because theLordhad kept Hannah from conceiving.

7 Whenever she went up to theLord’s house,her rival taunted her in this way every year. Hannah wept and would not eat.

8 “Hannah, why are you crying? ” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why are you troubled? Am I not better to you than 10 sons? ”

9 Hannah got up after they ate and drank at Shiloh.Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of theLord’s tabernacle.

10 Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to theLordand wept with many tears.

11 Making a vow,she pleaded, “Lordof Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant’s affliction,remember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son,I will give him to theLordall the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.”

12 While she continued praying in theLord’s presence, Eli watched her lips.

13 Hannah was praying silently,and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk

14 and scolded her, “How long are you going to be drunk?Get rid of your wine! ”

15 “No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman with a broken heart. I haven’t had any wine or beer; I’ve been pouring out my heart before theLord.

16 Don’t think of me as a wicked woman;I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.”

17 Eli responded, “Go in peace,and may the God of Israel grant the petition you’ve requested from Him.”

18 “May your servant find favor with you,”she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

19 The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before theLord. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah.Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and theLordremembered her.

20 After some time,Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,because she said, “I requested him from theLord.”

21 When Elkanah and all his household went up to make the annual sacrificeand his vow offering to theLord,

22 Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, “After the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in theLord’s presenceand to stay there permanently.”

23 Her husband Elkanah replied, “Do what you think is best,and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May theLordconfirm yourword.”So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she weaned him.

24 When she had weaned him, she took him with her to Shiloh, as well as a three-year-old bull,half a bushelof flour, and a jar of wine.Though the boy was still young,she took him to theLord’s house at Shiloh.

25 Then they slaughtered the bull and brought the boy to Eli.

26 “Please, my lord,” she said, “as sure as you live,my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to theLord.

27 I prayed for this boy,and since theLordgave me what I asked Him for,

28 I now give the boy to theLord. For as long as he lives, he is given to theLord.”Then hebowed in worship to theLordthere.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/1-7116b4e74f4331e0b63ed62deb2e0ba5.mp3?version_id=72—

Hannah’s Triumphant Prayer

1 Hannah prayed:

My heart rejoices in theLord;

my horn is lifted up by theLord.

My mouth boasts over my enemies,

because I rejoice in Your salvation.

2 There is no one holy like theLord.

There is no one besides You!

And there is no rock like our God.

3 Do not boast so proudly,

or let arrogant words come out of your mouth,

for theLordis a God of knowledge,

and actions are weighed by Him.

4 The bows of the warriors are broken,

but the feeble are clothed with strength.

5 Those who are full hire themselves out for food,

but those who are starving hunger no more.

The woman who is childless gives birth to seven,

but the woman with many sons pines away.

6 TheLordbrings death and gives life;

He sends some to Sheol, and He raises others up.

7 TheLordbrings poverty and gives wealth;

He humbles and He exalts.

8 He raises the poor from the dust

and lifts the needy from the garbage pile.

He seats them with noblemen

and gives them a throne of honor.

For the foundations of the earth are theLord’s;

He has set the world on them.

9 He guards the stepsof His faithful ones,

but the wicked perish in darkness,

for a man does not prevail by his own strength.

10 Those who oppose theLordwill be shattered;

He will thunder in the heavens against them.

TheLordwill judge the ends of the earth.

He will give power to His king;

He will lift up the horn of His anointed.

11 Elkanah went home to Ramah,but the boy served theLordin the presence of Eli the priest.

Eli’s Family Judged

12 Eli’s sons were wicked men;they had no regard for theLord

13 or for the priests’ share of the sacrifices from the people. When any man offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling

14 and plunge it into the container or kettle or cauldron or cooking pot.The priest would claim for himself whatever the meat fork brought up. This is the way they treated all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh.

15 Even before the fat was burned,the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he won’t accept boiled meat from you — only raw.”

16 If that man said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you can take whatever you want for yourself,”the servant would reply, “No, I insist that you hand it over right now. If you don’t, I’ll take it by force! ”

17 So the servants’ sin was very severe in the presence of theLord, because they treated theLord’s offering with contempt.

