1 Samuel 10

This chapter of 1 Samuel marks the beginning of the monarchy in Israel. In 1 Samuel 9, Saul, who had set out to look for his father's asses, met Samuel; this chapter continues with the events of the following morning.

Outline

• Verse 1: Samuel pours a vial of oil on Saul's head and tells him that the LORD has anointed him to be captain over His inheritance.
• Verses 2–8: Samuel foretells three signs: two men by Rachel's sepulchre who will report that the asses have been found; three men going up to Bethel who will give him two loaves of bread at the plain of Tabor; and a company of prophets he will meet at the hill of God. He then commands Saul to wait seven days at Gilgal.
• Verses 9–13: God gives Saul another heart, and all the signs come to pass. When Saul prophesies among the prophets, the proverb arises, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"
• Verses 14–16: When his uncle questions him, Saul speaks only of the asses and says nothing of the matter of the kingdom.
• Verses 17–19: Samuel gathers the people at Mizpeh and rebukes them for rejecting God and asking for a king.
• Verses 20–24: The tribe of Benjamin is taken, then the family of Matri, and then Saul the son of Kish. Saul, who had hidden himself among the stuff (the baggage), is brought out, and the people shout, "God save the king."
• Verses 25–27: Samuel writes the manner of the kingdom in a book, and Saul returns to Gibeah. Certain children of Belial (worthless men) despise him, but Saul holds his peace.

Key Verses

• 1 Samuel 10:1: "Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee" — the anointing of Israel's first king.
• 1 Samuel 10:6: "and shalt be turned into another man" — interpretations differ over the significance of the Spirit coming upon Saul.
• 1 Samuel 10:24: "And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king" — the monarchy is formally inaugurated.

People and Places

• Samuel, Saul
• Kish: Saul's father, a man of the tribe of Benjamin.
• Saul's uncle: He is not named in the text.
• Rachel's sepulchre: Located at Zelzah in the border of Benjamin. See Rachel.
• Bethel: The place to which the three men were going up to God.
• The hill of God: The site of a garrison (camp) of the Philistines.
• Gilgal: The place where Saul was to wait for Samuel.
• Mizpeh: The site of the assembly at which the king was chosen.
• Gibeah: The location of Saul's home.

Points for Reflection

• Some interpreters understand "another man" and "another heart" in verses 6 and 9 as an empowerment enabling Saul to carry out the duties of kingship, while others see them as a genuine inward change. Interpretations also differ on how this passage relates to Saul's later failures.
• The selection in verses 20–21 is commonly understood as the casting of lots, though the text says only that each was "taken" and does not specify the method.
• The seven-day command in verse 8 connects with the events of 1 Samuel 13. The proverb "Is Saul also among the prophets?" appears again in 1 Samuel 19.
• In the New Testament, Paul mentions Saul the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, in his sermon in Acts 13. The concept of the "anointed one" forms the background of the title Messiah.