Font Size
1 Samuel 10-12
Complete Jewish Bible
1 Samuel 10-12
Complete Jewish Bible
10 Then Sh’mu’el took a flask of oil he had prepared and poured it on Sha’ul’s head. He kissed him and said, “Adonai has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance. 2 After you leave me today, you will find two men by Rachel’s Tomb, in the territory of Binyamin at Tzeltzah. They will tell you that the donkeys you were searching for have been found, and that your father has stopped thinking about the donkeys and is anxious over you and asking, ‘What am I to do about my son?’” 3 Go on from there, and you will come to the Oak of Tavor. Three men will meet you there on their way up to God at Beit-El. One of them will be carrying three kids, another three loaves of bread and the third a skin of wine. 4 They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you are to accept from them. 5 After that, you will come to Giv‘ah of God, where the P’lishtim are garrisoned. On arrival at the city there, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by lutes, tambourines, flutes and lyres; and they will be prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of Adonai will fall on you; you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man! 7 When these signs come over you, just do whatever you feel like doing, because God is with you. 8 Then you are to go down ahead of me to Gilgal, and there I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and present sacrifices as peace offerings. Wait there seven days, until I come to you and tell you what to do.”
9 As it happened, as soon as he had turned his back to leave Sh’mu’el, God gave him another heart; and all those signs took place that day. 10 When they arrived at the hill, and there in front of him was a group of prophets, the Spirit of God fell on him and he prophesied along with them. 11 When those who knew him from before saw him there, prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What’s happened to Kish’s son? Is Sha’ul a prophet, too?” 12 Someone in the crowd answered, “Must prophets’ fathers be special?” So it became an expression — “Is Sha’ul a prophet, too?”
13 When he had finished prophesying, he arrived at the high place. 14 Sha’ul’s uncle said to him and his servant, “Where did you go?” He answered, “To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they hadn’t been found, we went to Sh’mu’el.” 15 “Tell me, please,” said Sha’ul’s uncle, “what Sh’mu’el said to you.” 16 Sha’ul answered his uncle, “He told us that the donkeys had been found,” but said nothing to him about the matter of his being made king.
17 Sh’mu’el summoned the people to Adonai in Mitzpah. 18 He said to the people of Isra’el, “Here is what Adonai the God of Isra’el says: ‘I brought Isra’el up from Egypt. I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ 19 But today you have rejected your God, who himself saves you from all your disasters and distress. You have said to him, ‘No! Put a king over us!’ So now, present yourselves before Adonai by your tribes and families.” 20 So Sh’mu’el had all the tribes come forward, and the tribe of Binyamin was chosen. 21 He had the tribe of Binyamin come forward by families, and the family of the Matri was chosen, and Sha’ul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they looked for him, he couldn’t be found. 22 They asked Adonai, “Has the man come here?” Adonai answered, “There he is, hiding, in among the equipment.” 23 They ran and brought him from there, and when he stood among the people he was head and shoulders taller than anyone around. 24 Sh’mu’el said to all the people, “Do you see the man Adonai has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” Then all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
25 Sh’mu’el told the people what kinds of rulings should be made in the kingdom, then wrote it on a scroll and set it down before Adonai. After that, he sent all the people away, everyone to his own home. 26 Sha’ul too went home to Giv‘ah, accompanied by warriors whose hearts God had touched. 27 True, there were some scoundrels who said, “How can this man save us?” They showed him no respect and brought him no gift, but he held his peace.
11 Then Nachash the ‘Amoni came up and set up camp to fight Yavesh-Gil‘ad. All the men of Yavesh said to Nachash, “If you will make a treaty with us, we will be your subjects.” 2 Nachash the ‘Amoni replied, “I’ll do it on this condition: that all your right eyes be gouged out and thus bring disgrace on all of Isra’el.” 3 The leaders of Yavesh answered him, “Give us seven days’ grace to send messengers throughout Isra’el’s territory; then, if no one will rescue us, we will surrender to you.”
4 The messengers came to Giv‘ah, where Sha’ul lived, and said these words in the hearing of the people; and all the people cried out and wept. 5 As this was going on, Sha’ul came, following the oxen out of the field. Sha’ul asked, “What’s wrong with the people to make them cry like that?” They told him what the men from Yavesh had said. 6 The Spirit of God fell on Sha’ul when he heard this; blazing furiously with anger, 7 he seized a pair of oxen and cut them in pieces; then he sent them throughout the territory of Isra’el with messengers saying, “Anyone who doesn’t come and follow Sha’ul and Sh’mu’el, this is what will be done to his oxen!” The fear of Adonai fell on the people, and they came out with united hearts. 8 He reviewed them in Bezek; there were 300,000 from the people of Isra’el; the men of Y’hudah numbered 30,000. 9 To the messengers that had come they said, “Tell the men of Yavesh-Gil‘ad, ‘Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have been rescued.’” The messengers returned and told the men of Yavesh; they were overjoyed. 10 Then the men of Yavesh said [to Nachash], “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do with us whatever you like.”
11 The next day Sha’ul divided the people into three companies. Then they entered the camp of the ‘Amoni during the morning watch and kept attacking until the heat of the day, until those who remained were so scattered that no two of them were left together. 12 The people said to Sh’mu’el, “Who are the men who said, ‘Is Sha’ul to rule over us?’ Hand them over to us, so we can put them to death.” 13 But Sha’ul said, “No one will be put to death today, because today Adonai has rescued Isra’el.”
14 Then Sh’mu’el said to the people, “Come, let’s go to Gilgal and inaugurate the kingship there. 15 So all the people went to Gilgal; and there in Gilgal, before Adonai, they made Sha’ul king. They presented sacrifices as peace offerings before Adonai there, and there Sha’ul and all the people of Isra’el celebrated with great joy.
12 Sh’mu’el said to all Isra’el, “Here, I have done everything you asked me to do — I have made a king over you. 2 There is the king, walking ahead of you; but I am old and gray-headed. There are my sons with you, and I have walked at your head from when I was a boy until today. 3 So here I am; now is the time to witness against me before Adonai and before his anointed king. Does any of you think I have taken your ox or donkey, defrauded or oppressed you, or accepted a bribe to deprive you of justice? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.” 4 They answered, “You haven’t defrauded or oppressed us, and you have accepted nothing from anyone.” 5 He said, “Adonai is witness against you, and his anointed king is witness against you today, that you have found nothing in my hands?” They replied, “He is witness.”
6 Sh’mu’el said to the people, “It was Adonai who appointed Moshe and Aharon and who brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt. 7 Now, hold still; because I am going to enter into judgment with you before Adonai regarding all the righteous acts of Adonai that he did for you and your ancestors.
8 “After Ya‘akov had entered Egypt, your ancestors cried to Adonai; and Adonai sent Moshe and Aharon, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and had them live here in this place. 9 But they forgot Adonai their God; so he handed them over to Sisra, commander of the army of Hatzor, and to the P’lishtim, and to the king of Mo’av; and they fought against them. 10 But they cried to Adonai and said, ‘We sinned by abandoning Adonai and serving the ba‘alim and ‘ashtarot. But now, if you rescue us from the power of our enemies, we will serve you.’ 11 So Adonai sent Yeruba‘al, B’dan, Yiftach and Sh’mu’el and rescued you from the power of our enemies on every side, and you lived securely. 12 When you saw that Nachash the king of the people of ‘Amon was attacking you, you said to me, “No, we want a king to rule over us” — when Adonai your God was your king. 13 Now, here’s the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. See, Adonai has put a king over you. 14 If you will fear Adonai, serve him, obey what he says and not rebel against Adonai’s orders — if both you and the king ruling you remain followers of Adonai your God — [then things will go well for you.] 15 But if you refuse to obey what Adonai says and rebel against Adonai’s orders, then Adonai will oppress both you and your leaders.
