1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1
Chapter 9
Kish had a son named Saul, a handsome young man who had no equal among the Israelites, for he was a head taller than any of them.
It happened that the donkeys of Kish were lost. So he said to his son Saul: “Take one of the boys with you and go look for the donkeys.”
They went all over the hill country of Ephraim and the land of Shalishah but did not find them. They passed through the land of Shaalim and the land of Benjamin, but the asses were nowhere to be seen.
So, when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him: “Here is the man I spoke to you about! He shall rule over my people.”
Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and said: “Tell me, where is the seer’s house?”
Samuel answered Saul: “I am the seer. Go ahead of me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me. Before you leave, I will tell you everything that is on your heart in the morning.
Chapter 10
Then Samuel poured a vial of oil on Saul’s head. And kissing Saul, Samuel said: “The Lord has anointed you to rule over and to lead his people, Israel. And this will be the Lord’s sign to you that he has anointed you.
Commentaries
Samuel and Saul.
The story of Saul’s election and anointing takes us back to a simple village life, where the overweight and naive Saul stands out in contrast to Samuel’s divine insight, which enables him to predict events and speak mysterious words. The story appears to unfold casually, through coincidence, but the fortunate events align with God’s plan, which Samuel gradually comes to understand in stages.
Anointing of Saul.
Without much ceremony, Samuel anoints Saul. He does not inform him of the responsibilities of the anointed one, choosing to reserve that for later communication (10:8); for now, Saul must pay attention to specific events in which the prophet’s words will prove true in one way or another.