Samuel took a flask of oil and anointed Saul’s head -- a sign of kingship. He told Saul that the donkeys he'd been searching for had been found, so there was no need to continue the hunt.

Instead, Samuel sent Saul to Bethel, the hill of God. It was a holy place, and the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant. Bethel represented a knowledge of celestial things. (See Arcana Coelestia 1453[2].)

Samuel told Saul that he would meet a group of prophets at Bethel. When Saul arrived there, he met them, and he immediately felt the Spirit of the Lord and prophesied with them. When Saul returned home, the people who knew him realized that something about him had changed. Had he become a prophet?

Then Samuel called the people together at Mizpah again as he had when they first asked for a king. He reminded them about how they had rejected the Lord. Then he began a selection process, drawing lots to determine who would be their first king. The tribe of Benjamin was chosen, then the family of Matri, and ultimately Saul. However, Saul was reluctant, and was hiding. They searched for him, found him, and brought him before the people. The people saw his outstanding appearance and height, and accepted him as someone suitable. Samuel explained how the kingdom would work, and also wrote it in a book. Then he sent the people to their own homes.

Right away, there were hints of future trouble. Some people, referred to as children of Belial, doubted that Saul was the man to lead them, and they did not bring him gifts.

The children of Belial symbolize false ideas that are derived from evil, hellish loves. They are associated with the worship of other gods.

In the Word, gifts symbolize an introduction, to “initiate goodwill and favour.” These people did not trust Saul, and didn’t try to create a good relationship with him. (See Arcana Coelestia 4262[2-3].)

It was important that the kings of Israel were anointed with oil. It was a mark of the representative role that they were to take. As mentioned in the previous chapter, they could not represent the Lord in the loving way that priests could. Instead, they could represent His truth. They could be examples of what it means to live by and enforce the law and to provide order.

The oil that Samuel used to anoint Saul also has a symbolic meaning. It represents the Lord as the good of love. (See Arcana Coelestia 9954[1, 10].) Swedenborg writes that the reason priests kings were anointed is that through this they represented the {w219}, in His Divine humanity. (See Apocalypse Revealed 779[2].)

In a number of places in Scripture it is said that each of us has been made “kings and priests to God.” (See especially Revelation 1:5 and 5:10.) This means that our lives can evolve, with the Lord’s guidance, so that everything about us can be an expression of both His love and His teachings, as they exist as a unity. This is what is means to become the “image and likeness of God” as described in Genesis 1:26.

4262. 'And took from what came into his hand a gift for Esau his brother' means Divine things that were to be introduced into celestial-natural good. This is clear from the meaning of 'taking from what came into his hand' as from what had been provided and supplied and so what had been supplied by Divine Providence - and since the things attributable to Divine Providence are Divine, 'taking from what came into his hand' here means things that are Divine; from the meaning of 'a gift' as introduction, dealt with below; and from the representation of 'Esau' as the good of the Divine Natural, dealt with in 3302, 3322, 3504, 3599, which in this case is celestial good, because the Natural had not yet been made Divine.

[2] The reason 'a gift' means introduction is that it was made to initiate goodwill and favour. Indeed in former times the gifts which were made and offered had differing meanings, the gifts presented by people to kings or priests when they went to them having one meaning, those offered on the altar another. The former meant introduction but the latter meant worship, 349, for all sacrifices in general of every kind were called 'gifts' while the minchahs, which were offerings of bread and wine, that is, of cakes accompanied by a libation, were specifically called such; for in the original language 'minchah' means a gift.

[3] The fact that gifts were presented to kings or priests when people went to them is clear from many places in the Word. Saul did so when he went to consult Samuel, 1 Samuel 9:7-8, whereas the men who despised Saul did not bring him any gift, 1 Samuel 10:27. And the Queen of Sheba brought a gift when she came to Solomon, 1 Kings 10:2, like everyone else, of whom the following is said,

The whole earth sought Solomon's presence to hear his wisdom; and every one brought his gift, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and garments and armour, and spices, horses and mules. 1 Kings 10:24-25.

And as this was a customary and holy practice, meaning introduction, the wise men from the east who came to Jesus soon after His birth brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, Matthew 2:11. 'Gold' meant celestial love, 'frankincense' spiritual love, and 'myrrh' those loves as they exist within the natural.

[4] Indeed this customary practice was commanded, as is clear in Moses, Jehovah's face shall not be seen by the empty-handed. Exodus 23:15; Deuteronomy 16:16-17.

Also, when gifts were presented to priests or kings it was as though they were presented to Jehovah, as may be seen from other places in the Word. As regards gifts that were sent meaning introduction, this is evident from the gifts which the twelve princes of Israel sent when the altar was introduced or dedicated after it had been anointed, Numbers 7:1-end. In Verse 88 of that chapter their gifts are actually called 'the dedication (or introduction) offering'.