← All Chapters The Book of 1 Samuel · Chapter 10

1 Samuel 10: Anointed and Proclaimed

Samuel anoints Saul with oil and confirming signs, the Spirit comes upon him, and he is publicly chosen as king by lot at Mizpah.

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1 Samuel 10 (WEB)

1 Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, “Isn’t it that Yahweh has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?

2 When you have departed from me today, then you shall find two men by Rachel’s tomb, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to seek have been found; and behold, your father has stopped caring about the donkeys, and is anxious for you, saying, “What shall I do for my son?”’

3 “Then you shall go on forward from there, and you shall come to the oak of Tabor; and three men shall meet you there going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three young goats, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

4 and they will greet you, and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive of their hand.

5 “After that you shall come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall happen, when you have come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying:

6 and the Spirit of Yahweh will come mightily on you, and you shall prophesy with them, and shall be turned into another man.

7 Let it be, when these signs have come to you, that you do as occasion shall serve you; 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 to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: you shall wait seven days, until I come to you, and show you what you shall do.”

9 It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs happened that day.

10 When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them.

11 When all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another, “What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

12 One of the same place answered, “Who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

13 When he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” He said, “To seek the donkeys. When we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel.”

15 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 were found.” But concerning the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel spoke, he didn’t tell him.

17 Samuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah;

18 and he said to the children of Israel, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you:’

19 but you have this day rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, ‘No! Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes, and by your thousands.”

20 So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

21 He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found.

22 Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, “Is there yet a man to come here?” Yahweh answered, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”

23 They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

24 Samuel said to all the people, “You see him whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” All the people shouted, and said, “Let the king live!”

25 Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Yahweh. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

26 Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the army, whose hearts God had touched.

27 But certain worthless fellows said, “How shall this man save us?” They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

Summary

Samuel takes a vial of oil, pours it on Saul's head, and kisses him, declaring that the Lord has anointed him to be prince over his inheritance. He gives Saul three confirming signs: he will meet men who report the donkeys are found, men carrying offerings who will give him bread, and a band of prophets among whom the Spirit of the Lord will come mightily upon him so that he prophesies and is turned into another man. Samuel tells Saul to do as the occasion serves, for God is with him, and to wait at Gilgal for further instruction. As Saul turns to go, God gives him another heart, and all the signs come to pass that day, including his prophesying, which astonishes those who knew him and gives rise to the proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” When his uncle questions him, Saul speaks of the donkeys but says nothing of the kingdom. Then Samuel gathers the people to the Lord at Mizpah, reminds them that in demanding a king they have rejected the God who saves them, and brings the tribes near. The lot falls on Benjamin, then the family of the Matrites, then Saul son of Kish, who has hidden himself among the baggage. They bring him out, taller than all the people, and Samuel presents him as the Lord's chosen, while the people shout, “Let the king live!” Some worthless men despise him, but Saul holds his peace, and God-touched men go with him. The chapter shows God equipping and publicly confirming the one he has chosen.

Main Characters

  • Saul — The chosen man anointed by Samuel, given a new heart and the Spirit, who hides among the baggage yet is brought out as king.
  • Samuel — The prophet who anoints Saul privately, gives confirming signs, and presents him publicly as the Lord's chosen king at Mizpah.
  • Yahweh (the LORD) — The God who anoints, gives Saul a new heart and his Spirit, and reveals his choice through the casting of lots.
  • The people of Israel — The nation gathered at Mizpah who acclaim Saul with a shout, though some worthless men despise their new king.

Key Verse

1 Samuel 10:24 (WEB)

Samuel said to all the people, “You see him whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” All the people shouted, and said, “Let the king live!”

Lessons Learned

  • God equips those he calls, often giving them a new heart for the task.
  • The Spirit of the Lord enables service beyond our natural ability.
  • God confirms his choices openly so his people may recognize and follow.
  • Reluctance and hiddenness cannot thwart the purpose God has set in motion.
  • God anoints whom he appoints. Samuel poured oil on Saul, “Isn’t it that Yahweh has anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?” (1 Samuel 10:1, WEB). God's calling comes with his commissioning.
  • God gives a new heart for the task. “God gave him another heart” (1 Samuel 10:9, WEB). The Lord inwardly equips those he sends to serve.
  • The Spirit empowers God's servants. “The Spirit of God came mightily on him” (1 Samuel 10:10, WEB). Effective service flows from the Spirit's enabling, not human strength.
  • God publicly confirms his choice. “You see him whom Yahweh has chosen” (1 Samuel 10:24, WEB). God makes his appointments clear so his people can rally to them.
  1. What is the purpose of the three signs Samuel gives Saul?
  2. What does it mean that God gave Saul “another heart,” and how does the Spirit's coming relate to it?
  3. Why might Saul have hidden among the baggage, and what does this reveal about him?
  4. How does the public choosing by lot reinforce that Saul is truly God's choice?
  5. How have you experienced God equipping you for something beyond your own ability?
  1. The three signs confirm to Saul that his anointing is truly from God (10:2-7). They strengthen his faith for the calling ahead, showing that God graciously provides assurance to those he sends.
  2. God gives Saul “another heart” and his Spirit comes mightily upon him (10:9-10), inwardly transforming and empowering him. The combination shows that God both changes the heart and supplies power for the task he assigns.
  3. Saul hides among the baggage even after his private anointing (10:22), suggesting reluctance or insecurity. It hints at a hesitancy in his character, even as God's purpose proceeds regardless of his timidity.
  4. Casting lots before all the tribes shows the choice is God's, not Samuel's or the people's (10:20-24). Public confirmation removes doubt and unites the nation around the leader the Lord has appointed.
  5. This is a personal-application question. Invite members to recall times God enabled them beyond their natural capacity. As leader, encourage trust that the One who calls also equips, often giving a new heart for the work.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.