1 Samuel 10:17-27

1 Samuel 10:17-27

[17] And Samuel  called  the people  together unto the LORD  to Mizpeh;  [18] And said  unto the children  of Israel,  Thus saith  the LORD  God  of Israel,  I brought up  Israel  out of Egypt,  and delivered  you out of the hand  of the Egyptians,  and out of the hand  of all kingdoms,  and of them that oppressed  you: [19] And ye have this day  rejected  your God,  who himself saved  you out of all your adversities  and your tribulations;  and ye have said  unto him, Nay, but set  a king  over us. Now therefore present  yourselves before  the LORD  by your tribes,  and by your thousands.  [20] And when Samuel  had caused all the tribes  of Israel  to come near,  the tribe  of Benjamin  was taken.  [21] When he had caused the tribe  of Benjamin  to come near  by their families,  of Matri  was taken,  and Saul  the son  of Kish  was taken:  and when they sought  him, he could not be found.  [22] Therefore they enquired  of the LORD  further, if the man  should yet come  thither.  And the LORD  answered,  Behold, he hath hid  himself among the stuff.  [23] And they ran  and fetched  him thence: and when he stood  among  the people,  he was higher  than any of the people  from his shoulders  and upward.  [24] And Samuel  said  to all the people,  See  ye him whom the LORD  hath chosen,  that there is none like him among all the people?  shouted,  and said,  God save  the king.  [25] Then Samuel  told  the people  the manner  of the kingdom,  and wrote  it in a book,  and laid it up  before  the LORD.  And Samuel  all the people  away,  every man  to his house.  [26] And Saul  also went  home  to Gibeah;  with him a band of men,  whose hearts  God  had touched.  [27] But the children  of Belial  said,  How shall this man save  us? And they despised  him, and brought  him no presents.  But he held his peace. 

What does 1 Samuel 10:17-27 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

"Saul"s rise to kingship over Israel took place in three distinct stages: He was (1) anointed by Samuel ( 1 Samuel 9:1 to 1 Samuel 10:16), (2) chosen by lot ( 1 Samuel 10:17-27), and (3) confirmed by public acclamation ( 1 Samuel 11:1-15). [1]
Saul"s anointing had been private, but his choice by lot was public.
Mizpah was the scene of Israel"s previous spiritual revival and victory over the Philistines ( 1 Samuel 7:5-13). Perhaps Samuel chose this site for Saul"s public presentation because of those events. As we have noted, the tabernacle may have been there as well. Samuel took the opportunity to remind Israel that Yahweh was Israel"s real deliverer so that the people would not put too much confidence in their new king ( 1 Samuel 10:18; cf. Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 5:6; Judges 6:8-9). He also reminded them of their rebellion against God"s will when they insisted on having a king ( 1 Samuel 10:19). [2]
The lot ( 1 Samuel 10:20) showed all Israel that Saul was God"s choice, not Samuel"s (cf. Joshua 7:14-18). That Isaiah , he was the king God permitted ( Proverbs 16:33). Was Saul hiding because he was humble or because he was afraid to assume the mantel of leadership? My judgment is that he was humble since there are other indications of this quality in chapters9,10 (cf. Proverbs 25:6-7).
". . . there seems to have been a modesty that was combined with a shy temperament." [3]
"If Saul had been an ambitious person, he would have been at the center of activity; and, even if he had been only an average person, he would at least have been available on the fringes of the crowd. Saul, however, had hidden himself, so that he would not be found." [4]
However, Saul may also have been wisely reluctant to assume the role and responsibilities of Israel"s king. The Lord had chosen Saul ( 1 Samuel 10:24) because He wanted him to be His instrument. Saul had the potential of becoming a great king of Israel. Consequently, Samuel commended him, and most of the people supported him ( 1 Samuel 10:24; 1 Samuel 10:27). They cried, "Long live the king!"
"It [5] represents now, as it did then, the enthusiastic hopes of the citizenry that their monarch may remain hale and hearty in order to bring their fondest dreams to fruition." [6]
The ancient tell (archaeological mound) of Gibeah ( 1 Samuel 10:26) now stands three miles north of the old city of Jerusalem, the buildings of which are clearly visible from Gibeah. It is now a northern "suburb" of Jerusalem.
God further blessed Saul by inclining the hearts of valiant men in Israel to support him. There were some, however, who did not support him. They were evidently looking on Saul"s natural abilities as essential to Israel"s success and were forgetting that Yahweh was the real source of her hope ( 1 Samuel 10:27; cf. Judges 6:15-16). Saul was a wise enough man not to demand acceptance by every individual in Israel (cf. Proverbs 14:29; Romans 12:19; James 1:19-20). The reason he failed later was not because he lacked wisdom.
Throughout these verses Saul behaved in an exemplary fashion. However notice that the writer made no reference to his regard for God or God"s Word. By every outward appearance, Saul was very capable of serving as Israel"s king. This is what the people wanted, a man similar to themselves to lead them, and that is exactly what God gave them.
". . . it remains very clear that God did not choose this king for Himself, but rather for the people. In other words, though God actually appointed Saul, Saul did not in the final analysis represent God"s choice, but the people"s choice." [7]
Yet God gave them a man with great personal strengths: Wisdom of Solomon , humility, sensitivity, physical attractiveness, and wealth. His gift of Saul was a good gift, as are all God"s gifts to His people ( Luke 11:9-13). God did not give Israel a time bomb just waiting to explode. Saul failed because of the choices he made, not because he lacked the qualities necessary to succeed.