18 The boy Samuel served in theLord’s presenceand wore a linen ephod.

19 Each year his mother made him a little robeand took it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.

20 Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife:“May theLordgive you children by this woman in place of the one shehas given to theLord.”Then they would go home.

21 TheLordpaid attention to Hannah’s need,and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of theLord.

22 Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israeland how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

23 He said to them, “Why are you doing these things? I have heard about your evil actions from all these people.

24 No, my sons, the report I hear from theLord’s people is not good.

25 If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him, but if a man sins against theLord, who can intercede for him? ”But they would not listen to their father, since theLordintended to kill them.

26 By contrast, the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favor with theLordand with men.

27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him,“This is what theLordsays: ‘Didn’t I reveal Myself to your ancestral house when it was in Egypt and belonged to Pharaoh’s palace?

28 Out of all the tribes of Israel, I selected your houseto be priests, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence.I also gave your house all the Israelite fire offerings.

29 Why, then, do all of you despise My sacrifices and offerings that I require at the place of worship?You have honored your sons more than Me,by making yourselves fat with the best part of all of the offerings of My people Israel.’

30 “Therefore, this is the declaration of theLord, the God of Israel:

‘Although I said

your family and your ancestral house

would walk before Me forever,

theLordnow says, “No longer! ”

I will honor those who honor Me,

but those who despise Me will be disgraced.

31 “ ‘Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your ancestral family, so that none in your family will reach old age.

32 You will see distress in the place of worship,in spite of all that is good in Israel, and no one in your family will ever again reach old age.

33 Any man from your family I do not cut off from My altar will bring griefand sadness to you. All your descendants will die violently.

34 This will be the sign that will come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas:both of them will die on the same day.

35 “ ‘Then I will raise up a faithful priestfor Myself. He will do whatever is in My heart and mind. I will establish a lasting dynasty for him,and he will walk before My anointed one for all time.

36 Anyone who is left in your family will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread. He will say: Please appoint me to some priestly office so I can have a piece of bread to eat.’ ”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/2-f15215f6f49c91b4b81ada417f92dac0.mp3?version_id=72—

Samuel’s Call

1 The boy Samuel served theLordin Eli’s presence.In those days the word of theLordwas rare and prophetic visions were not widespread.

2 One day Eli, whose eyesight was failing,was lying in his room.

3 Before the lamp of God had gone out,Samuel was lying down in the tabernacle of theLord, where the ark of God was located.

4 Then theLordcalled Samuel,and he answered, “Here I am.”

5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“I didn’t call,” Eli replied. “Go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.

6 Once again theLordcalled, “Samuel! ”

Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

“I didn’t call, my son,” he replied. “Go back and lie down.”

7 Now Samuel had not yet experienced theLord, because the word of theLordhad not yet been revealed to him.

8 Once again, for the third time, theLordcalled Samuel. He got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am; you called me.”

Then Eli understood that theLordwas calling the boy.

9 He told Samuel, “Go and lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak,Lord, for Your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 TheLordcame, stood there, and called as before, “Samuel, Samuel! ”

Samuel responded, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

11 TheLordsaid to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that everyone who hears about it will shudder.

12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything I said about his family, from beginning to end.

13 I told him that I am going to judge his family forever because of the iniquity he knows about: his sons are defiling the sanctuary,and he has not stopped them.

14 Therefore, I have sworn to Eli’s family: The iniquity of Eli’s family will never be wiped out by either sacrifice or offering.”

15 Samuel lay down until the morning; then he opened the doors of theLord’s house. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision,

16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

“Here I am,” answered Samuel.

17 “What was the message He gave you? ” Eli asked. “Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you and do so severely if you hide anything from me that He told you.”

18 So Samuel told him everything and did not hide anything from him. Eli responded, “He is theLord. He will do what He thinks is good.”

