² When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by ^(A)Rachel's tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ^(B)‘The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now ^(C)your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?”’

⁷ Now when ^(A)these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, ^(B)for God is with you.

⁹ When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day.

²¹ He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot;^[a] and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. ^22 (A)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, ^(B)he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. ²⁴ And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him ^(C)whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, ^(D)“Long live the king!”

²⁵ Then Samuel told the people ^(E)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 ^(F)at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched. ²⁷ But some ^(G)worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.