Samuel anoints Saul as King

Samuel anoints Saul as King 1
Samuel led and advised the people of Israel according to God’s laws. He would always ask God what he should do. When he grew old he appointed his sons Joel and Abijah as the new leaders.
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‘You are old and your sons do not follow your ways,’ they told Samuel. ‘Give us a King just like other nations have.’Samuel was displeased but prayed to the Lord. The Lord told him. ‘It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.’ Samuel warned them of the consequences of choosing a King.
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‘A king will take your sons put them in his army, others will work his fields or as craftsmen for him. Your daughters will be taken to become his perfumers, cooks and bakers. A king will take a tenth of your grain and flocks and you will become his slaves. When you cry out to be rescued from the king the Lord will not deliver you.’ The people refused to listen and demanded, ‘Give us a king like the other nations have who will lead us and fight our battles.’

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Samuel repeated what the people said to the Lord. The Lord replied, ‘Listen to them and give them a king.’
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So Samuel said to the Israelites, ‘Everyone go back to your own town.’
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There was a man from the tribe of Benjamin called Kish who had a son called Saul. Saul was a handsome young man who was a head taller than everyone else. Kish had lost his donkeys and asked Saul to take a servant and search the hill country to find them.

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Saul and his servant searched for the missing donkeys but could not find them. Saul wanted to return home but his servant suggested, ‘There is a highly respected man of God in this town. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.’
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As they went up to the town they met Samuel. He was on his way to the High Place where he worshipped God.
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The day before, God had told Samuel, ‘About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel. He will deliver them from the Philistines.’

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Saul asked Samuel, ‘Can you tell me where the prophet’s house is?’ ‘I am the prophet,’ Samuel replied. Come with me to the High Place then eat with me and return home tomorrow. As for the lost donkeys, they have been found. The nation is turning to you and your family line. ‘But I am from the smallest tribe and my clan is not important,’ Saul protested.
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Samuel invited Saul and 30 guests to a meal and later talked with him on the roof of his house.
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The next morning, as Saul and his servant set off, Samuel asked the servant to go on ahead as he had a message from God to give Saul.

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When they were alone, Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head. ‘Has not the Lord chosen you to be a ruler over His land?’ Samuel asked. He then told Saul of three things that would happen to him.
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These things all happened as Samuel said. When he arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him. The Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. ‘What is this that has happened to the son of Kish?’ people asked, ‘Is Saul now a prophet?’

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Samuel called the people of Israel together. By drawing lots, the tribe of Benjamin was selected, then the clan of Saul then Saul himself. But he was nowhere to be found. They asked the Lord where he was and the Lord revealed that Saul was hiding among the supplies.
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They ran and brought him out. He stood a head taller than everyone else. Samuel announced, ‘Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no-one else like him.’ Then the people shouted, ‘Long live the king!’ Samuel explained the rights and duties of kingship to everyone and wrote them down on a scroll. The people then went home but not everyone was pleased. Some muttered, ‘How can this man help us?’ They despised Saul and would not bring him gifts.

Samuel anoints Saul as King
Samuel anoints Saul as the first King of Israel.
1 Samuel 8:1-10:27