19 Samuel grew,and theLordwas with him,and He fulfilled everything Samuel prophesied.

20 All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a confirmed prophet of theLord.

21 TheLordcontinued to appear in Shiloh, because there He revealed Himself to Samuel by His word.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/3-ff3f8b7b9a2757f93698198d78362ee0.mp3?version_id=72—

1 And Samuel’s words came to all Israel.

The Ark Captured by the Philistines

Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle andcamped at Ebenezerwhile the Philistines camped at Aphek.

2 The Philistines lined up in battle formation against Israel, and as the battle intensified, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about 4,000 men on the battlefield.

3 When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did theLordlet us be defeated today by the Philistines?Let’s bring the ark of theLord’s covenant from Shiloh. Then itwill go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

4 So the people sent men to Shiloh to bring back the ark of the covenant of theLordof Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim.Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 When the ark of the covenant of theLordentered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a loud shout that the ground shook.

6 The Philistines heard the sound of the war cry and asked, “What’s this loud shout in the Hebrews’ camp? ” When the Philistines discovered that the ark of theLordhad entered the camp,

7 they panicked. “The gods have entered their camp! ” they said. “Woe to us, nothing like this has happened before.

8 Woe to us, who will rescue us from the hand of these magnificent gods? These are the gods that slaughtered the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.

9 Show some courage and be men, Philistines!Otherwise, you’ll serve the Hebrews just as they served you.Now be men and fight! ”

10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated,and each man fled to his tent.The slaughter was severe — 30,000 of the Israelite foot soldiers fell.

11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

Eli’s Death and Ichabod’s Birth

12 That same day, a Benjaminite man ranfrom the battle and came to Shiloh. His clothes were torn,and there was dirt on his head.

13 When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair beside the road watching,because he was anxious about the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the entire city cried out.

14 Eli heard the outcry and asked, “Why this commotion? ” The man quickly came and reported to Eli.

15 At that time Eli was 98 years old, and his gaze was fixedbecause he couldn’t see.

16 The man said to Eli, “I’m the one who came from the battle.I fled from there today.”

“What happened, my son? ”Eli asked.

17 The messenger answered, “Israel has fled from the Philistines, and also there was a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off the chair by the city gate,and since he was old and heavy, his neck broke and he died. Eli had judged Israel 40 years.

19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news about the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth because her labor pains came on her.

20 As she was dying,the women taking care of her said, “Don’t be afraid. You’ve given birth to a son! ”But she did not respond or pay attention.

21 She named the boy Ichabod,saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,”referring to the capture of the ark of Godand to the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 “The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “because the ark of God has been captured.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/4-ea0599b9ebf1005b091d1fe1bcc05a77.mp3?version_id=72—

The Ark in Philistine Hands

1 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezerto Ashdod,

2 brought it into the temple of Dagonand placed it next to his statue.

3 When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of theLord.So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.

4 But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of theLord. This time, both Dagon’s head and the palms of his hands were broken off and lying on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso remained.

5 That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and everyone who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on Dagon’s threshold.

6 TheLord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod,terrorizingand afflicting the people of Ashdod and its territory with tumors.

7 When the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of Israel’s God must not stay here with us, because His hand is strongly against us and our god Dagon.”

8 So they called all the Philistine rulers togetherand asked, “What should we do with the ark of Israel’s God? ”

“The ark of Israel’s God should be moved to Gath,” they replied. So the men of Ashdod moved the ark.

9 After they had moved it, theLord’s hand was against the city of Gath,causing a great panic. He afflicted the men of the city, from the youngest to the oldest, with an outbreak of tumors.

10 The Gittites then sent the ark of God to Ekron, but when it got there, the Ekronites cried out, “They’ve moved the ark of Israel’s God to us to kill us and our people! ”

11 The Ekronites called all the Philistine rulers together.They said, “Send the ark of Israel’s God away. It must return to its place so it won’t kill us and our people! ”For the fear of death pervaded the city; God’s hand was oppressing them.

12 The men who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/5-48055ba10ad7c75d5d9e47b48ca77029.mp3?version_id=72—

The Return of the Ark

1 When the ark of theLordhad been in the land of the Philistines for seven months,

2 the Philistines summoned the priests and the divinersand pleaded, “What should we do with the ark of theLord? Tell us how we can send it back to its place.”

