21. Samuel told each family in the tribe of Benjamin to pass by. Matri’s family was chosen. Then Samuel told each man in Matri’s family to walk by. Saul son of Kish was chosen. But when the people looked for Saul, they could not find him.
22. Then they asked the Lord, “Has Saul come here yet?” The Lord said, “Saul is hiding behind the supplies.”
23. The people ran and took Saul out from behind the supplies. Saul stood up among the people. He was a head taller than anyone else.
24. Samuel said to all the people, “See the man the Lord has chosen. There is no one like Saul among the people.” Then the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
25. Samuel explained the rules of the kingdom to the people. He wrote the rules in a book and put the book before the Lord. Then Samuel told the people to go home.
26. Saul also went to his home in Gibeah. God touched the hearts of brave men who then began to follow Saul.
27. But some troublemakers said, “How can this man save us?” They said bad things about Saul and refused to bring gifts to him. But Saul said nothing. King Nahash of the Ammonites had been hurting the tribes of Gad and Reuben. Nahash poked out the right eye of each of the men and did not allow anyone to help them. He poked out the right eye of every Israelite man living in the area east of the Jordan River. But 7000 Israelite men ran away from the Ammonites and came to Jabesh Gilead.