1 Samuel 10:17-25

New Catholic Bible

¹⁷ Saul Is Chosen King.^[a] Samuel summoned the people of Israel to Mizpah. ¹⁸ He said to the Israelites, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I brought Israel up from Egypt and delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians and all of the nations that oppressed you.’ ¹⁹ But today you have rejected your God who himself delivers you from all of your adversities and difficulties. You have said to him, ‘Appoint a king over us.’ Now present yourselves before the Lord by tribes and by clans.”

²⁰ When Samuel had all of the tribes of Israel approach him, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. ²¹ Then he had the tribe of Benjamin approach him clan by clan, and the clan of Matri was chosen. Finally Saul, the son of Kish, was chosen. But when they looked for him, he could not be found. ²² They then asked the Lord, “Has the man arrived yet?” The Lord answered, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” ²³ They ran and brought him back from there. When he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of them. ²⁴ Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see whom the Lord has chosen? There is no one else like him among the people.” All the people cried out, “Long live the king.”

²⁵ Samuel instructed the people concerning the ordinances of the kingdom. He wrote this in a book and placed it before the Lord. Then Samuel dismissed all of the people, each to his own home.