God

But the Lord had reueiled to Samuel secretly (a day before Saul came) saying,

To morow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Beniamin: him shalt thou anoint to be gouernour ouer my people Israel, that he may saue my people out of the hands of the Philistims: for I haue looked vpon my people, and their crie is come vnto me.

When Samuel therefore sawe Saul, the Lord answered him, See, this is the man whom I spake to thee of, he shall rule my people.

And when they were come downe to the ende of the citie, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the seruant goe before vs, (and he went) but stand thou still nowe, that I may shewe thee the worde of God.

Then Samuel tooke a viole of oyle and powred it vpon his head, and kissed him, and saide, Hath not the Lord anointed thee to be gouernour ouer his inheritance?

Then shalt thou go forth from thence and shalt come to the plaine of Tabor, and there shall meete thee three men going vp to God to Bethel: one carying three kiddes, and an other carying three loaues of bread, and another carying a bottle of wine:

After that shalt thou come to the hill of God, where is the garisons of the Philistims: and when thou art come thither to the citie, thou shalt meete a companie of Prophets comming downe from the hie place with a viole, and a tymbrell, and a pipe, and an harpe before them, and they shall prophecie.

Then the Spirit of the Lord will come vpon thee, and thou shalt prophecie with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

Therefore when these signes shall come vnto to thee, doe as occasion shall serue: for God is with thee.

And when he had turned his backe to goe from Samuel, God gaue him another heart: and all those tokens came to passe that same day.

And when they came thither to the hill, beholde, the companie of Prophets meete him, and the Spirit of God came vpon him, and he prophecied among them.

And Samuel assembled the people vnto the Lord in Mizpeh,

And he saide vnto the children of Israel, Thus saith ye Lord God of Israel, I haue brought Israel out of Egypt, and deliuered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the handes of all kingdomes that troubled you.

But ye haue this day cast away your God, who onely deliuereth you out of all your aduersities and tribulations: and ye said vnto him, No, but appoint a King ouer vs. Nowe therefore stand ye before the Lord according to your tribes, and according to your thousands.

Therefore they asked the Lord againe, if that man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Beholde, he hath hid himselfe among the stuffe.

And Samuel saide to all the people, See ye not him, whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? and all the people shouted and saide, God saue the King.

Then Samuel tolde the people the duetie of the kingdome, and wrote it in a booke, and laied it vp before the Lord, and Samuel sent all the people away euery man to his house.

Saul also went home to Gibeah, and there followed him a bande of men, whose heart God had touched,

Then the Spirit of God came vpon Saul, when he heard those tidings, and he was exceeding angrie,

And tooke a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coastes of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoeuer commeth not foorth after Saul, and after Samuel, so shall his oxen be serued. And the feare of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.

But Saul said, There shall no man die this day: for to day the Lord hath saued Israel.

So all the people went to Gilgal, and made Saul King there before the Lord in Gilgal: and there they offered peace offerings before the Lord: and there Saul and all the men of Israel reioyced exceedingly.

Beholde, here I am: beare recorde of me before the Lord and before his Anointed. Whose oxe haue I taken? or whose asse haue I taken? or whome haue I done wrong to? or whome haue I hurt? or of whose hande haue I receiued any bribe, to blinde mine eyes therewith, and I will restore it you?

And he saide vnto them, The Lord is witnesse against you, and his Anointed is witnesse this day, that yee haue founde nought in mine handes. And they answered, He is witnesse.

Then Samuel sayde vnto the people, It is the Lord that made Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt.