1 Samuel 10:17-27

Saul Received as King

17 Samuel summoned the people to the Lord at Mizpah

18 and said to the Israelites, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'I brought Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.'

19 But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions. You said to Him, 'You^[a] must set a king over us.'^[b] Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans."

20 Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.

21 Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the Matrite clan was selected.^[c] Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected.^[d] But when they searched for him, they could not find him.

22 They again inquired of the Lord, "Has the man come here yet?" The Lord replied, "There he is, hidden among the supplies."

23 They ran and got him from there. When he stood among the people, he stood a head taller than anyone else.^[e]

24 Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see the one the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among the entire population." And all the people shouted,^[f] "Long live the king!"^[g]

25 Samuel proclaimed to the people the rights of kingship.^[h] He wrote them on a scroll, which he placed in the presence of the Lord.^[i] Then, Samuel sent all the people away, each to his home.

26 Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, and brave men whose hearts God had touched went with him.

27 But some wicked men said, "How can this guy save us?" They despised him and did not bring him a gift, but Saul said nothing.^[j][k]

1 Samuel 10:17-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 10

In this chapter we read of Saul's being anointed king by Samuel, 1Sa 10:1, and of certain signs given as confirming the same, which should come to pass, and did, before Saul got to his father's house, 1Sa 10:2-13, of his arrival at his father's house, and of what passed between him and his uncle there, 1Sa 10:14-16, of Samuel's calling all Israel together at Mizpeh, and of the election of Saul by lot to be king, and of his being declared such, 1Sa 10:17-25, and of his return to his city, being respected by some, and despised by others, 1Sa 10:26,27.

Footnotes

• [a]. Other Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg read You said, 'No, you . . .
• [b]. 1 Sm 8:19
• [c]. LXX adds And he had the Matrite clan come forward, man by man.
• [d]. Jos 7:16-18
• [e]. Lit people, and he was higher than any of the people from his shoulder and up
• [f]. LXX reads acknowledged and said
• [g]. 1 Kg 1:25,34,39
• [h]. 1 Sm 8:11-17
• [i]. Dt 17:18-20
• [j]. DSS add Nahash king of the Ammonites had been severely oppressing the Gadites and Reubenites. He gouged out the right eye of each of them and brought fear and trembling on Israel. Of the Israelites beyond the Jordan none remained whose right eye Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had not gouged out. But there were 7,000 men who had escaped from the Ammonites and entered Jabesh-gilead.
• [k]. Lit gift, and he was like a mute person