NOTES for Sa1 9:1-27

The people did not agree with Samuel's arguments. Yet their respect for and trust in Samuel remain great; it is he whom the people recognize as the only person worthy to appoint a king, not only because of Samuel's priestly and prophetic ministry, but also because of his personal qualities.

The Lord's choice, revealed to Samuel, fell upon Saul. The candidate for kingship is called from the tribe of Benjamin, which not long before had been brutally crushed by its brothers and had probably not yet fully recovered. Within that tribe, Saul's clan was one of the smallest. Once again the Lord sends into a responsible ministry not someone strong or noble, not the one the public expects. But the Lord has His own reasons. Again and again He allows us to see that His power and wisdom are fulfilled amid apparent weakness and often seem incomprehensible, while possessing a meaning that will be revealed later.