1 Samuel 10:20 kjv
And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.
1 Samuel 10:20 nkjv
And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.
1 Samuel 10:20 niv
When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.
1 Samuel 10:20 esv
Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.
1 Samuel 10:20 nlt
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the LORD, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot.
1 Samuel 10 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 9:15-17 | Now the day before Saul came... the LORD said to Samuel, “Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man… and you shall anoint him ruler.” | God's prior divine revelation to Samuel concerning Saul's kingship. |
| Prov 16:33 | The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. | God's absolute control and sovereignty over the casting of lots. |
| Acts 1:23-26 | And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias... | A New Testament example of using lots to discern God's will (before Pentecost). |
| Josh 7:16-18 | So Joshua rose early... and the family of Zerah was taken by lot... | Use of lots for identifying an individual in corporate Israel due to sin. |
| Num 26:55-56 | But the land shall be divided by lot... | The divine instruction for distributing land inheritance among the tribes by lot. |
| Lev 16:8 | And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats... | Using lots for a sacred ritual (Day of Atonement) to determine destiny. |
| Jonah 1:7 | And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know who is to blame for this evil.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. | Sailors using lots to determine responsibility, showing wider cultural belief in its efficacy. |
| 1 Sam 16:1-7 | The LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance... For the LORD sees not as man sees." | Contrast: God chooses David not by outward appearance or human criteria, emphasizing divine selection. |
| Ps 75:6-7 | For not from the east or from the west... comes promotion, but God is the judge; he brings one down, and he exalts another. | God's sovereignty over who is exalted to power and authority. |
| Dan 2:20-21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings. | God's ultimate authority over all earthly rulers and their appointments. |
| Acts 13:21-22 | Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul... Then he removed him and raised up David... | A New Testament summary confirming God's role in giving Israel Saul as king. |
| Eph 1:11 | ...having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. | God's comprehensive working of His purpose in all matters, including selection. |
| Exod 19:3-6 | Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob... a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. | The divine intention for Israel as a special, gathered people under God. |
| Deut 29:10-11 | You are standing today, all of you, before the LORD your God... your tribes... | All tribes standing together before the Lord, emphasizing corporate accountability and identity. |
| 1 Sam 7:5-6 | And Samuel said, "Gather all Israel at Mizpah... They poured out water before the LORD." | Previous instance of Israel gathering at Mizpah for a national assembly, showing its significance. |
| Judges 20:46-48 | ...there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men... the survivors turned and fled... | Benjamin's history of being nearly decimated, making its selection surprising. |
| 1 Sam 9:21 | Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel, and is not my family the humblest of all...?" | Saul's own acknowledgment of Benjamin's small and humble standing among the tribes. |
| Phil 3:5 | ...of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee. | Paul identifies with the tribe of Benjamin, showcasing its continued tribal identity into the NT. |
| 1 Chr 6:61 | ...the sons of Kohath, by lot, had cities from the tribe of Ephraim, Dan, and half-tribe of Manasseh. | Another example of lots used to assign responsibilities or inheritances. |
| Neh 11:1 | Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem. | Using lots for practical, organizational purposes within the community, under God's oversight. |
1 Samuel 10 verses
1 Samuel 10 20 Meaning
The verse describes Samuel's action in gathering all the tribes of Israel to Mizpah as instructed by God, for the purpose of publicly identifying their first king. Through the divinely guided process of casting lots, the tribe of Benjamin was specifically singled out from among all the tribes, marking the next stage in discerning the individual God had chosen.
1 Samuel 10 20 Context
This verse occurs during a pivotal moment in Israel's history—the transition from the judgeship to monarchy. Chapters 8 and 9 detail Israel's demand for a king, rejecting God's direct rule, and God's instruction to Samuel to anoint Saul. Following Saul's secret anointing (1 Sam 9:27-10:1), Samuel calls a national assembly at Mizpah (1 Sam 10:17) to publicly confirm God's choice. The nation is gathered to humble themselves and receive their divinely appointed leader. This casting of lots serves as the public validation and demonstration of God's sovereignty over the selection process, narrowing the vast number of potential candidates down to a specific tribe.
