Now the boy Samuel was growing up and finding favor both with the Lord and with people.

and the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord as well; the ark of God was also there.

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord; the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

Samuel continued to grow, and the Lord was with him. None of his prophecies fell to the ground unfulfilled. ¹ 

All Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba realized that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.

Then the Lord again appeared in Shiloh, for it was in Shiloh that the Lord had revealed himself to Samuel ¹  through the word of the Lord. ² 

Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord on your behalf.”

In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel.

So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king.

But the people refused to heed Samuel’s warning. ¹  Instead they said, “No! There will be a king over us!

So Samuel listened to everything the people said and then reported it to the Lord. ¹ 

So they went up to the town. As they were heading for the middle of the town, Samuel was coming in their direction ¹  to go up to the high place.

Now the day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told ¹  Samuel:

Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.” ¹ 

Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot.

Then the people said to Samuel, “Who were the ones asking, ‘Will Saul reign over us?’ Hand over those men so we may execute them!”

Samuel said to the people, “Come on! Let’s go to Gilgal and renew the kingship there.”

Just when he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel appeared on the scene. Saul went out to meet him and to greet him. ¹ 

Samuel replied, “If that is the case, ¹  then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?”

Then Samuel went to Ramah, while Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul.