1 Samuel 10 · Verse 1

1 Samuel 10:1

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?
1 Samuel 10:1, King James Version

1 Samuel 10:1 in other translations

BSBThen Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?
WEBThen Samuel took the vial of oil and poured it on his head, then kissed him and said, “Hasn’t the LORD anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?
ASVThen Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not that Jehovah hath anointed thee to be prince over his inheritance?
YLTAnd Samuel taketh the vial of the oil, and poureth on his head, and kisseth him, and saith, ‘Is it not because Jehovah hath appointed thee over His inheritance for leader?
DARBYThen Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because Jehovah has anointed thee prince over his inheritance?
BBEThen Samuel took the bottle of oil, and put the oil on his head and gave him a kiss and said, Is not the Lord with the holy oil making you ruler over Israel, his people? and you will have authority over the people of the Lord, and you will make them safe from the hands of their attackers round about them, and this will be the sign for you:
WebsterThen 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?

What does 1 Samuel 10:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
1Sa 10:1-27. Samuel Anoints Saul, and Confirms Him by the Prediction of Three Signs. 1. Then Samuel took a vial of oil--This was the ancient (Jud 9:8) ceremony of investiture with the royal office among the Hebrews and other Eastern nations. But there were two unctions to the kingly office; the one in private, by a prophet (1Sa 16:13), which was meant to be only a prophetic intimation of the person attaining that high dignity--the more public and formal inauguration (2Sa 2:4; 5:3) was performed by the high priest, and perhaps with the holy oil, but that is not certain. The first of a dynasty was thus anointed, but not his heirs, unless the succession was disputed (1Ki 1:39; 2Ki 11:12; 23:30; 2Ch 23:11). kissed him--This salutation, as explained by the words that accompanied it, was an act of respectful homage, a token of congratulation to the new king (Psa 2:12).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Samuel anoints Saul captain of the Lord's inheritance, 1Sam 10:1. Instructs him concerning his return home, whom he should meet, and what he should do, 1Sam 10:2-8. Saul meets a company of prophets, the Spirit of the Lord comes on him, and he prophesies among them, 1Sam 10:9-13. He meets his uncle, and converses with him, 1Sam 10:14-16. Samuel calls the people together to Mizpeh, and upbraids them for having rejected the Lord as their king, 1Sam 10:17-19. Lots are cast to find out the person proper to be appointed king; Saul is chosen, 1Sam 10:20-24. Samuel shows the manner of the king, and writes it in a book, 1Sam 10:25. Saul goes to Gibeah; and certain persons refuse to acknowledge him as king, 1Sam 10:26, 1Sam 10:27. Verse 1 Took a vial of oil - The reasons of this rite the reader will find largely stated in the note on Exo 29:7. The anointing mentioned here took place in the open field. See the preceding chapter, 1Sam 9:26-27 (note). How simple was the ancient ceremony of consecrating a king! A prophet or priest poured oil upon his head, and kissed him; and said, Thus the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance. This was the whole of the ceremony. Even in this anointing, Saul is not acknowledged as king, but simply נגיד nagid, a captain - one who goes before and leads the people.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 10:1-8
The sacred anointing, then used, pointed at the great Messiah, or Anointed One, the King of the church, and High Priest of our profession, who was anointed with the oil of the Spirit, not by measure, but without measure, and above all the priests and princes of the Jewish church. For Saul's further satisfaction, Samuel gives him some signs which should come to pass the same day. The first place he directs him to, was the sepulchre of one of his ancestors; there he must be reminded of his own mortality, and now that he had a crown before him, must think of his grave, in which all his honour would be laid in the dust. From the time of Samuel there appears to have been schools, or places where pious young men were brought up in the knowledge of Divine things. Saul should find himself strongly moved to join with them, and should be turned into another man from what he had been. The Spirit of God changes men, wonderfully transforms them. Saul, by praising God in the communion of saints, became another man, but it may be questioned if he became a new man.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Samuel 10:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּקַּ֨חvai.yi.Kachand he tookH3947
שְׁמוּאֵ֜לshe.mu.'ElSamuelH8050
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
פַּ֥ךְpakh[the] flask ofH6378
הַשֶּׁ֛מֶןha.She.men<the> oilH8081
וַיִּצֹ֥קvai.yi.Tzokand he poured [it]H3332
עַל\־'al-onH5921
רֹאשׁ֖וֹro.Shohead hisH7218
וַיִּשָּׁקֵ֑הוּvai.yi.sha.Ke.huand he kissed himH5401
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
הֲל֗וֹאha.Lo'¿ In-H3808
כִּֽי\־ki-deedH3588
מְשָׁחֲךָ֧me.sha.cha.Khahe has anointed youH4886
יְהוָ֛הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לְנָגִידle.na.Gidto rulerH5057
עַל\־'al-overH5921
עַמּוֹa.Mopeople hisH5971
עַל\־'al-overH5921
יִשְׂרָאֵלYis.ra.'Elof IsraelH3478
וְאַתָּהve.'a.Tahand youH859
תַעְצֹרta'.Tzorshe will retainH6113
בְּעַםbe.'Amamong a peopleH5971
יְהוָהYah.wehYahwehH3068
וְאַתָּהve.'a.Tahand youH859
תוֹשִׁיעֶֽנּוּto.shi.'E.nuyou deliver himH3467
מִיַּדmi.Yadfrom [the] hand ofH3027
אֹיְבָיו'o.ye.Vavenemies itsH341
מִסָּבִיבmi.sa.Vivfrom round aboutH5439
וְזֶהve.zeh-and thisH2088
לְךָle.Khaof you
הָאוֹתha.'ot[will be] the signH226
מְשָֽׁחֲךָme.sha.cha.Khahe has anointed youH4886
יְהוָהYah.wehYahwehH3068
עַל\־'al-overH5921
נַחֲלָת֖וֹna.cha.la.Toinheritance hisH5159
לְנָגִֽיד\׃le.na.Gidto rulerH5057

