God

and Jehovah had uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before the coming of Saul, saying,

`At this time tomorrow, I send unto thee a man out of the land of Benjamin--and thou hast anointed him for leader over My people Israel, and he hath saved My people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen My people, for its cry hath come in unto Me.'

When Samuel hath seen Saul, then hath Jehovah answered him, `Lo, the man of whom I have spoken unto thee; this one doth restrain My people.'

They are going down in the extremity of the city, and Samuel hath said unto Saul, `Say to the young man that he pass on before us (and he passeth on), and thou, stand at this time, and I cause thee to hear the word of God.'

And Samuel taketh the vial of the oil, and poureth on his head, and kisseth him, and saith, `Is it not because Jehovah hath appointed thee over His inheritance for leader?

`And thou hast passed on thence, and beyond, and hast come in unto the oak of Tabor, and found thee there have three men going up unto God to Beth-El, one bearing three kids, and one bearing three cakes of bread, and one bearing a bottle of wine,

`Afterwards thou dost come unto the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is , and it cometh to pass, at thy coming in thither to the city, that thou hast met a band of prophets coming down from the high place, and before them psaltery, and tabret, and pipe, and harp, and they are prophesying;

and prospered over thee hath the Spirit of Jehovah, and thou hast prophesied with them, and hast been turned to another man;

and it hath been, when these signs come to thee--do for thyself as thy hand findeth, for God is with thee.

And it hath been, at his turning his shoulder to go from Samuel, that God turneth to him another heart, and all these signs come on that day,

and they come in thither to the height, and lo, a band of prophets--to meet him, and prosper over him doth the Spirit of God, and he prophesieth in their midst.

And Samuel calleth the people unto Jehovah to Mizpeh,

and saith unto the sons of Israel, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I have brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I deliver you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms who are oppressing you;

and ye to-day have rejected your God, who is Himself your saviour out of all your evils and your distresses, and ye say, `Nay, but--a king thou dost set over us; and now, station yourselves before Jehovah, by your tribes, and by your thousands.'

And they ask again at Jehovah, `Hath the man yet come hither?' and Jehovah saith, `Lo, he hath been hidden near the vessels.'

And Samuel saith unto all the people, `Have ye seen him on whom Jehovah hath fixed, for there is none like him among all the people?' And all the people shout, and say, `Let the king live!'

And Samuel speaketh unto the people the right of the kingdom, and writeth in a book, and placeth before Jehovah; and Samuel sendeth all the people away, each to his house.

And also Saul hath gone to his house, to Gibeah, and the force go with him whose heart God hath touched;

And the Spirit of God doth prosper over Saul, in his hearing these words, and his anger burneth greatly,

and he taketh a couple of oxen, and cutteth them in pieces, and sendeth through all the border of Israel, by the hand of the messengers, saying, `He who is not coming out after Saul and after Samuel--thus it is done to his oxen;' and the fear of Jehovah falleth on the people, and they come out as one man.

And Saul saith, `There is no man put to death on this day, for to-day hath Jehovah wrought salvation in Israel.'

and all the people go to Gilgal, and cause Saul to reign there before Jehovah in Gilgal, and sacrifice there sacrifices of peace-offerings before Jehovah, and there Saul rejoiceth--and all the men of Israel--very greatly.

`Lo, here am I; testify against me, over-against Jehovah, and over-against His anointed; whose ox have I taken, and whose ass have I taken, and whom have I oppressed; whom have I bruised, and of whose hand have I taken a ransom, and hide mine eyes with it? --and I restore to you.'

And he saith unto them, `A witness is Jehovah against you: and a witness is His anointed this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand;' and they say, `A witness.'

And Samuel saith unto the people, `Jehovah--He who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought up your fathers out of the land of Egypt!