¹⁷ The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;^{(A) 18} for about forty years he endured their conduct^[a](B) in the wilderness;^{(C) 19} and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan,^(D) giving their land to his people^(E) as their inheritance.^{(F) 20} All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges^(G) until the time of Samuel the prophet.^{(H) 21} Then the people asked for a king,^(I) and he gave them Saul^(J) son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin,^(K) who ruled forty years. ²² After removing Saul,^(L) he made David their king.^(M) God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;^(N) he will do everything I want him to do.’^(O)