Samuel

Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” He said, “To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel.”

Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”

Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys were found.” But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him.

Samuel called the people together to the LORD to Mizpah;

So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

Samuel said to all the people, “You see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” All the people shouted, and said, “Let the king live!”

Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, “Whoever doesn’t come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen.” The dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.

The people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring those men, that we may put them to death!”

Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.”

Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.

Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

The LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

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

All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.”

Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel: but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

It came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash;

Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now the LORD would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.

Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of the LORD’s words.

Then the LORD’s word came to Samuel, saying,

“It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; and he cried to the LORD all night.

Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal.”