3 They replied, “If you send the ark of Israel’s God away, you must not send it without an offering.You must send back a restitution offering to Him,and you will be healed. Then the reason His hand hasn’t been removed from you will be revealed.”

4 They asked, “What restitution offering should we send back to Him? ”

And they answered, “Five gold tumors and five gold micecorresponding to the number of Philistine rulers,since there was one plague for both youand your rulers.

5 Make images of your tumors and of your mice that are destroying the land. Give glory to Israel’s God,and perhaps He will stop oppressing you,your gods, and your land.

6 Why harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened theirs?When He afflicted them, didn’t they send Israel away, and Israel left?

7 “Now then, prepare one new cart and two milk cows that have never been yoked.Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.

8 Take the ark of theLord, place it on the cart, and put the gold objects that you’re sending Him as a restitution offering in a boxbeside the ark.Send it off and let it go its way.

9 Then watch: If it goes up the road to its homeland toward Beth-shemesh,it is theLordwho has made this terrible trouble for us. However, if it doesn’t, we will know that it was not His hand that punishedus — it was just something that happened to us by chance.”

10 The men did this: They took two milk cows, hitched them to the cart, and confined their calves in the pen.

11 Then they put the ark of theLordon the cart, along with the box containing the gold mice and the images of their tumors.

12 The cows went straight up the road to Beth-shemesh.They stayed on that one highway,lowing as they went; they never strayed to the right or to the left. The Philistine rulers were walking behind them to the territory of Beth-shemesh.

13 The people of Beth-shemesh were harvesting wheat in the valley, and when they looked up and saw the ark, they were overjoyed to see it.

14 The cart came to the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh and stopped there near a large rock. The people of the city chopped up the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to theLord.

15 The Levitesremoved the ark of theLord, along with the box containing the gold objects, and placed them on the large rock. That day the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to theLord.

16 When the five Philistine rulersobserved this, they returned to Ekron that same day.

17 As a restitution offering to theLord, the Philistines had sent back one gold tumor for each city:Ashdod, Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron.

18 The number of gold mice also corresponded to the number of Philistine cities of the five rulers, the fortified cities and the outlying villages.The large rockon which the ark of theLordwas placed is in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh to this day.

19 God struck down the men of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of theLord.He struck down 70 men out of 50,000 men.The people mourned because theLordstruck them with a great slaughter.

20 The men of Beth-shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand in the presence of this holyLordGod?Who should the ark go to from here? ”

21 They sent messengers to the residents of Kiriath-jearim,saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of theLord. Come down and get it.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/6-ca611d7d06847a1f4d8d3cfbe7d82692.mp3?version_id=72—

1 So the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of theLordand took it to Abinadab’s house on the hill.They consecrated his son Eleazar to take care of it.

Victory at Mizpah

2 Time went by until 20 years had passed since the ark had been taken to Kiriath-jearim. Then the whole house of Israel began to seek theLord.

3 Samuel told them, “If youare returning to theLordwith all your heart,get rid of the foreign godsand the Ashtoreths that are among you, dedicate yourselves totheLord, and worship only Him.Then He will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”

4 So the Israelites removed the Baals and the Ashtorethsand only worshiped theLord.

5 Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah,and I will pray to theLordon your behalf.”

6 When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in theLord’s presence.They fasted that day,and there they confessed, “We have sinned against theLord.”And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

7 When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had gathered at Mizpah, their rulers marched up toward Israel. When the Israelites heard about it, they were afraid because of the Philistines.

8 The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t stop crying out to theLordour God for us, so that He will save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9 Then Samuel took a young lamband offered it as a whole burnt offering to theLord. He cried out to theLordon behalf of Israel, and theLordanswered him.

10 Samuel was offering the burnt offering as the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel. TheLordthundered loudlyagainst the Philistines that day and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel.

11 Then the men of Israel charged out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines striking them down all the way to a place below Beth-car.

