Saul Proclaimed King

¹⁷ Then Samuel called the people together ^(A)to the Lord ^(B)at Mizpah, ¹⁸ and said to the children of Israel, ^(C)“Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all kingdoms and from those who oppressed you.’ ^19 (D)But you have today rejected your God, who Himself saved you from all your adversities and your tribulations; and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us!’ Now therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your ^[a]clans.”

²⁰ And when Samuel had ^(E)caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. ²¹ When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. ²² Therefore they ^(F)inquired of the Lord further, “Has the man come here yet?”

And the Lord answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.”

²³ So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, ^(G)he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. ²⁴ And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him ^(H)whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?”

So all the people shouted and said, ^(I)“Long^[b] live the king!”

²⁵ Then Samuel explained to the people ^(J)the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. ²⁶ And Saul also went home ^(K)to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. ^27 (L)But some ^(M)rebels said, “How can this man save us?” So they despised him, ^(N)and brought him no presents. But he ^[c]held his peace.