16 “Now therefore, hold still; and see the great deed which Adonai will perform before your very eyes. 17 Now is wheat harvest time, isn’t it? I am going to call on Adonai to send thunder and rain. Then you will understand and see how wicked from Adonai’s viewpoint is the thing you have done in asking for a king.” 18 Sh’mu’el called to Adonai, and Adonai sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people became very much afraid of Adonai and Sh’mu’el. 19 All the people said to Sh’mu’el, “Pray to Adonai your God for your servants, so that we won’t die; because to all our other sins now we’ve added this evil as well, asking for a king over us.” 20 Sh’mu’el answered the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet now, just don’t turn away from following Adonai; but serve Adonai with all your heart. 21 Don’t turn to the side; because then you would go after useless things that can neither help nor rescue, they are so futile. 22 For the sake of his great reputation, Adonai will not abandon his people; because it has pleased Adonai to make you a people for himself. 23 As for me, far be it from me to sin against Adonai by ceasing to pray for you! Rather, I will continue instructing you in the good and right way. 24 Only fear Adonai, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for think what great things he has done for you! 25 However, if you insist on doing wicked things, you will be swept away — both you and your king!”
1 Samuel 10-12
New International Version
1 Samuel 10-12
New International Version
10 Then Samuel took a flask(A) of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed(B) you ruler over his inheritance?[a](C) 2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb,(D) at Zelzah on the border of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys(E) you set out to look for have been found. And now your father has stopped thinking about them and is worried(F) about you. He is asking, “What shall I do about my son?”’
3 “Then you will go on from there until you reach the great tree of Tabor. Three men going up to worship God at Bethel(G) will meet you there. One will be carrying three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and another a skin of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two loaves of bread,(H) which you will accept from them.
5 “After that you will go to Gibeah(I) of God, where there is a Philistine outpost.(J) As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets(K) coming down from the high place(L) with lyres, timbrels,(M) pipes(N) and harps(O) being played before them, and they will be prophesying.(P) 6 The Spirit(Q) of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed(R) into a different person. 7 Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever(S) your hand(T) finds to do, for God is with(U) you.
8 “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal.(V) I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven(W) days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.”
Saul Made King
9 As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed(X) Saul’s heart, and all these signs(Y) were fulfilled(Z) that day. 10 When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit(AA) of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying.(AB) 11 When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this(AC) that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”(AD)
12 A man who lived there answered, “And who is their father?” So it became a saying: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”(AE) 13 After Saul stopped prophesying,(AF) he went to the high place.
14 Now Saul’s uncle(AG) asked him and his servant, “Where have you been?”
“Looking for the donkeys,(AH)” he said. “But when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.”
15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.”
16 Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys(AI) had been found.” But he did not tell his uncle what Samuel had said about the kingship.
17 Samuel summoned the people of Israel to the Lord at Mizpah(AJ) 18 and said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed(AK) you.’ 19 But you have now rejected(AL) your God, who saves(AM) you out of all your disasters and calamities. And you have said, ‘No, appoint a king(AN) over us.’(AO) So now present(AP) yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans.”
20 When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21 Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was taken.(AQ) Finally Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. 22 So they inquired(AR) further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?”
And the Lord said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.”
23 They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller(AS) than any of the others. 24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen?(AT) There is no one like(AU) him among all the people.”
Then the people shouted, “Long live(AV) the king!”
25 Samuel explained(AW) to the people the rights and duties(AX) of kingship.(AY) He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed the people to go to their own homes.
26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah,(AZ) accompanied by valiant men(BA) whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some scoundrels(BB) said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts.(BC) But Saul kept silent.
Saul Rescues the City of Jabesh
11 Nahash[b](BD) the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead.(BE) And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty(BF) with us, and we will be subject to you.”
