1 Samuel 10:17-27

Saul Proclaimed King

17 Now Samuel called the people together ¹to the LORD ²at Mizpah.

18 And he said to the people of Israel, ³"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.'

19 ⁴But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, 'Set a king over us.' Now therefore ⁵present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands."

20 Then Samuel ⁶brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.

21 He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot;^[a] and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found.

22 ⁷So they inquired again of the LORD, "Is there a man still to come?" and the LORD said, "Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage."

23 Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, ⁸he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.

24 And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him ⁹whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among all the people." And all the people shouted, ¹⁰"Long live the king!"

25 Then Samuel told the people ¹¹the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home.

26 Saul also went to his home ¹²at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched.

27 But some ¹³worthless fellows said, "How can this man save us?" And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

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.

Cross References

• 1. [1 Samuel 11:15]
• 2. 1 Samuel 7:5, 6
• 3. Judges 6:8, 9; [1 Samuel 12:8]
• 4. 1 Samuel 8:7, 19; 1 Samuel 12:12
• 5. Joshua 24:1
• 6. Josh. 7:14, 16, 17
• 7. See 1 Samuel 22:10
• 8. 1 Samuel 9:2
• 9. 2 Samuel 21:6
• 10. 2 Samuel 16:16; 1 Kings 1:25, 39; 2 Kings 11:12; 2 Chronicles 23:11
• 11. See 1 Samuel 8:11-18; Deuteronomy 17:14-20
• 12. 1 Samuel 11:4
• 13. 1 Samuel 2:12; Deuteronomy 13:13

Footnotes

• [a]. Septuagint adds finally he brought the family of the Matrites near, man by man