1Samuel 10


Samuel annoints Saul (puts special oil on him )

From the web site: creationism.org

Samuel had a small bottle of special oil.  He anointed Saul. This means that he poured the oil on Saul's head to make him special. Then Samuel kissed Saul. Samuel told Saul that God chose him to be the king of Israel.
[1] Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?
 

Samuel told Saul that after he leaves, he will meet 2 men.  The men will be near Rachel's tomb. This is near the place called Zelzah.  The 2 men will tell Saul that his father found the donkeys.  Now his father is worried about him. His father doesn't know how to find his son.

[2] When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son?


Saul will continue to travel. Then he will meet 3 men in the place called Tabor.  The 3 men will be traveling to God's special place at Bethel.  One man will be carrying 3 baby goats.  One man will be carrying 3 loaves of bread.  One man will be carrying a bottle of wine.
[3] Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:


The men will say hello to Saul. Then they will give him 2 loaves of bread.
[4] And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.


Next, Saul will go to a town where the Philistines have a camp.  As he goes into the town, a group of prophets will be coming out of the town.  The prophets will be playing music. They will also be telling about the future.
[5] After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:


Then God's spirit will be on Saul. Saul will also start to tell the future.  Saul will become like a different person.
[6] And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.
 

When all of these things happen, Saul should do what he thinks is best.  God will be helping him.
[7] And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

Then Saul should go to Gilgal. Samuel said he will also go to Gilgal later to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings.  Samuel will come 7 days later. Then Samuel will tell Saul what do do next.
[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 shew thee what thou shalt do.
 

Saul left Samuel.  God made Samuel feel different. Everything that Samuel told him came true.
[9] And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

When Saul was at the hill, the group of prophets met him. God's spirit was on Saul. He was telling about the future.
[10] And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.


Some people who knew Saul in the past saw him telling the future. They were surprised because Saul never did this before. They wondered what happened to him. They wondered if he is now a prophet.
[11] And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?


Another person said that the other prophets did not come from special families. Their fathers were not prophets. It is the same with Saul. Saul's father is not a prophet, but now Saul can prophesy and tell the future.
[12] And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?


After Saul finished prophesying and telling the future, he went to the place to worship God.
13] And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.


Saul's uncle saw him and his worker. He asked Saul where they had been. Saul said they went to look for the lost donkeys. When they couldn't find the donkeys, they went to see Samuel.
[14] And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye? And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we came to Samuel.


Saul's uncle asked him what Samuel said to him.
[15] And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you.


Saul said that Samuel told them the donkeys were safe. But Saul did not tell his uncle everything. He did not tell him the other part that Samuel told him. He did not tell his uncle that Samuel said he will be the king.  
[16] And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told him not.

God shows the Israelites that He chose Saul to be the king.

Samuel  had a big meeting with the Israelites in the place called Mizpeh.
[17] And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
 

Samuel told the Israelites what God said.  God said that He brought the Israelites up out of Egypt. He saved them from the Egyptians and other groups of people. The Israelites were not slaves anymore.
[18] And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:


God said that He saved them, but now the Israelites reject Him. They want a king.  Now, God will show them their new king.  First, the tribes should come. God will show Samuel which tribe to pick.
[19] And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands.
 

Samuel picked out the Benjamin tribe.  Then he picked the family of Matri from the families of the Benjamin tribe. Then he picked Saul (his father was Kish). But Saul was not there.
[20] And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
[21] When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.


The Israelites asked God if Saul was there. God said that Saul was hiding.  
[22] Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.


They went and found Saul. He was taller than any of the other people.
[23] And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.


Samuel told the Israelites to look at Saul.  God chose Saul for Israel's king. No one else is like him. All of the Israelites yelled, "God save the king."
[24] And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.


Samuel told the people the rules about having a king. He wrote them in a book. He put the book in God's holy place.  Then Samuel told all of the Israelites to go back home.
[25] Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.


Saul went home to Gibeah. Some men went with him.  God touched the hearts of these men. This means that God changed them so that they wanted to go with Saul.
[26] And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.
 

Some of the people in that area were talking about Saul. These people were not good. They did not like Saul.  They did not think Saul would help them. They did not bring any gifts for Saul. But Saul did not say anything to them.
[27] But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.
 

1Samuel 11


The Ammonites invade the tribe of Mannaseh's land. Saul leads the Israelite army to defeat the Ammonites.


Jabesh-gilead was in the tribe of Mannaseh's land. It was on the east side of the Jordan River.  Nahash was an Ammonite king. He made a camp near the area of Jabesh-gilead. The men in Jabesh wanted to make a deal with Nahash so that he wouldn't destroy them. They promised they would serve him.
[1] Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
 

Nahash said that he would make a deal with them. But they must let him poke out the right eye of every man. Then the other Israelites will see their missing eyes. The other Israelites will feel bad that they did not save them.
[2] And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.

The leaders of Jabesh asked Nahash to wait for 7 days. They wanted to send messages to the other tribes in Israel.  They would wait for 7 days. They would wait for the other Israelites to come save them.  If 7 days passed and no one helped, they would agree to Nahash's deal.
[3] And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.


