1 Samuel tomou um pequeno frasco de óleo e derramou-o na cabeça de Saul; beijou-o e disse: O Senhor te confere esta unção para que sejas chefe da sua herança.2 Quando te apartares hoje de mim, encontrarás dois homens junto do túmulo de Raquel, na terra de Benjamim, em Selsac. Eles te dirão: As jumentas que foste procurar foram encontradas. Teu pai não se inquieta mais por elas, mas tem cuidado por vós, e aflige-se perguntando o que poderá fazer por vós.3 Seguirás o teu caminho até o carvalho de Tabor, onde se apresentarão a ti três homens que sobem a adorar a Deus em Betel, levando um três cabritos, outro três fatias de pão, e o terceiro um odre de vinho.4 Depois de te saudarem, dar-te-ão dois pães e tu os receberás de suas mãos.5 Depois disso, chegarás a Gabaa-Eloim onde se encontra o governador dos filisteus. À entrada da cidade encontrarás um grupo de profetas descendo do lugar alto, precedidos de saltérios, de tímpanos, de flautas e de cítaras, profetizando.6 O Espírito do Senhor virá também sobre ti, profetizarás com eles e tornar-te-ás um outro homem.7 Quando vires acontecer todos esses sinais, faze o que a circunstância te ditar, porque Deus estará contigo.8 Descerás antes de mim a Gálgala; irei ter contigo ali, para oferecer holocaustos e sacrifícios pacíficos. Esperarás sete dias até que eu chegue; então instruir-te-ei sobre o que deverás fazer.9 Logo que Saul voltou as costas, despedindo-se de Samuel, Deus transformou-lhe o coração. Todos esses sinais se cumpriram no mesmo dia.10 Chegando ele a Gabaa, veio-lhe ao encontro um grupo de profetas; o Espírito de Deus apoderou-se de Saul e ele pôs-se a profetizar no meio deles.11 Todos os que o tinham conhecido antes, vendo-o cantar com os profetas, perguntavam uns aos outros: Que aconteceu ao filho de Cis? Porventura também Saul está entre os profetas?12 Dentre a multidão, alguém perguntou: Quem é o pai dele? De onde o provérbio: Porventura também Saul está entre os profetas?13 Acabados esses cânticos proféticos, foi Saul para o lugar alto.14 Seu tio disse-lhe então, e ao seu servo: Aonde fostes? Saul respondeu: À procura das jumentas; mas não as encontramos e, por isso, fomos ter com Samuel.15 Conta-me, replicou o tio, o que vos disse Samuel.16 Saul disse-lhe: Declarou-nos que as jumentas tinham já sido encontradas; mas nada lhe contou do que tinha dito o vidente relativamente ao reino.17 Samuel convocou o povo diante do Senhor, em Masfa:18 Assim, disse ele aos israelitas, fala o Senhor, Deus de Israel: Eu vos tirei do Egito, livrei-vos das mãos dos egípcios e de todos os reis que vos oprimiam.19 Vós, porém, rejeitastes hoje o vosso Deus que vos salvou de todos os males e de todas as tribulações, e dissestes: Estabelecei um rei sobre nós. Pois bem: ponde-vos por ordem de tribos e de milhares e apresentai-vos diante do Senhor.20 Samuel mandou que se aproximassem todas as tribos de Israel, e a tribo de Benjamim foi designada {pela sorte}.21 Mandou vir a tribo de Benjamim por famílias, e a família de Metri foi designada. E a escolha caiu, enfim, sobre Saul, filho de Cis. Procuraram-no, mas não o encontraram.22 Consultaram então de novo o Senhor: Haverá ainda alguém que tenha vindo aqui? O Senhor respondeu: Ele escondeu-se no meio das bagagens.23 Correram a buscá-lo e colocaram-no no meio da multidão, a qual ele excedia em altura do ombro para cima.24 Samuel disse ao povo: Vedes aquele que o Senhor escolheu? Não há em todo o povo quem lhe seja semelhante. E todos o aclamaram, dizendo: Viva o rei!25 Samuel expôs em seguida ao povo os direitos do rei, consignou-os em um livro que depositou diante do Senhor, e despediu todo o povo, cada um para a sua casa.26 Saul voltou também para sua casa, em Gabaa, acompanhado de homens valentes, cujos corações tinham sido tocados por Deus.27 Houve, porém, alguns homens maus que disseram: Que poderá este fazer por nós? Por isso desprezaram-no e não lhe levaram presente algum. Mas Saul não fez caso disso.

1 And Samuel took a flask of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Behold, it is because the Lord hath anointed thee over his inheritance as chief.2 When thou goest this day away from me, thou wilt find two men who are now by Rachel’s sepulchre, on the boundary of Benjamin at Zelzach; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath given up the matter of the asses, and is anxious for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?3 Then shalt thou go on forward from there, and thou shalt come as far as the grove 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:4 And they will ask thee after thy welfare, and give thee two loaves of bread, which thou must take from their hand.5 After that shalt thou come to the hill of God, where the outposts of the Philistines are; and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou wilt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high–place, having before them a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a pipe, and a harp; and they will be prophesying;6 And the Spirit of the Lord will suddenly come over thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and thou shalt be changed into another man.7 And it shall be, that, when these signs are come unto thee, then do thou what thy hand may be able to effect; for God is with thee.8 And 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 then will I tell thee what thou shalt do.9 And it happened, that, as he turned his back to go away from Samuel, God changed his heart into another; and all these signs came to pass on that same day.10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came suddenly over him, and he prophesied in the midst of them.11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him before saw, that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then said the people one to another, What is this that hath happened to the son of Kish? is Saul also among the prophets?12 And one of that place answered and said, And who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?13 And 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 were ye gone? And he said, To seek the asses; and when we saw that they were nowhere, we went to Samuel.15 And Saul’s uncle said, Do tell me, I pray thee, what did Samuel say unto you.16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses had been found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel had spoken, he told him not.17 And Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpah;18 And he said unto the children of Israel, Thus hath said the Lord the God of Israel, I brought up Israel from Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you;19 And ye for your part have this day rejected your God, he who hath saved you out of all your misfortunes and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nevertheless, thou must set a king over us: and now present yourselves before the Lord according to your tribes, and according to your thousands.20 And Samuel caused all the tribes of Israel to come near; and the tribe of Benjamin was seized.21 And he caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near according to its families, and the family of Matri was seized, and then was seized Saul the son of Kish: and they sought him, but he could not be found.22 And they inquired again of the Lord, Is the man yet come hither? And the Lord said, Behold, he hath hidden himself among the vessels.23 And they ran and fetched him thence, and he placed himself erect in the midst of the people, and he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.24 And Samuel said to all the people, Have ye seen him whom the Lord hath made choice of, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, Long live the king.25 Then did Samuel speak to the people the rights of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it down before the Lord. And Samuel sent away all the people, every man to his house.26 And Saul also went to his home to Gib’ah; and there went with him a large crowd, whose heart God had touched.27 But the worthless men said, In what can this help us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he acted as though he were deaf.