1 Samuel 10 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Samuel took a jar of the special oil. Samuel poured the oil on Saul’s head. Samuel kissed Saul and said, “The Lord has anointed (chosen) you to be the leader over the people who belong to him. You will control the Lord’s people. You will save them from the enemies that are all around them. The Lord has anointed you to be ruler over his people. Here is a sign that will prove this is true: [105]

² After you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. The two men will say to you, ‘Someone found the donkeys you were looking for. Your father stopped worrying about his donkeys. Now he is worrying about you. He is saying: What will I do about my son?’”

³ {Samuel said,} “Then you will go until you come to the large oak tree at Tabor. Three men will meet you there. Those three men will be on their way to worship God at Bethel. One man will be carrying three young goats. The second man will be carrying three loaves of bread. And the third man will have a bottle of wine.

⁴ These three men will say hello to you. They will offer you two loaves of bread. And you will accept those two loaves of bread from them.

⁵ Then you will go to Gibeath Elohim. There is a Philistine fort in that place. When you come to this town, a group of prophets will come out. These prophets will come down from the place for worship. [106] They will be prophesying. [107] They will be playing harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres.

⁶ Then the Lord’s Spirit will come on you with great power. You will be changed. You will be like a different man. You will begin to prophesy with these prophets.

⁷ After that happens, you can do whatever you choose to do. Why? Because God will be with you.

⁸ “Go to Gilgal before me. Then I will come there to you. And I will offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. But you must wait seven days. Then I will come and tell you what to do.”

⁹ Just as Saul turned to leave Samuel, God turned Saul’s life around. All those things happened that day.

¹⁰ Saul and his servant went to Gibeath Elohim. At that place, Saul met a group of prophets. God’s Spirit came on Saul with great power, and Saul prophesied with the prophets.

¹¹ Some of the people who had known Saul before saw him prophesying [108] with the prophets. So they asked each other, “What has happened to Kish’s son? Is Saul also one the prophets?”

¹² A man living in Gibeath Elohim said, “Yes! And it seems that he is their leader.” [109] That is why this became a famous saying: “Is Saul also one of the prophets?”

¹³ After Saul finished prophesying, [110] he went to the place for worship {near his home}.

¹⁴ Saul’s uncle asked Saul and his servant, “Where have you been?”

¹⁵ Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me, what did Samuel say to you?”

¹⁶ Saul answered, “Samuel told us the donkeys were already found.” Saul did not tell his uncle everything. Saul did not tell him the things Samuel said about the kingdom.

¹⁷ Samuel told all the people of Israel to meet together with the Lord at Mizpah.

¹⁸ Samuel told the people of Israel, “The Lord, the God of Israel says, ‘I led Israel out of Egypt. I saved you from Egypt’s control and from the other kingdoms that tried to hurt you.’

¹⁹ But today you have rejected your God. Your God saves you from all your troubles and problems. But you said, ‘No, we want a king to rule us.’ Now come, stand before the Lord in your families and family groups.”

²⁰ Samuel brought all the family groups of Israel near. {Then Samuel began to choose the new king.} First, the family group of Benjamin was chosen.

²¹ Samuel told each family in the family group of Benjamin to pass by. Matri’s family was chosen. Then Samuel told each man in Matri’s family to walk by. Saul son of Kish was chosen.

²² Then they asked the Lord, “Has Saul come here yet?”

²³ The people ran and took Saul out from behind the supplies. Saul stood up among the people. Saul was a head taller than any other person.

²⁴ Samuel said to all the people, “See the man the Lord has chosen. There is no person like Saul among the people.”

²⁵ Samuel explained the rules of the kingdom to the people. He wrote the rules in a book. He put the book before the Lord. Then Samuel told the people to go home.

²⁶ Saul also went to his home in Gibeah. God touched the hearts of brave men, and these brave men began to follow Saul.

²⁷ But some troublemakers said, “How can this man save us?” They said bad things about Saul and refused to bring gifts to him. But Saul said nothing.