BOOK 9 OF 66 · HISTORY · KING JAMES BIBLE

1 Samuel 10

1 Samuel book home•Chapter 10 of 31•27 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

1 Samuel 10 Overview

Samuel privately anoints Saul and gives him a series of signs that occur as foretold, including the Spirit of God coming upon him so that he prophesies. Later Samuel assembles Israel at Mizpeh, the lot identifies Saul publicly, and the people acclaim him as king—although Saul is initially found hiding among the stuff and some men despise him.

1 SamuelBook

10Chapter

27Verses

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Before you read 1 Samuel 10

Coming from

Chapter 9 ended with Samuel privately preparing Saul to hear God’s word concerning his future role.

In this chapter

Saul receives anointing, confirming signs, spiritual empowerment for his office, and then public identification before the tribes of Israel.

Leads into

Chapter 11 provides Saul’s first major test as king when Nahash the Ammonite threatens Jabesh-gilead and Saul leads Israel to deliver the city.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Saul’s private anointing and public selection are two stages of the same royal appointment. The Spirit’s coming upon Saul equips him for his kingly task and prophetic episode; later chapters show that such Old Testament empowerment must not simply be equated with New Testament discussions of permanent indwelling or with proof of eternal salvation. Samuel again reminds Israel that asking for a king involved rejection of the LORD’s direct rule, even while God now establishes Saul in office.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

God confirms Saul’s appointment through signs Samuel predicts in advance.

Truth 2

Royal office does not make Saul self-sufficient; his effectiveness depends on God’s enabling.

Truth 3

Public acclamation does not remove opposition, as some men immediately despise Saul and question his ability to save Israel.

Truth 4

The chapter holds together two truths: Israel sinned in the way it demanded a king, and Saul is nevertheless genuinely appointed by God to rule.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Numbers 27:18–23 and other Old Testament leadership transitions show God publicly setting apart leaders for assigned service, though Saul’s kingship has its own distinct features.

Connection 2

1 Samuel 16 will later record the Spirit of the LORD coming upon David and departing from Saul, creating an important contrast in royal empowerment.

Connection 3

Acts 13:21 summarizes this period by saying God gave Israel Saul, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Saul’s prophetic experience does not mean that everyone who prophesies is necessarily an approved leader in every respect; the book itself will later record Saul prophesying amid serious rebellion.

Keep this clear 2

The Spirit’s empowerment for kingship here should not be used to teach that eternal life can be lost when the Spirit later departs from Saul in a governmental sense.

Keep this clear 3

The use of the lot for public identification is part of this historical event; it is not a command for churches to choose leaders by random selection.

Read 1 Samuel 10 watching for…

The sequence of signs Samuel gives Saul.

What changes when the Spirit of God comes upon Saul.

How Samuel frames Israel’s request before the public selection.

Where Saul is found when the lot identifies him.

The difference between the people who rejoice and the men who despise him.

Chapter outline5 sections

1-8Samuel anoints Saul and gives him signs 9-13The signs come to pass, and Saul prophesies 14-16Saul tells his uncle about the asses but not about the kingdom 17-24Saul is chosen publicly by lot and presented to Israel 25-27Samuel explains the manner of the kingdom, and people respond differently to Saul

Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre 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 the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?

Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:

And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.

After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, 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 company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:

And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.

And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

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 to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

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

And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among 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?

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

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

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 no where, we came to Samuel.

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

And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;

And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:

And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.

And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.

Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.

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.

And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

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

And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.