1 Samuel 10:17-27 Meaning: The King Who Hid Among the Baggage
17Samuel called the people together to Yahweh to Mizpah;
18and he said to the children of Israel, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says ‘I brought Israel up out of Egypt and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’
19But you have today rejected your God, who himself saves you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said to him, ‘No! Set a king over us!’ Now therefore present yourselves before Yahweh by your tribes and by your thousands.”
20So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.
21He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families and the family of the Matrites was chosen. Then Saul the son of Kish was chosen; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.
22Therefore they asked of Yahweh further, “Is there yet a man to come here?” Yahweh answered, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”
23They ran and got him there. When he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
24Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom Yahweh has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” All the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
25Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before Yahweh. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
26Saul also went to his house in Gibeah; and the army went with him, whose hearts God had touched.
27But certain worthless fellows said, “How could this man save us?” They despised him, and brought him no tribute. But he held his peace.
17And Samuel called the people together unto the Lord to Mizpeh;
18And 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:
19And 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.
20And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.
22Therefore 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.
23And 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.
24And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.
25Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, 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.
26And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.
27But 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.
17And Samuel called the people together unto Jehovah to Mizpah;
18and he said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you:
19but ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Jehovah by your tribes, and by your thousands.
20So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found.
22Therefore they asked of Jehovah further, Is there yet a man to come hither? And Jehovah answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage.
23And 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.
24And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Jehovah hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, Long live the king.
25Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
26And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the host, whose hearts God had touched.
27But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.
17And Samuel calleth the people unto Jehovah to Mizpeh,
18and saith unto the sons of Israel, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I have brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I deliver you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms who are oppressing you;
19and ye to-day have rejected your God, who is Himself your saviour out of all your evils and your distresses, and ye say, `Nay, but--a king thou dost set over us; and now, station yourselves before Jehovah, by your tribes, and by your thousands.'
20And Samuel bringeth near the whole tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin is captured,
21and he bringeth near the tribe of Benjamin by its families, and the family of Matri is captured, and Saul son of Kish is captured, and they seek him, and he hath not been found.
22And they ask again at Jehovah, `Hath the man yet come hither?' and Jehovah saith, `Lo, he hath been hidden near the vessels.'
23And they run and bring him thence, and he stationed himself in the midst of the people, and he is higher than any of the people from his shoulder and upward.
24And Samuel saith unto all the people, `Have ye seen him on whom Jehovah hath fixed, for there is none like him among all the people?' And all the people shout, and say, `Let the king live!'
25And Samuel speaketh unto the people the right of the kingdom, and writeth in a book, and placeth before Jehovah; and Samuel sendeth all the people away, each to his house.
26And also Saul hath gone to his house, to Gibeah, and the force go with him whose heart God hath touched;
27and the sons of worthlessness have said, `What! this one doth save us!' and they despise him, and have not brought to him a present; and he is as one deaf.
17And Samuel called the people together to Jehovah to Mizpah.
18And he said to the children of Israel, Thus saith Jehovah, the 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 the kingdoms that oppressed you;
19but ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your troubles, and have said unto him, [Nay,] but a king shalt thou set over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Jehovah by your tribes, and by your thousands.
20And Samuel caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
21And he caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, and the family of Matri was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken. And they sought him, but he was not to be found.
22Therefore they inquired of Jehovah further, Will the man yet come hither? And Jehovah answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage.
23And 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.
24And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Jehovah has chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted and said, May the king live.
25And Samuel told the people the right of the kingdom, and wrote it in the book, and laid it before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.
26And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and with him went the band, whose hearts God had touched.
27But the children of Belial said, How should this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no gifts. But he was as one deaf.
Meaning in one sentence
God chooses Saul as king, but he hides among the baggage. This passage shows divine calling, human reluctance, and our divided responses.
