Samuel

As Sh'mu'el was presenting the burnt offering, the P'lishtim advanced to attack Isra'el. But this time, ADONAI thundered violently over the P'lishtim, throwing them into such confusion that they were struck down before Isra'el.

Sh'mu'el took a stone, placed it between Mitzpah and Shen, and gave it the name Even-'Ezer [stone of help], explaining, "ADONAI has helped us until now."

Thus the P'lishtim were humbled, so that they no longer entered Isra'el's territory; and the hand of ADONAI was against the P'lishtim as long as Sh'mu'el lived.

Sh'mu'el continued in office as judge of Isra'el as long as he lived.

When Sh'mu'el grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Isra'el.

All the leaders of Isra'el gathered themselves together, approached Sh'mu'el in Ramah

Sh'mu'el was not pleased to hear them say, "Give us a king to judge us"; so he prayed to ADONAI.

ADONAI said to Sh'mu'el, "Listen to the people, to everything they say to you; for it is not you they are rejecting; they are rejecting me; they don't want me to be king over them.

Sh'mu'el reported everything ADONAI had said to the people asking him for a king.

However, the people refused to listen to what Sh'mu'el told them, and they said, "No! We want a king over us,

Sh'mu'el heard everything the people said and repeated them for ADONAI to hear.

ADONAI said to Sh'mu'el, "Do what they ask, and set up a king for them." So Sh'mu'el told the men of Isra'el, "Each of you, return to his city."

They went up to the city; and as they entered the city, there was Sh'mu'el coming out toward them to go up to the high place.

The day before Sha'ul arrived, ADONAI had given Sh'mu'el a revelation:

When Sh'mu'el saw Sha'ul, ADONAI said to him, "Here is the man I told you about, the one who is going to govern my people."

Sha'ul approached Sh'mu'el in the gateway and said, "Please tell me where the seer's house is."

Sh'mu'el answered Sha'ul, "I'm the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, because you are going to dine with me today. In the morning, I will let you leave; and I will tell you everything that is on your heart.

Sh'mu'el took Sha'ul and his servant, brought them into the room and had them sit in the place reserved for the most important of the invited guests, who numbered about thirty persons.

Sh'mu'el instructed the cook, "Serve the portion I gave you and told you to set aside."

The cook took the thigh and the adjoining meat and served it to Sha'ul. Sh'mu'el said, "Here, this is what remains! Put it in front of you and eat - it was kept especially for you until the right time; because I said, 'I have invited the people.'" So Sha'ul dined with Sh'mu'el that day.

On coming down from the high place to the city, he spoke with Sha'ul on the roof.

They got up early. About daybreak, Sh'mu'el called out to Sha'ul on the roof, "Get up, so I can send you on your way." Sha'ul got up, and both of them -he and Sh'mu'el - went out.

As they were going down, at the edge of the city, Sh'mu'el said to Sha'ul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead"; so the servant went on. "But you, stand still now, because I want you to hear what God has said."

Then Sh'mu'el took a flask of oil he had prepared and poured it on Sha'ul's head. He kissed him and said, "ADONAI has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance.

As it happened, as soon as he had turned his back to leave Sh'mu'el, God gave him another heart; and all those signs took place that day.