Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: God choose and Samuel anoints a man named Saul as king over Israel, and Samuel warns the people of the result of their disobedience.
We are introduced to the most handsome and tallest man of Israel, a Benjamite named Saul. His father tells him to go look for donkeys, but he doesn't find them. About to return, his servant urges him to visit a man of God for guidance. They debate what to bring and decide to bring 1/4 a shekel of silver. And prophets are called seers in those day. Along they way, they meet women going to draw water, and they ask about the seer, and they tell them where to find him. They see Samuel on his way toward the high place. And the day before, "the Lord had told Samuel, in his hear that 'Tomorrow, about this time, I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over the people to save them from the Philistines,'" because He has heard their cry. When Samuel sees Saul, the Lord tells him that he is the one who will reign over Israel. Saul asks Samuel where the seer's house is, and Samuel tells him who he is and to go before him to the high place and eat with him. The next day, he will tell let him go and "tell him all that is in [his] heart." He also tells him his donkeys have been found and that the desire of Israel is on him. But Saul says his tribe is the smallest, and his family the least. Samuel has them sit in the place of honor, and he tells the cook to bring him the best portion. Once they come down from the high place to the city, Samuel speaks to Saul on the roof. The next day at dawn, he tells him to get up so he may send him on his way. He tells him to have his servant to go on ahead of them so he can give him the word of the Lord.
Samuel takes a flask of oil and pours it over Saul's head and kisses him and says the Lord has anointed him commander over His inheritance. He tells him he will find two men by Rachel's tomb who will find the donkeys and tell Saul that his father is worried about him. Then, he will go to the terebinth tree at Tabor where three men going to God will meet him, one with a goat, one with bread, and one with wine to give him provisions. Then he will come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is, and he will meet a group of prophets with musical instruments who will prophesy. Then, the Lord's Spirit will come upon him, and he will prophesy with them and "be changed into another person completely." He tells him that when these signs come upon him, he must "do as the occasion demands" because "God is with [him.]" He says will go before him to Gilgal, and Saul will go before him to make offerings, and he must wait for him seven days until he shows Samuel comes and shows him what to do. And it says that when Saul turns his back to go from Samuel, "God [gives] him another heart," and all the signs came to pass that same day. When all who know him see him prophesying among the prophets, they wonder what has happened to him. And the phrase "Is Saul also among the prophets?" becomes a proverb. At the high place, Saul's uncle asks him where he went, and he tells him he saw Samuel. When his uncle asks what Samuel said, he just tells him the part about the donkeys. Then, Samuel calls the people at Mizpah and gives them the word of the Lord. The Lord says they have rejected him and asked for a king, so they are to present themselves before the Lord. The Lord calls the tribe of Benjamin forward, then Saul's family, and then Saul. At first, they cannot find him, but the Lord tells them where he is. Samuel says to the people the Lord has chosen him, and they all shout, "Long live the king!" Samuel explains to the people the behavior of royalty and writes it in a book and lays it before the Lord, and then they all depart. "Valiant men" go with Saul to Gibeah his hometown, men "whose hearts God had touched." But there are some rebels who refuse to brings him gifts. However, Saul "[holds] his peace."
Nahash comes up against Jabesh Gilead, and they say they will only make a covenant with Israel if they can tear out their right eyes and bring reproach on all Israel. In response, Israels asks if they can wait seven days to send messengers to see if anyone can save them, and if not, they will come. Saul is brought word, and the people wail aloud and weep. Saul is coming from the field and asks why they are weeping, and they tell him, and God's Spirit comes on him and he is angered, and so he cuts oxen in pieces and sends them throughout Israel with the message: "Whoever does not come out with Saul and Samuel to fight with Israel, this will be done to his oxen." 330,000 men of Israel come out, and they send word to the city that they will help them, and the people are glad. Saul divides them into three companies, and they kill the Ammonites all that day, so all of them are scattered. The people ask Samuel who put Saul over them so that they may put them to death, but Samuel says that the Lord has accomplished salvation that day in Israel, and he says to the people to come to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there, and there they make Saul king and make sacrifices. And Saul and all Israel rejoice greatly.
Samuel tells Israel that he has listened to them in giving them a king. He tells them he is old and served them all his life faithfully, and they agree. He tells them to stand still so he may reason with the Lord concerning all the righteous acts of the Lord that He did to them and their fathers. He reminds them of all God did for their fathers and how many times He delivered them, but how they demanded a king even though the Lord their God was their KIng. He tells them to take note that the Lord listened to them, and that if they fear the Lord and obey His voice, both they and their king will continue following the Lord. However, if they disobey the Lord, His hand will be against them as it was against their fathers. He says, "Stand and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes.," He says the Lord will send thunder and rain as a sign that "[their] wickedness is great... that [they] have done evil in the sight of the Lord in asking a king for [themselves]." And Samuel cries to the Lord, and He sends thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly fear the Lord and Samuel, and they ask Samuel to pray for them so that they may not die, because they realize they have added to all their sins in asking for a king. He tells them not to fear. Yes, they have done all this wickedness, but he tells them only not to turn aside from following the Lord, but to serve Him with all their heart, and not to "go after empty things which can't profit or deliver, for they are nothing." He says the Lord will not forsake His people, "for His great Name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make [them] His people...." And, "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. And I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth will all your heart. For consider what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you will be swept away, both you and your king."
Thoughts/discussion questions:
Sometimes, God gives us what we want to our own detriment. We should ask God for His will for us over our own, since He knows what is best for us and others in light of eternity.