Saul Anointed King

Saul, a Benjaminite described as a choice and handsome man, was sent by his father Kish to find lost donkeys. After traveling through several regions without success, Saul and his servant approached a man of God in a city to inquire about their journey. The day before Saul's arrival, the Lord had revealed to Samuel that a man from the land of Benjamin would come to be anointed as prince over Israel. Samuel invited Saul to a feast, assigned him a special portion of meat, and spoke with him on the roof of a house (1 Samuel 9:15-25).

The following morning, Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul’s head, kissing him and declaring that the Lord had anointed him to be prince over His inheritance. Samuel provided Saul with three specific signs to confirm these events: meeting two men by Rachel's tomb, three men at the oak of Tabor, and a group of prophets at the hill of God. The text states that when Saul turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart, and all these signs came to pass that day (1 Samuel 10:1-9).

Samuel later called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah. He instructed the tribes of Israel to present themselves by their thousands. The tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot, and the family of Matri was chosen, leading finally to the selection of Saul the son of Kish. When the people could not find Saul, they inquired of the Lord, who revealed he was hiding among the baggage. When he stood among the people, he was taller than any of them from his shoulders upward. Samuel then explained the behavior of the royalty to the people and wrote it in a book (1 Samuel 10:17-25).