1. Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying: “The Lord anoints you ruler over his people Israel. You are the one who will govern the Lord’s people and save them from the power of their enemies all around them. “This will be the sign for you that the Lord has anointed you ruler over his heritage:
2. When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you went to look for have been found. Now your father is no longer worried about the donkeys, but is anxious about you and says: What shall I do about my son?’
3. Farther on, when you arrive at the oak of Tabor, three men will meet you as they go up to God at Bethel; one will be bringing three young goats, another three loaves of bread, and the third a skin of wine.
4. They will greet you and offer you two elevated offerings of bread, which you should accept from them.
5. After that you will come to Gibeath-elohim, where the Philistine garrison is located. As you enter that city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place. They will be preceded by lyres, tambourines, flutes, and harps, and will be in prophetic ecstasy.
6. The spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will join them in their prophetic ecstasy and will become a changed man.
7. When these signs have come to pass, do whatever lies to hand, because God is with you.
8. Now go down ahead of me to Gilgal, for I shall come down to you, to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice communion offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you; I shall then tell you what you must do.”
9. As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart. That very day all these signs came to pass….
10. From there they arrived at Gibeah, where a band of prophets met Saul, and the spirit of God rushed upon him, so that he joined them in their prophetic ecstasy.
11. When all who had known him previously saw him in a prophetic state among the prophets, they said to one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
12. And someone from that district responded, “And who is their father?” Thus the saying arose, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”