Study Desk

And they came to the hill there, and behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them.

Now it happened that all who knew him previously saw, and behold, he was prophesying with the prophets, so the people said to one another, "What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"

Now Saul's uncle said to him and his young man, "Where did you go?" And he said, "To look for the donkeys. And we saw that they were not anywhere, so we went to Samuel."

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

But you have today rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, ‘No, but set a king over us!' So now, take your stand before Yahweh by your tribes and by your clans."

Therefore they inquired further of Yahweh, "Has the man come here yet?" So Yahweh said, "Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage."

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

And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom Yahweh has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people." So all the people shouted and said, "Long live the king!"

Now behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen, and he said, "What is the matter with the people that they weep?" So they recounted to him the words of the men of Jabesh.

Then he took a pair of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, "Whoever does not come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen." Then the dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

And they said to the messengers who had come, "Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh-gilead, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have salvation.'" So the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.

Then the next morning Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp at the morning watch and struck down the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before Yahweh in Gilgal. There they also offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh; and there Saul and all the men of Israel were exceedingly glad.

So now, here is the king walking before you, but I am old and gray, and behold, my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth even to this day.

So he said to them, "Yahweh is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day that you have found nothing in my hand." And they said, "He is witness."

So now, take your stand, that I may judge you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh which He did for you and your fathers.

But they forgot Yahweh their God, so He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

Then Yahweh sent Jerubbaal and Bedan and Jephthah and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around, so that you lived in security.

So now, behold, the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for, and behold, Yahweh has set a king over you.

So Samuel called to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.