²¹ Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe^(A) of Israel, and is not my clan the least^(B) of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin?^(C) Why do you say such a thing to me?”

¹⁷ Samuel said, “Although you were once small^(A) in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel.

⁴⁶ On that day twenty-five thousand Benjamite^(A) swordsmen fell, all of them valiant fighters. ⁴⁷ But six hundred of them turned and fled into the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, where they stayed four months. ⁴⁸ The men of Israel went back to Benjamin and put all the towns to the sword, including the animals and everything else they found. All the towns they came across they set on fire.^(B)

⁸ Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people,^(A) this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles^(B) the boundless riches of Christ,^(C)

¹¹ For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”^(A)

The Lord’s Anger Against Israel

²³ They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law?^(A) I’m only a poor man and little known.”

¹⁸ But David said to Saul, “Who am I,^(A) and what is my family or my clan in Israel, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?^(B)”