1 Samuel 10 20 Word analysis
- So Samuel brought: The Hebrew verb is vayyaqrēv (וַיַּקְרֵב), from the root qarab (קרב), meaning "to draw near" or "to bring near." In this context, it signifies a formal, deliberate assembly or presentation. Samuel is acting as God's representative, meticulously organizing the process according to divine instruction, emphasizing the ritual and serious nature of the event.
- all the tribes of Israel: In Hebrew, kōl-shivṭê yiśrāʾēl (כָּל־שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). This highlights the comprehensive scope of the gathering, ensuring national participation and legitimizing the subsequent selection to all parts of the unified nation. It underlines that this decision concerned the entire covenant community.
- near: The location of the gathering, Mizpah (mentioned in 1 Sam 10:17), was a significant religious and national assembly point where significant covenant renewals or judicial proceedings took place (e.g., Judg 20:1; 1 Sam 7:5-6). Drawing them near implies a solemn act of communal standing before God.
- and the tribe of Benjamin: The Hebrew shēveṭ binyāmîn (שֵׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִן). Benjamin was historically one of the smallest and most beleaguered tribes, having been almost wiped out in the conflict described in Judges 20. This seemingly unlikely selection, chosen by lot, powerfully underscores that God's choices are not based on human greatness or numerical strength (1 Sam 9:21).
- was taken: The Hebrew verb is vayyilākēd (וַיִּלָּכֵד), a Nifal (passive) form of lākaḏ (לכד), which means "to seize," "to capture," or "to apprehend." The passive voice signifies that Benjamin was acted upon, "caught" or "apprehended" by an external, divine force through the lot, rather than choosing itself. It emphasizes divine decree and destiny.
- by lot: The Hebrew term is bagōrāl (בַּגּוֹרָֽל), literally "by the lot." Casting lots was a well-established and accepted method in ancient Israel for discerning the divine will or for equitable distribution. The belief was that while humans cast the lots, God determined the outcome (Prov 16:33). This method provided objective and incontrovertible evidence of God's choice, thus legitimizing the process to the assembled nation and preventing accusations of human partiality or corruption. It served to transfer the responsibility for the choice from human leaders to divine providence.
1 Samuel 10 20 Bonus section
The method of casting lots for determining God's will gradually receded in practice after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in the New Testament. While still technically a means by which God could guide, the primary way of discerning God's will became direct revelation through the Holy Spirit's indwelling and guidance in believers' lives. This verse stands as a testament to the meticulous, visible, and public ways God operated with His people during the Old Covenant era to validate His appointments, particularly at moments of significant transition in national leadership. The specific choice of Benjamin, a tribe of diminished status and past troubles, served to amplify that God's choosing is often contrary to human expectation, elevating the lowly (Luke 1:52).
1 Samuel 10 20 Commentary
This verse captures the essence of divine sovereignty working through human mechanisms. Samuel, acting on God's prior revelation, publicly institutes a process to demonstrate to the people that the choice of their king is God's. The public assembly of "all the tribes of Israel" at Mizpah was crucial for legitimacy and unity in establishing the monarchy. The use of the lot (goral) was not mere chance; in the biblical worldview, it was a divinely sanctioned means of revealing God's hidden will, removing human bias, and providing an unquestionable verdict. The powerful imagery of the tribe of Benjamin being "taken" or "captured" by lot signifies a sovereign act of God, highlighting His active hand in choosing this particular, humble tribe, a premonition to the choosing of Saul, who hailed from it. This initial step of narrowing the choice down to the tribe of Benjamin sets the stage for the subsequent selection of Saul, underlining God's providential care over His people's leadership.