Context
After Samuel privately anointed Saul as king in the previous chapter, he now calls the entire nation to Mizpah. This was a place where Israel had gathered before, a location tied to repentance and prayer. Samuel begins by reminding the people that God rescued them from Egypt and from every oppressor. Yet they demanded a human king, rejecting God as their direct ruler. To confirm God's choice, Samuel has the tribes and families come forward by lot. The lot falls on the tribe of Benjamin, then on the family of Matri, and finally on Saul himself. But when they look for Saul, he is nowhere to be found. He is hiding among the baggage. The assembly runs to get him, and when Saul stands before them, he towers head and shoulders above everyone. Samuel presents him as the one the Lord has chosen, and the people shout, “Long live the king!” Samuel then writes down the rights and duties of the kingdom, places the document before the Lord, and sends everyone home. Saul returns to Gibeah with a band of men whose hearts God has touched, but others despise him and refuse to bring gifts. Saul says nothing in reply.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight of this passage. The first is ma'astem, “you have rejected,” from the root ma'as (H3988). It means to despise or refuse something or someone. Samuel uses this strong word to describe what Israel did: they rejected God as their king. It is not a mild disappointment. It is a deliberate turning away from the One who had saved them again and again. The second word is bachar (H0977), “he has chosen.” This word appears when Samuel points to Saul and says, “Do you see him whom Yahweh has chosen?” In Hebrew, bachar carries the sense of selecting or electing after careful consideration. God did not choose Saul based on his qualifications; He chose him for His own purposes. The third word is naga (H5060), “touched,” used of the men whose hearts God had touched. This verb means to reach or strike, as in a physical touch that leaves a mark. God’s touch on their hearts was not a gentle suggestion; it was a real, divine work that moved them to stand with Saul when others opposed him. Together, these words reveal a God who is rejected, who still chooses, and who personally moves people to respond.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this passage in different ways. Some Reformed and Protestant traditions emphasize that Israel’s demand for a king was a sinful rejection of God’s direct rule, and that God gave them a king in His anger while still working through the situation. They point to Samuel’s rebuke as central. Other traditions, including many Catholic and Orthodox readings, see this as part of God’s gradual plan to establish a monarchy that would eventually lead to David and, ultimately, to Christ the King. They note that Samuel still anoints Saul with God’s blessing and writes a covenant limiting the king’s power. Both views agree that God is sovereign over human failure and that He continues to guide His people even when they choose lesser things.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that Saul’s hiding proves he was humble and unwilling to lead. But the text does not interpret his motives. Commentators have suggested he may have hidden out of modesty, fear, or even a sense of unworthiness. The point of the detail is not Saul’s character but God’s choice: even when the chosen king hides, God reveals him. In fact, the story includes Saul’s silence at the end, which may show restraint, but the narrative does not praise or condemn him. The focus remains on God’s action through the lot, not on Saul’s readiness.
Living This Out
This week, you might feel hidden, unsure if you belong in the role God has given you. Maybe it is a new responsibility at work, a call to serve in your church, or a difficult conversation you need to have. Like Saul among the baggage, you may want to stay out of sight. But notice that the community went looking for him. God often uses other people to draw us into our calling. You do not need to have everything figured out. What matters is that God has chosen you, and He will provide the hearts to support you. Your part is to step forward when you are found, and to hold your peace when others doubt. That is enough for today.
Main takeaway: God chooses ordinary people, even when they hide, and He confirms His call through His community and His written word.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Saul was hiding among the bags because he was shy or scared. But God knew where he was and chose him anyway. Sometimes we feel like hiding, but God sees us and loves us.
For ages 9, 12
Saul hid when he was chosen to be king. It shows that God often calls people who feel unready or afraid. When you feel like you cannot do what God asks, remember that God does not choose perfect people. He chooses ordinary people and helps them become who He wants them to be. Like the men whose hearts God touched, you can also have the courage to support others even when it is hard.
Questions People Ask
Why did Saul hide among the baggage when he was chosen as king?
The text does not give Saul’s motive. Some commentators think he was being modest or humble, while others suggest he was afraid or felt unworthy. The point of the story is not Saul’s character but God’s choice: God knew where Saul was and revealed him to the people anyway.
What does it mean that the tribes were “taken” by lot?
The Hebrew verb lakad means “to capture” or “to take by lot.” Casting lots was a common Old Testament way of discerning God’s will. People believed that the outcome of the lot was directed by God (Proverbs 16:33). So when the lot fell on Benjamin and then on Saul, it was understood as God’s clear choice.
Who were “the children of Belial” who despised Saul?
“Children of Belial” is an Old Testament phrase for worthless or wicked people (H1100). It describes those who refused to acknowledge Saul’s authority. They questioned his ability to save them and withheld the customary gifts that showed loyalty. The term is not a proper name but a description of character.
What was “the manner of the kingdom” that Samuel wrote down?
This was a written document that defined the rights and duties of the king, probably based on Deuteronomy 17:14-20. It limited the king’s power and reminded both the king and the people that the king was subject to God’s law. Samuel placed it before the Lord as a lasting record.
How does this passage point to Jesus?
Many Christians see Saul as a flawed first king who prefigures the perfect King, Jesus. Both were chosen by God, both were initially rejected by some, and both had followers whose hearts God touched. But unlike Saul, Jesus never hid from His calling and perfectly fulfilled God’s will as the true King.
For pastors & researchers
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