CLV(i)
1 And Samuel takes the vial of the oil, and pours on his head, and kisses him, and said, `Is it not because Yahweh has appointed you over His inheritance for leader?
2 In your going to-day from me--then you have found two men by the grave of Rachel, in the border of Benjamin, at Zelzah, and they have said unto you, The asses have been found which you have gone to seek; and lo, your father has left the matter of the asses, and has sorrowed for you, saying, What do I do for my son?
3 `And you have passed on thence, and beyond, and have come in unto the oak of Tabor, and found you there have three men going up unto Elohim to Beth-El, one bearing three kids, and one bearing three cakes of bread, and one bearing a bottle of wine,
4 and they have asked of you of welfare, and given to you two loaves, and you have received from their hand.
5 `Afterwards you do come unto the hill of Elohim, where the garrison of the Philistines [is], and it comes to pass, at your coming in thither to the city, that you have 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;"
6 and prospered over you has the Spirit of Yahweh, and you have prophesied with them, and have been turned to another man;"
7 and it has been, when these signs come to you--do for yourself as your hand finds, for Elohim [is] with you.
8 `And you have gone down before me to Gilgal, and lo, I am going down unto you, to cause to ascend burnt-offerings, to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings; seven days you do wait till my coming in unto you, and I have made known to you that which you do do..
9 And it has been, at his turning his shoulder to go from Samuel, that Elohim turns to him another heart, and all these signs come on that day,
10 and they come in thither to the height, and lo, a band of prophets--to meet him, and prosper over him does the Spirit of Elohim, and he prophesies in their midst.
11 And it comes to pass, all his acquaintance heretofore, see, and lo, with prophets he has prophesied, and the people say one unto another, `What [is] this has happened to the son of Kish? is Saul also among the prophets?.
12 And a man thence answers and said, `And who [is] their father?' therefore it has been for a simile, `Is Saul also among the prophets?.
13 And he ceases from prophesying, and comes in to the high place,
14 and the uncle of Saul said unto him, and unto his young man, `Whither went you?' and he said, `To seek the asses; and we see that they are not, and we come in unto Samuel..
15 And the uncle of Saul said, `Declare, I pray you, to me, what Samuel said to you?.
16 And Saul said unto his uncle, `He certainly declared to us that the asses were found;' and of the matter of the kingdom he has not declared to him that which Samuel said.
17 And Samuel calls the people unto Yahweh to Mizpeh,
18 and said unto the sons of Israel, `Thus said Yahweh, Elohim 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;"
19 and you to-day have rejected your Elohim, who [is] Himself your saviour out of all your evils and your distresses, and you say, `Nay, but--a king you do set over us; and now, station yourselves before Yahweh, by your tribes, and by your thousands..
20 And Samuel brings near the whole tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin is captured,
21 and he brings near the tribe of Benjamin by its families, and the family of Matri is captured, and Saul son of Kish is captured, and they seek him, and he has not been found.
22 And they ask again at Yahweh, `Has the man yet come hither?' and Yahweh said, `Lo, he has been hidden near the vessels..
23 And they run and bring him thence, and he stationed himself in the midst of the people, and he is higher than any of the people from his shoulder and upward.
24 And Samuel said unto all the people, `Have you seen him on whom Yahweh has fixed, for there is none like him among all the people?' And all the people shout, and say, `Let the king live!.
25 And Samuel speaks unto the people the right of the kingdom, and writes in a book, and places before Yahweh; and Samuel sends all the people away, each to his house.
26 And also Saul has gone to his house, to Gibeah, and the force go with him whose heart Elohim has touched;"
27 and the sons of worthlessness have said, `What! this one does save us!' and they despise him, and have not brought to him a present; and he is as one deaf.