12 Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it uprightbetween Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,explaining, “TheLordhas helped us to this point.”

13 So the Philistines were subduedanddid not invade Israel’s territory again.TheLord’s hand was against the Philistines all of Samuel’s life.

14 The cities from Ekron to Gath, which they had taken from Israel, were restored; Israel even rescued their surrounding territories from Philistine control. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 Samuel judged Israel throughout his life.

16 Every year he would go on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah and would judge Israel at all these locations.

17 Then he would return to Ramahbecause his home was there, he judged Israel there, and he built an altar to theLordthere.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/7-a2bdd1feca42d60b5b0ecaf33b58016b.mp3?version_id=72—

Israel’s Demand for a King

1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

2 His firstborn son’s name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba.

3 However, his sons did not walk in his ways — they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah.

5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not follow your example. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.”

6 When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand sinful, so he prayed to theLord.

7 But theLordtold him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their king.

8 They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to Me,since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning Me and worshiping other gods.

9 Listen to them, but you must solemnly warn themand tell them about the rights of the king who will rule over them.”

10 Samuel told all theLord’s words to the people who were asking him for a king.

11 He said, “These are the rights of the king who will rule over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots.

12 He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties,to plow his ground or reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war or the equipment for his chariots.

13 He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

14 He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants.

15 He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants.

16 He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men,and your donkeys and use them for his work.

17 He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants.

18 When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you’ve chosen for yourselves,but theLordwon’t answer you on that day.”

19 The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No! ” they said. “We must have a king over us.

20 Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us,and fight our battles.”

21 Samuel listened to all the people’s words and then repeated them to theLord.

22 “Listen to them,” theLordtold Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.”

Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Each of you, go back to your city.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/8-a76e373cdf95d1e7227260a9ff476afa.mp3?version_id=72—

Saul Anointed King

1 There was an influential man of Benjamin named Kishson of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, son of a Benjaminite.

2 He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man.There was no one more impressive among the Israelites than he. He stood a head taller than anyone else.

3 One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the attendants with you and go look for the donkeys.”

4 Saul and his attendant went through the hill country of Ephraimand then through the region of Shalishah,but they didn’t find them. They went through the region of Shaalim— nothing. Then they went through the Benjaminite region but still didn’t find them.

5 When they came to the land of Zuph,Saul said to the attendant who was with him, “Come on, let’s go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”

6 “Look,” the attendant said, “there’s a man of Godin this city who is highly respected; everything he says is sure to come true.Let’s go there now. Maybe he’ll tell us which way we should go.”

7 “Suppose we do go,” Saul said to his attendant, “what do we take the man? The food from our packs is gone, and there’s no gift to take to the man of God.What do we have? ”

8 The attendant answered Saul: “Here, I have a pieceof silver. I’ll give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.”

9 Formerly in Israel, a man who was going to inquire of God would say, “Come, let’s go to the seer,” for the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.

10 “Good,” Saul replied to his attendant. “Come on, let’s go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

11 As they were climbing the hill to the city, they found some young women coming out to draw waterand asked, “Is the seer here? ”

12 The women answered, “Yes, he is ahead of you. Hurry, he just now came to the city, because there’s a sacrificefor the people at the high placetoday.

13 If you go quickly, you can catch up with him before he goes to the high place to eat. The people won’t eat until he comes because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests can eat. Go up immediately — you can find him now.”

14 So they went up toward the city.

Saul and his attendant were entering the city when they saw Samuel coming toward them on his way to the high place.

15 Now the day before Saul’s arrival, theLordhad informed Samuel,

16 “At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over My people Israel.He will save them from the hand of the Philistines because I have seen the affliction of My people,for their cry has come to Me.”

17 When Samuel saw Saul, theLordtold him, “Here is the man I told you about;he will rule over My people.”

18 Saul approached Samuel in the gate area and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is? ”

19 “I am the seer,” Samuel answered.“Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. When I send you off in the morning, I’ll tell you everything that’s in your heart.