2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition(BG) that I gouge(BH) out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace(BI) on all Israel.”
3 The elders(BJ) of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue(BK) us, we will surrender(BL) to you.”
4 When the messengers came to Gibeah(BM) of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept(BN) aloud. 5 Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.
6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit(BO) of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. 7 He took a pair of oxen,(BP) cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel,(BQ) proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone(BR) who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one.(BS) 8 When Saul mustered(BT) them at Bezek,(BU) the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand.
9 They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.’” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. 10 They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender(BV) to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.”
11 The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions;(BW) during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites(BX) and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.
Saul Confirmed as King
12 The people then said to Samuel, “Who(BY) was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.”
13 But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today,(BZ) for this day the Lord has rescued(CA) Israel.”
14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal(CB) and there renew the kingship.(CC)” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal(CD) and made Saul king(CE) in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.
Samuel’s Farewell Speech
12 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened(CF) to everything you said to me and have set a king(CG) over you. 2 Now you have a king as your leader.(CH) As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons(CI) are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. 3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed.(CJ) Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey(CK) have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe(CL) to make me shut my eyes? If I have done(CM) any of these things, I will make it right.”(CN)
4 “You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”
5 Samuel said to them, “The Lord is witness(CO) against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything(CP) in my hand.(CQ)”
“He is witness,” they said.
6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought(CR) your ancestors up out of Egypt. 7 Now then, stand(CS) here, because I am going to confront(CT) you with evidence before the Lord as to all the righteous acts(CU) performed by the Lord for you and your ancestors.
8 “After Jacob(CV) entered Egypt, they cried(CW) to the Lord for help, and the Lord sent(CX) Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.
9 “But they forgot(CY) the Lord their God; so he sold them(CZ) into the hand of Sisera,(DA) the commander of the army of Hazor,(DB) and into the hands of the Philistines(DC) and the king of Moab,(DD) who fought against them. 10 They cried(DE) out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken(DF) the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths.(DG) But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ 11 Then the Lord sent Jerub-Baal,[c](DH) Barak,[d](DI) Jephthah(DJ) and Samuel,[e](DK) and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety.
12 “But when you saw that Nahash(DL) king(DM) of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule(DN) over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king. 13 Now here is the king(DO) you have chosen, the one you asked(DP) for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you fear(DQ) the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel(DR) against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! 15 But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against(DS) his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.
16 “Now then, stand still(DT) and see(DU) this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is it not wheat harvest(DV) now? I will call(DW) on the Lord to send thunder(DX) and rain.(DY) And you will realize what an evil(DZ) thing you did in the eyes of the Lord when you asked for a king.”
18 Then Samuel called on the Lord,(EA) and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe(EB) of the Lord and of Samuel.
19 The people all said to Samuel, “Pray(EC) to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die,(ED) for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”
20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil;(EE) yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after useless(EF) idols.(EG) They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sake(EH) of his great name(EI) the Lord will not reject(EJ) his people, because the Lord was pleased to make(EK) you his own. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray(EL) for you. And I will teach(EM) you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear(EN) the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart;(EO) consider(EP) what great(EQ) things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist(ER) in doing evil, both you and your king(ES) will perish.”(ET)
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 10:1 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate over his people Israel? You will reign over the Lord’s people and save them from the power of their enemies round about. And this will be a sign to you that the Lord has anointed you ruler over his inheritance:
- 1 Samuel 11:1 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls gifts. Now Nahash king of the Ammonites oppressed the Gadites and Reubenites severely. He gouged out all their right eyes and struck terror and dread in Israel. Not a man remained among the Israelites beyond the Jordan whose right eye was not gouged out by Nahash king of the Ammonites, except that seven thousand men fled from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh Gilead. About a month later, 1 Nahash
- 1 Samuel 12:11 Also called Gideon
- 1 Samuel 12:11 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew Bedan
- 1 Samuel 12:11 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac Samson
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.