But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”
Comment: The people’s mind had been firmly decided. They wanted a king! This king was to be the judge (a slap on the face to Samuel!); they wanted to be like the other nations (even though God had called them to be different!); they wanted a warrior king. God told Samuel to do as the masses wanted, and Samuel dismissed them to go home and wait.
There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
Comment: The first person who comes up for pre-selection is from a wealthy family, extremely handsome and huge. This Saul son of the wealthy Kish looks like an ideal candidate. I wonder if wealth, good looks and size make a king a good king?
Prayer: We get to vote in many of our countries these days, help us to choose our leaders wisely, O God.
As I read it! 