And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

1 SAMUEL 10:20KJV
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1 Samuel 10:20 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 10:20 mean?

1 Samuel 10:20 describes the moment when Samuel gathers all the tribes of Israel together, and through a selection process, the tribe of Benjamin is chosen. This is the first step in identifying Saul, who will become Israel’s first king, by narrowing down the group from which he will be selected.

Samuel, acting as God’s prophet, brings the people of Israel together for a public event to reveal God’s chosen leader. The process involves all the tribes (large family groups), and the focus narrows to Benjamin, setting the stage for the next steps in choosing the king. This verse shows the formal and public nature of how God’s choice is revealed to the nation.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 10:20

  • "tribes" (שֵׁבֶט, shevet): This word refers to the main family groups within Israel, each descended from one of Jacob’s sons. The use of this term emphasizes the collective identity and structure of the nation at this time.
  • "taken" (לָכַד, lakad): This word often means to capture or seize, but here it refers to being chosen or selected, likely by casting lots. It underscores that the selection was not random but directed by God’s will.

Why 1 Samuel 10:20 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the process of selecting Israel’s first king was public, transparent, and involved all the tribes, not just a private decision.
  • The focus on the tribe of Benjamin is significant because Benjamin was one of the smaller tribes, showing that God’s choice does not always follow human expectations.
  • Understanding this step helps make sense of the following verses, where the selection process continues until Saul is identified, highlighting the seriousness and orderliness of God’s guidance in appointing a leader.

Where else these words appear

“taken” Hebrew H3920 · used in 112 verses

  • Numbers 21:32 And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.
  • Judges 9:45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
  • Proverbs 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

“Samuel” Hebrew H8050 · used in 120 verses

  • Numbers 34:20 And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.
  • 1 Samuel 9:15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
  • 1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.