1 Samuel Chapter 10 — Saul Anointed King of Israel
Samuel privately anoints Saul as king and gives him specific signs to confirm his calling, followed by Saul's public selection by lot at Mizpah.
1Then Samuel took the vial of oil and poured it on his head, then kissed him and said, “Hasn’t the LORD anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?
2When you have departed from me today, then you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb, on the border of Benjamin at Zelzah. They will tell you, ‘The donkeys which you went to look for 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 will go on forward from there, and you will come to the oak of Tabor. Three men will 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 container of wine.
4They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall receive from their hand.
5“After that you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is; and it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a lute, a tambourine, a pipe, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.
6Then the LORD’s Spirit will come mightily on you, then you will prophesy with them and will be turned into another man.
7Let it be, when these signs have come to you, that you do what is appropriate for the occasion; for God is with you.
8“Go down ahead of me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings. Wait seven days, until I come to you and show you what you are to do.”
9It 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.
10When 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.
11When all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said to one another, “What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
12One from the same place answered, “Who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
13When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.
14Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?”
15Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”
16Saul 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.
17Samuel called the people together to the LORD to Mizpah;
18and he said to the children of Israel, “The LORD, the God of Israel, says ‘I brought Israel up 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.’
19But you have today 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 the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands.”
20So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.
21He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families and the family of the Matrites was chosen. Then Saul the son of Kish was chosen; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.
22Therefore they asked of the LORD further, “Is there yet a man to come here?”
23They ran and got him there. When he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
24Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?”
25Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
26Saul also went to his house in Gibeah; and the army went with him, whose hearts God had touched.
27But certain worthless fellows said, “How could this man save us?” They despised him, and brought him no tribute. But he held his peace.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
1 Samuel 10:1
“Then Samuel took the vial of oil and poured it on his head, then kissed him and said, “Hasn’t the LORD anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?”
This verse records the official, though private, act of anointing Saul as the first king of Israel.
1 Samuel 10:6
“Then the LORD’s Spirit will come mightily on you, then you will prophesy with them and will be turned into another man.”
It describes the internal transformation Saul experiences through the Holy Spirit to prepare him for leadership.
1 Samuel 10:24
“Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?””
This marks the public recognition and acceptance of Saul as king by the gathered assembly.
Chapter Summary
1 Samuel 10 details the formal beginning of the Israelite monarchy. The chapter opens with Samuel privately anointing Saul and predicting three specific signs that will confirm Saul's new role, including Saul meeting a group of prophets and being changed by the Spirit of God. These signs occur exactly as predicted, leading to the proverb, 'Is Saul also among the prophets?' Despite these events, Saul remains humble and does not immediately reveal his kingship to his family. Later, Samuel gathers all of Israel at Mizpah to publicly identify their new leader. After reminding the people that their request for a king is a rejection of God, Samuel uses a process of lots to select Saul. Although Saul is found hiding among the baggage, he is presented to the people, who recognize his physical stature and proclaim him king. The chapter ends with Samuel recording the regulations of the kingdom and Saul returning home with a band of followers, though some remain skeptical of his leadership.
Frequently Asked Questions
Samuel predicted that Saul would meet two men by Rachel’s tomb, three men at the oak of Tabor, and a group of prophets at the hill of God. Each sign occurred exactly as Samuel described, confirming the divine nature of Saul's calling.
The text does not explicitly state his motivation, but it highlights his initial reluctance or humility during the public selection process. Despite being physically taller than others, he was found only after the people inquired further of the Lord.
It became a proverb in Israel after Saul joined a group of prophets and began to prophesy himself. It reflects the surprise of the people who knew Saul's background and found his sudden spiritual activity unexpected.
Most of the people shouted 'Long live the king!' and supported him. However, a group described as 'worthless fellows' questioned his ability to save them and refused to bring him gifts, though Saul chose to ignore their dissent.
Study Note
The mention of 'Rachel’s tomb' in verse 2 provides a specific geographical marker that connects the narrative to Israel's ancestral traditions.
Related Chapters
1 Samuel 9
The preceding chapter details Saul's search for the donkeys and his first meeting with Samuel.
1 Samuel 11
The following chapter shows Saul's first military victory, which solidifies his leadership.
Judges 21
This chapter provides context for the chaotic period of the Judges that preceded Israel's desire for a king.
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