JPS - I Samuel - 10

10:1  Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said: 'Is it not that HaShem hath anointed thee to be prince over His inheritance?

10:2  When thou art departed from me to-day, then thou shalt find two men by the tomb of Rachel, in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee: The asses which thou wentest to seek are found; and, lo, thy father hath left off caring for the asses, and is anxious concerning you, saying: What shall I do for my son?

10:3  Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the terebinth of Tabor, and there shall meet thee there three men going up to G-d to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine.

10:4  And they will salute thee, and give thee two cakes of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hand.

10:5  After that thou shalt come to the hill of G-d, where is the garrison of the Philistines; and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a timbrel, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they will be prophesying.

10:6  And the spirit of HaShem will come mightily upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

10:7  And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as thy hand shall find; for G-d is with thee.

10:8  And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt-offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace-offerings; seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come unto thee, and tell thee what thou shalt do.'

10:9  And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, G-d gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.

10:10  And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the spirit of G-d came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among them.

10:11  And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another: 'What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?'

10:12  And one of the same place answered and said: 'And who is their father?' Therefore it became a proverb: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'

10:13  And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.

10:14  And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant: 'Whither went ye?' And he said: 'To seek the asses; and when we saw that they were not found, we came to Samuel.'

10:15  And Saul's uncle said: 'Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.'

10:16  And Saul said unto his uncle: 'He told us plainly that the asses were found.' But concerning the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spoke, he told him not.

10:17  And Samuel called the people together unto HaShem to Mizpah.

10:18  And he said unto the children of Israel: 'Thus saith HaShem, the G-d 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.

10:19  But ye have this day rejected your G-d, who Himself saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and ye have said unto Him: Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before HaShem by your tribes, and by your thousands.'

10:20  So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

10:21  And 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.

10:22  Therefore they asked of HaShem further: 'Is there yet a man come hither?' And HaShem answered: 'Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage.'

10:23  And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.

10:24  And Samuel said to all the people: 'See ye him whom HaShem hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?' And all the people shouted, and said: 'Long live the king.'

10:25  Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before HaShem. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.

10:26  And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the men of valour, whose hearts G-d had touched.

10:27  But certain base fellows said: 'How shall this man save us?' And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he was as one that held his peace.