- 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 Beth-el, 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.
- 9 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.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- 17 And 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.
- 26 And 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.
KING JAMES VERSION
1 SAMUEL 10
Read the chapter, follow a linked verse, and continue into related Watchman 33 teaching.
CHAPTER VISUAL
1 Samuel 10 — Samuel privately anoints Saul, confirming signs follow, and Israel publicly receives its first king.
About this illustration
Private anointing and public selection are shown as two linked depths in one composition. Saul’s hiding among the baggage is treated soberly rather than humorously.
Scripture basis: 1 Samuel 10:1–27King James Version · Standardized 1769 text with Strong’s numbering · Public domain outside the United Kingdom
EXPLORE THE MESSAGE
Related Watchman 33 Resources
Archaeological Evidence
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
Principally early eighteenth century BC
Mari Royal Archives
The palace of Mari preserved thousands of letters and accounts from the world of Hammurabi, exposing diplomacy, tribal politics, royal administration, and prophetic messages without naming Israel’s ancestors or prophets.
Genesis 11:31–32 · Genesis 24:10 · Numbers 22:1–20
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
Hasmonean period, commonly second–first century BC
4QSamuelᵃ: An Early Hebrew Witness to Samuel
Hundreds of parchment fragments from Qumran Cave 4 preserve the earliest extensive Hebrew witness to Samuel, including readings that sometimes align with the Septuagint against the medieval Masoretic Text.
1 Samuel 10:25–27 · 1 Samuel 11:1–11 · 2 Samuel 24:16–17
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEArchaeological site
Iron Age I–II, with later rebuilding
Tell el-Ful and the Search for Gibeah of Saul
A commanding mound north of Jerusalem preserves Iron Age occupation and disputed fortress phases, but its traditional identification as Saul's Gibeah remains a contested geographical and chronological argument.
1 Samuel 10:24–26 · 1 Samuel 15:34 · Judges 19:12–15
Sermons
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View sermon Church History & Function #8 - Discerning God's Voice
In “Church History & Function #8 - Discerning God's Voice,” Pastor Dean Odle presents a Scripture-centered message about the Holy Spirit, holiness, the condition of the church. Drawing especially from John 10, John 16, John 17, Psalm 60, the teaching emphasizes that the Holy Spirit leads, equips, corrects, and strengthens believers who yield to God. Odle connects that foundation with the conviction that God calls believers to reject compromise and pursue practical holiness.
Bible ProphecyChurch and MinistryChristian LivingHoly Spirit and Spiritual Gifts
View sermon Apologetics #2 - The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (Part 1)
In “Apologetics #2 - The Divine Inspiration of the Bible (Part 1),” Pastor Dean Odle presents a Scripture-centered message about the authority of Scripture, Bible prophecy, faith. Drawing especially from 1 Peter 3:15, Luke 60, Ephesians 60, Philippians 61, the teaching emphasizes that Scripture is presented as the standard for doctrine, discernment, and daily obedience. Odle connects that foundation with the conviction that prophecy should produce discernment, readiness, and faithfulness rather than speculation alone.
Bible ProphecyScripture AloneIsrael and JerusalemBiblical Creation
View sermon Showing 1–3 of 6 sermons