Saul Proclaimed King17Now Samuel called the people togetherto theLordat Mizpah.18And he said to the people of Israel,Thus says theLord, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.19But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, Set a king over us. Now thereforepresent yourselves before theLordby your tribes and by your thousands.20Then Samuelbrought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.21He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot;[a]and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found.22So they inquired again of theLord, Is there a man still to come? and theLordsaid, Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.23Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people,he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.24And Samuel said to all the people, Do you see himwhom theLordhas chosen? There is none like him among all the people. And all the people shouted,Long live the king!25Then Samuel told the peoplethe rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before theLord. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home.26Saul also went to his homeat Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched.27But someworthless fellows said, How can this man save us? And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.