1
Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you to be ruler over His people Israel? You shall govern the people of the LORD, and you shall save them from the hand of their enemies all around. And this shall be the sign to you that the LORD has anointed you to be ruler over His own inheritance:
2
When you go away from me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb, in the territory of Benjamin, at Zelzah. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you were looking for have been found; and your father is no longer thinking about the donkeys, but is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’
3
From there you shall go on farther and come to the oak of Tabor. There you will be met by three men going up to God at Bethel, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine.
4
They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from them.
5
After that you shall come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistine garrison is stationed. And when you enter the city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place, with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them; and they themselves will be prophesying.
6
Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you mightily; you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
7
When these signs come to you, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.
8
You shall go down before me to Gilgal, and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings. You shall wait seven days, until I come to you and show you what you are to do.”
9
When he turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart into another. And all those signs came to pass that day.
10
When they came to Gibeah, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and Saul prophesied among them.
11
And all who knew him before saw with amazement that he was prophesying with the prophets. Then the people said to one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
12
Then one of the men from that place answered, “Who is their father?” — That is why it became a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets?
13
When he had finished prophesying, he went home.
14
And Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where have you been?” He answered, “Looking for the donkeys; but when they could not be found, we went to Samuel.”
15
Then Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”
16
Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But the matter of the kingship that Samuel had spoken to him about, he did not tell him.
17
Then Samuel summoned the people before the LORD at Mizpah
18
and said to the Israelites, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.
19
But now you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and troubles, by saying, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.”
20
Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21
After that he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of Matri was taken. Finally he brought the clan of Matri near man by man, and Saul son of Kish was taken. But when he was sought, he could not be found.
22
So they inquired of the LORD again, “Has the man come here yet?” The LORD answered, “Behold, he is hiding among the baggage.”
23
They ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.
24
And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one whom the LORD has chosen? For there is no one like him among all the people.” Then all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
25
Then Samuel explained to the people the rights of the kingship, wrote them in a scroll, and laid it before the LORD; after that Samuel sent all the people away, each to his own house.
26
Saul also went to his house at Gibeah, and with him went the valiant men whose hearts God had moved.
27
But worthless men said, “How can this man save us?” They despised him and brought him no gift. But he kept silent.
👑🛢️📯 Summary of 1 Samuel 10 – Saul Anointed as King and the Signs of His Divine Calling
1 Samuel 10 tells of an important moment when Samuel anointed Saul as the first king of Israel. Saul received signs and wonders that confirmed his calling, and though at first he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord, doubt and a sense of lowliness still surrounded him. This chapter affirms that God’s choosing is accompanied by His power and confirmation, but it also shows that human acceptance does not always come at once.
📌 1. Saul Is Secretly Anointed by Samuel (verse 1)
➡️ Samuel anointed Saul’s head with oil, kissed him, and said, “The Lord has anointed you to be ruler over His people”
🎯 Anointing is divine confirmation — though not yet known by others, God had already appointed him.
📌 2. Three Divine Signs for Saul (verses 2–7)
➡️ Samuel told Saul that he would experience three prophetic events:
- News that the donkeys had been found
- Being given bread by three men at Bethel
- Meeting a company of prophets and prophesying with them
➡️ At that time the Spirit of the Lord would come upon Saul, changing him into a new person
🎯 God’s calling is always accompanied by supernatural confirmation and personal transformation.
📌 3. Saul Prophesies, and the People Are Astonished (verses 8–13)
➡️ When he met the prophets, Saul prophesied with them
➡️ The people said: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
➡️ This shows that the Spirit of the Lord was truly at work
🎯 When God calls, He also equips spiritually.
📌 4. Samuel Calls All Israel (verses 14–19)
➡️ Samuel gathered the people of Israel at Mizpah and rebuked them for asking for a king, even though the Lord had already been their King
🎯 Asking for a king was not only a change of system, but a rejection of God’s rule.
📌 5. Saul Chosen Publicly (verses 20–24)
➡️ Samuel used the lot, tribe by tribe, and in the end the tribe of Benjamin, the family of Matri, and Saul were chosen
➡️ But Saul hid among the baggage, because of his lack of confidence
➡️ When he was found, everyone saw that he was tall and handsome, and they cried out: “Long live the king!”
🎯 A great calling often comes together with fear — but the God who chooses also strengthens.
📌 6. Samuel Gives Instructions for the Kingdom (verses 25–27)
➡️ Samuel wrote down the rights and duties of the king, and placed it before the Lord
➡️ Saul returned to his house, but not everyone supported him
➡️ Some wicked men mocked Saul, but he kept silent
🎯 A true leader knows when to speak and when to remain silent in wisdom.
📖 Main Teaching
- God calls and anoints even before the world acknowledges it
- Signs and confirmation from God strengthen faith and calling
- When God leads, He gives His Spirit to equip
- A leader must face praise and rejection, yet remain calm and wise
- God often works through ordinary things for extraordinary purposes
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
📖 Acts 1:8
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”
➡️ Just as Saul was filled with the Spirit and prophesied, believers today are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
📖 2 Corinthians 5:17
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”
➡️ Saul became a new person when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him — a picture of spiritual new birth.
📖 1 Timothy 4:14
“Do not neglect the gift that is in you…”
➡️ Like Saul, who once hid himself, we too may sometimes hesitate, but must step forward in our calling.
📖 Luke 6:26
“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you…”
➡️ Saul experienced rejection and praise — two sides of ministry.
🕊️ “Has not the Lord anointed you?” – 1 Samuel 10:1
🕊️ “The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will be changed into another man.” – 1 Samuel 10:6
🕊️ “Is Saul also among the prophets?” – 1 Samuel 10:11
🕊️ “But Saul pretended not to hear it.” – 1 Samuel 10:27