20 As for the donkeys that wandered away from you three days ago,don’t worry about them because they’ve been found. And who does all Israel desirebut you and all your father’s family? ”

21 Saul responded, “Am I not a Benjaminitefrom the smallest of Israel’s tribes and isn’t my clan the least important of all the clans of the Benjaminite tribe?So why have you said something like this to me? ”

22 Samuel took Saul and his attendant, brought them to the banquet hall, and gave them a place at the head of the 30or so men who had been invited.

23 Then Samuel said to the cook, “Get the portion of meat that I gave you and told you to set aside.”

24 The cook picked up the thighand what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Notice that the reserved piece is set before you. Eat it because it was saved for you for this solemn event at the time I said, ‘I’ve invited the people.’ ” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.

25 Afterward, they went down from the high place to the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof.

26 They got up early, and just before dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, and I’ll send you on your way! ” Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went outside.

27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the attendant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I’ll reveal the word of God to you.” So the attendant went on.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/9-23dd84c9d1d3b9b6a4908fb4b45af976.mp3?version_id=72—

1 Samuel took the flask of oil,poured it out on Saul’s head,kissed him, and said, “Hasn’t theLordanointed youruler over His inheritance?

2 Today when you leave me, you’ll find two men at Rachel’s Graveat Zelzah in the land of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you went looking for have been found,and now your father has stopped being concerned about the donkeys and is worried about you, asking: What should I do about my son? ’

3 “You will proceed from there until you come to the oak of Tabor.Three men going up to God at Bethelwill meet you there, one bringing three goats, one bringing three loaves of bread, and one bringing a skin of wine.

4 They will ask how you are and give you two loavesof bread, which you will accept from them.

5 “After that you will come to the Hill of Godwhere there are Philistine garrisons.When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophetscoming down from the high place prophesying.They will be preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres.

6 The Spirit of theLordwill control you,you will prophesy with them,and you will be transformed into a different person.

7 When these signs have happened to you, do whatever your circumstances requirebecause God is with you.

8 Afterward, go ahead of me to Gilgal. I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice fellowship offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what to do.”

9 When Saul turned aroundto leave Samuel, God changed his heart,and all the signs came about that day.

10 When Saul and his attendant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God took control of him, and he prophesied along with them.

11 Everyone who knew him previously and saw him prophesy with the prophets asked each other, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? ”

12 Then a man who was from there asked, “And who is their father? ”

As a result, “Is Saul also among the prophets? ” became a popular saying.

13 Then Saul finished prophesying and went to the high place.

14 Saul’s uncleasked him and his attendant, “Where did you go? ”

“To look for the donkeys,” Saul answered. “When we saw they weren’t there, we went to Samuel.”

15 “Tell me,” Saul’s uncle asked, “what did Samuel say to you? ”

16 Saul told him, “He assured us the donkeys had been found.” However, Saul did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship.

Saul Received as King

17 Samuel summoned the people to theLordat Mizpah

18 and said to the Israelites, “This is what theLord, the God of Israel, says:‘I brought Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’

19 But today you have rejected your God,who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions. You said to Him, ‘Youmust set a king over us.’Now therefore present yourselves before theLordby your tribes and clans.”

20 Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.

21 Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the Matrite clan was selected.Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected.But when they searched for him, they could not find him.

22 They again inquired of theLord,“Has the man come here yet? ”

TheLordreplied, “There he is, hidden among the supplies.”

23 They ran and got him from there. When he stood among the people, he stood a head taller than anyone else.

24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one theLordhas chosen?There is no one like him among the entire population.”

And all the people shouted,“Long live the king! ”

25 Samuel proclaimed to the people the rights of kingship.He wrote them on a scroll, which he placed in the presence of theLord.Then Samuel sent all the people away, each to his home.

26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah,and brave men whose hearts God had touched went with him.

27 But some wicked men said, “How can this guy save us? ” They despised him and did not bring him a gift,but Saul said nothing.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1SA/10-05a07f0e9db9feb5e8300ac7785e61e6.mp3?version_id=72—