History · Chapter 10 of 31

1 Samuel 10

Samuel privately anoints Saul, then gives three signs that confirm the calling; the Spirit of God comes upon Saul and he prophesies, and God gives him another heart. At Mizpeh Samuel gathers Israel, reminds them their demand for a king rejects God, and the lot falls to Saul, who is found hiding among the baggage. The people shout for their tall new king, though some despise him.

What happens in 1 Samuel 10

Samuel pours oil on Saul's head and kisses him, declaring the LORD has anointed him captain over His inheritance. He foretells three signs: men reporting the lost donkeys found, three men at Tabor giving him two loaves, and a band of prophets whom he will join. Each unfolds; the Spirit rushes on Saul and he prophesies, so bystanders ask whether Saul is also among the prophets. God gives him another heart. Saul tells his uncle only about the donkeys, keeping the kingship hidden.

At Mizpeh Samuel assembles the tribes, reminds them their demand rejects the God who saved them, and the lot narrows to Saul son of Kish. Saul has hidden among the baggage; drawn out, he stands head and shoulders above all. The people shout, God save the king. Samuel records the kingdom's manner in a book. Some worthless men despise Saul, but he holds his peace.

1 Samuel 10 in context

First Samuel traces Israel's shift from judges to monarchy. In chapter eight the people demanded a king like the nations; chapter nine introduced Saul, a tall Benjamite searching for lost donkeys, whom Samuel privately met. Chapter ten moves that secret anointing toward public installation at Mizpeh, an assembly place of Israel.

It sits between Israel's rejection of God as king and the reign that follows, holding both the honor and the warning of that choice.

Main themes of 1 Samuel 10

1 Samuel 10 (KJV)

1Then 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? 2When 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? 3Then 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: 4And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands. 5After 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: 6And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. 7And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. 8And 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. 9And 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. 10And 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. 11And 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? 12And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? 13And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place. 14And 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. 15And Saul’s uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you. 16And 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. 17And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh; 18And 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: 19And 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. 20And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken. 21When 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. 22Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff. 23And 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. 24And 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. 25Then 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. 26And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched. 27But 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.

Verses to carry from 1 Samuel 10

“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?”1 Samuel 10:1

“And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.”1 Samuel 10:6

“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.”1 Samuel 10:24

Reflection

God gives Saul another heart and His Spirit, yet the story warns that gifts and stature are not the same as a surrendered life. Where do you hide among the baggage when God calls you forward? The same Spirit that came on Saul is poured out through Christ, who never shrank from the Father's will.

A prayer from 1 Samuel 10