1 Samuel 10

1 Samuel 10 (Listen)

Saul Anointed King

10:1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you to be prince¹ over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the LORD and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the LORD has anointed you to be prince² over his heritage. 2 When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’ 3 Then you shall go on from there farther and come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall accept from their hand. 5 After that you shall come to Gibeath-elohim,³ where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 7 Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. 8 Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.”

9 When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day. 10 When they came to Gibeah,⁴ behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And when all who knew him previously saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, “What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” 12 And a man of the place answered, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

14 Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To seek the donkeys. And when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.” 15 And Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.” 16 And Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him anything.

Saul Proclaimed King

17 Now Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah. 18 And he said to the people of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ 19 But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands.”

20 Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. 21 He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot;⁵ and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 So they inquired again of the LORD, “Is there a man still to come?” and the LORD said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” 23 Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

25 Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home. 26 Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched. 27 But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

(ESV)

1 Samuel 10 Commentary

In 1 Samuel 10, Samuel anointed Saul as Israel’s ruler by pouring oil on his head (1 Samuel 10:1). He told Saul about three signs that would confirm his calling:

1. He would meet men near Rachel’s Grave who would tell him the lost donkeys were found (1 Samuel 10:2).
2. He would meet three men at the oak of Tabor who would give him bread (1 Samuel 10:3-4).
3. He would encounter a group of prophets, and God’s Spirit would come upon him, causing him to prophesy and be changed (1 Samuel 10:5-6).

Samuel told Saul to go to Gilgal and wait 7 days for further instructions (10:8).

Everything that Samuel said came true (1 Samuel 10:9). When Saul prophesied, people who knew him were shocked, asking, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” This phrase became widely used (1 Samuel 10:10-12). Later, Saul’s uncle asked what Samuel had told him, and Saul only mentioned the donkeys, saying nothing about being chosen as king (1 Samuel 10:14-16).

Samuel gathered the Israelites at Mizpah and reminded them that by asking for a king, they were rejecting God as their true ruler (1 Samuel 10:17-19). When casting lots to choose the king, the tribe of Benjamin was picked, then Saul’s family, and finally Saul himself. But when they looked for him, he was hiding among the supplies (1 Samuel 10:20-22). They brought him out, and since he was taller than everyone else, Samuel presented him to the people, who shouted, “Long live the king!” (1 Samuel 10:23-24).

Samuel explained the responsibilities of a king, wrote them down, and sent the people home (1 Samuel 10:25). Some men supported Saul, but others doubted him and refused to honor him (1 Samuel 10:26-27).

Spiritual Empowerment

God gives Saul everything he needs to accomplish the role of becoming Israel’s first king. Just as He has done in the past, God gives Saul powerful signs that confirm his purpose and calling. These signs carried a symbolic meaning about his role.

Sign #1: The Men At Rachel’s Grave

Personal Concerns vs. Greater Calling: Saul was initially focused on finding donkeys (1 Samuel 9:3), but this sign shows his concerns are now insignificant. His attention must shift to ruling Israel.

Historical Significance of Rachel’s Tomb: Rachel, the mother of Benjamin (Saul’s tribe), died there (Gen 35:19). Some see this as a reminder that Saul comes from the least of the tribes (1 Sam 9:21), emphasizing his unlikelihood as king.

God’s Providence: This confirms that God is orchestrating events, reassuring Saul that his kingship is divinely appointed.

Sign #2: The Oak Of Tabor

The Symbolism of the Items:

• Goats: Often used for sacrifices, pointing to Saul’s future responsibility in leading Israel spiritually.
• Bread: A symbol of sustenance and provision, showing that God would provide for Saul’s needs.
• Wine: Associated with joy and blessing, possibly foreshadowing his kingship.

Confirmation of Leadership: The fact that strangers willingly give him food suggests growing authority. Kings often received gifts, and this act foreshadows people recognizing him as a leader.

Contrast with Future Events: Saul later disobeys God’s instructions regarding sacrifices (1 Sam 13:8-14), showing that he struggled with spiritual responsibility.

Sign #3: Prophesying With Prophets

Gibeah

• Saul’s hometown was Gibeah, making this moment very public.
• The Philistine presence reminds us that Israel needed a strong leader.

The Role of Prophets

• The group of prophets is likely part of a prophetic school, a movement Samuel may have led.
• Their music and worship reflect spiritual fervor, and Saul is caught up in it.

The Spirit’s Power

• Saul’s prophesying was a visible sign of God’s Spirit empowering him.
• Many commentators note this was not necessarily a conversion but a temporary empowerment for kingship.

The Popular Saying (1 Samuel 10:11-12)

The phrase “you will be transformed” (1 Samuel 10:6) suggests that Saul’s natural abilities were not enough – God had to equip him for leadership. This moment showed how radically God could change a person, however, Saul’s later failures suggest the transformation was not lasting. “Is Saul also among the prophets?” became a popular phrase.

The Ancient Meme

“When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully on him, and he prophesied along with them. [11] Everyone who knew him previously and saw him prophesy with the prophets asked each other, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” [12] Then a man who was from there asked, “And who is their father?” As a result, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” became a popular saying.”

1 Samuel 10:10-12 CSB

Saul did not have a reputation for being a spiritually devout man. He was not a prophet, yet, he joined right in with these prophesying prophets! People were astonished. It was such an unusual moment that the phrase became a cultural saying or proverb with ill-intent toward both Saul and the legitimacy of the prophetic movement.

“The logic underlying the saying probably was as follows: To be a prophet, one might be expected to have a father who is a prophet (cf. Amos 7:14). Yet Kish is not a prophet. Thus either Saul and, by extension, his prophetic brotherhood are not really prophets (“Is Saul among the prophets?”) or Saul is only apparently the son of Kish but was actually conceived in an adulterous relationship between his mother and the head of the prophetic band.”

The New American Commentary

Later in 1 Samuel 19, Saul prophesies again (this time in a humiliating way), and people repeat this saying, showing it had stuck as a commonly used phrase.

Hiding Among the Baggage

Samuel boldly anointed Saul as Israel’s first king. He spoke powerfully about Saul’s divine calling. Yet, when the time came to reveal him to the people, Saul was nowhere to be found. He was hiding among the baggage (1 Samuel 10:22).

Saul’s reaction reveals a deep struggle. Even earlier, when Samuel first told him of his destiny (1 Samuel 9:21), Saul couldn’t comprehend it. He saw himself as unworthy, unqualified, and incapable. Instead of stepping into God’s calling, he hid. This is a disappointing part of Saul’s story which extends into his reign as Israel’s leader.

Yet, it mirrors how many of us respond when God calls us to something greater than we can imagine. We focus on our flaws, insecurities, and limitations, convincing ourselves we aren’t capable. Like Saul, we often retreat back into the baggage of our past wounds, fears, and doubts. It feels safer and easier.

Saul’s story, however, is a cautionary tale. His insecurities never left him; as I wrote earlier, they shaped his reign. The story of Saul is tragic, but the lesson is clear: when we cling to our baggage instead of surrendering to God’s calling, we risk missing His purpose for us. If we allow fear and self-reliance to rule, rather than faith and grace-fueled obedience, we may find ourselves working against God’s ways.