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 10:1

  • 1 Samuel 16:13

    Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

  • Psalms 78:71

    From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

  • 1 Samuel 9:16

    To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

  • Psalms 2:12

    Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

  • Acts 13:21

    And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

  • Deuteronomy 32:9

    For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

  • 2 Kings 9:3-6

    Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not. So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth–gilead. And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain. And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel.

  • 1 Samuel 26:11

    The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

  • 2 Kings 20:5

    Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.

  • 2 Kings 9:1

    And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth–gilead:

  • Hebrews 2:10

    For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

  • 2 Samuel 5:2

    Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Samuel anoints Saul.
2 He confirms him by prediction of three signs.
9 Saul's heart is changed, and he prophesies.
14 He conceals the matter of the kingdom from his uncle.
17 Saul is chosen at Mizpeh by lot.
26 The different affections of his subjects.

a vial.
2:10; 9:16; 16:13; 24:6; 26:11; 2Ki 9:3-6; Ac 13:21; Re 5:8
kissed him.
2Sa 19:39; 1Ki 19:18; Ps 2:12; Ho 13:2; 1Th 5:26
captain.
8:9,19; 13:14; Jos 5:14,15; 2Sa 5:2; 2Ki 20:5; Heb 2:10
his inheritance.
Ex 19:5,6; De 32:9; Ps 78:71; 135:4; Jer 10:16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 10:1

    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?

  • 1 Samuel 10:2

    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?

Read all of 1 Samuel 10

1 Samuel 10:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		TOMANDO entonces Samuel una ampolla de aceite, derramóla sobre su cabeza, y besólo, y díjole: ¿No te ha ungido Jehová por capitán sobre su heredad?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Samuel prit une fiole d’huile et la versa sur la tête de Saül, et il l’embrassa, et dit: L’ Éternel ne t’a-t-il pas oint pour prince sur son héritage?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Samuel nahm die Ölflasche und goß sie aus auf sein Haupt, und er küßte ihn und sprach: Ist es nicht also, daß Jehova dich zum Fürsten über sein Erbteil gesalbt hat?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tulit autem Samuel lenticulam olei, et effudit super caput ejus: et deosculatus est eum, et ait: Ecce unxit te Dominus super hæreditatem suam in principem, et liberabis populum suum de manibus inimicorum ejus qui in circuitu ejus sunt. Et hoc tibi signum, quia unxit te Deus in principem.