The people in Jabesh sent a message to the place called Gibeah.  Gibeah was Saul's home.  The people in Gibeah heard about the people in Jabesh. They were crying very loudly.  Saul was working with the animals on his farm. Then he came out and asked why everyone was crying.  They told Saul about what happened in Jabesh.
[4] Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.
[5] And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh.

God's spirit was on Saul. He became very angry when he heard about the problem in Jabesh.
[6] And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly.


Saul and Samuel will fight Nahash. Saul took 2 oxen. He cut them into pieces. He sent pieces of the oxen all over Israel.  He wanted the Israelite men to come and help him and Samuel fight Nahash and the Ammonites. He said if the people don't come to help fight, he will cut them up the same as the oxen.
[7] And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.


The men met in Bezek. 300,000 men came to help fight. 32,000 of the men came from the tribe of Judah.
[8] And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.


The Israelites sent a message to the people in Jabesh-gilead.  The message said that the Israelites will help them by tomorrow morning. The men in Jabesh were very happy to get the message.
[9] And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.


The men in Jabesh told Nahash that they will come out the next day. Then Nahash can do anything he wants to them.
[10] Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.


The next day, Saul divided the Israelite soldiers into 3 groups. They attacked Nahash's army in the morning.  They killed the Ammonites from the morning until the afternoon when the weather was hot. Some Ammonites lived, but they were scattered by themselves. None of them were together.
[11] And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.

Earlier (above in chapter 10, verse 27), some men said they did not like Saul. They did not think he would be a good king.  Now, other people wanted to kill those men.
[12] And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.


Saul said no. He said no one will be killed. Today, God saved Israel.
[13] And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.


Samuel told everyone to come with him. They will go to the place named Gilgal. They will have a special ceremony for Saul.
[14] Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.


Everyone went to Gilgal. They had a ceremony and made Saul the king.  They offered sacrifices for peace offerings to God. Everyone was happy and celebrated.
[15] And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
 

1Samuel 12


Samuel talks to the Israelites and tells them that they sinned when they asked for a king.


Samuel talked to the Israelites at Gilgal. All his life, he has served Israel.  He said that he is old now. His sons are grown. He said that he did what the Israelites wanted. He made Saul their king. 
[1] And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
[2] And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.

Samuel asked  if he had ever done anything wrong to them. If anyone knew anything he did wrong, he wanted them to tell it now. He wanted God and Saul to be their witnesses.  Samuel asked if he ever stole anyone's donkeys or cattle.  He asked if he ever cheated anyone. He asked if he ever took money to influence his decisions. He asked if he ever treated anyone badly.
[3] Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.


The Israelites answered. They said Samuel never cheated, stole, or treated them badly.
[4] And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.

Samuel said that God and Saul have heard them. They said Samuel did not do any wrong things.  The Israelites answered that this is true.
[5] And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.


Samuel reminded the Israelites about God helping them. God made Moses and Aaron their leaders. Then God brought their ancestors out of Egypt.
[6] And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.


Samuel told them to think about other things God has done to help the Israelites.
[7] Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.


After Jacob's family moved into Egypt, the Egyptians were bad to them. They cried and prayed for God to help them. Then God sent Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron helped the Israelites leave Egypt. He brought them to live in Canaan.
[8] When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

Later, the Israelites did not worship God.  Then God allowed other groups of people to fight wars with them. They had wars with the Canaanites, the Philistines, and the Moabites.
[9] And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.


The Israelites cried to God. They told God they sinned and worshiped false gods. They asked God to help them fight the wars. They promised they would serve God and work for Him.
[10] And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.


God sent leaders to help Israel fight. He sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel. They won the wars. Then they were safe again.
[11] And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.


Then Nahash and the Ammonites came to fight a war. The Israelites should have trusted God. God was their king. But they said they wanted a new king.
[12] And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king.


Now they have a king. God gave them a king, and the king will control Israel.
[13] Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.


If the people continue to serve God and obey His laws, the king and the people will continue following God.
[14] If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:


But if the Israelites do not obey God and His rules, God will be against them.
[15] But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.


Samuel told them to watch. He was getting ready to show them God's power.
[16] Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.


The weather was dry. It was time to pick the wheat. But Samuel said he will ask God to make it rain and storm.  Then the Israelites will see that they did something very wrong. They will see that it was wrong to ask for a king.
[17] Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.


Samuel prayed to God. God made it thunder and rain.  All of the Israelites were afraid of God and Samuel.
[18] So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.


The Israelites asked Samuel to pray for them. They did not want to die. They could see that they had sinned many times in the past. Now they sinned again. It was wrong to ask for a king.
[19] And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.


Samuel told them they should not be afraid. They should serve God with all of their hearts. They should not worship statues and false gods.  Statues and false gods have no power.
[20] And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
[21] And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.


God will not leave His people, the Israelites. God chose the Israelites.  He will take care of them.
[22] For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.


Samuel said he will not sin.  He will continue to pray for the Israelites. He will show them how to live the good and right way
[23] Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:


They should always serve God and respect him. They should remember the good things He has done for them.
[24] Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.


But if the Israelites behave badly, they will be destroyed. Their king will be destroyed, too.
[25] But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.