1 Samuel 10:20

1Sa 10:20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

Ver. 20. To come near.] As Jos 7:14. See there.

The tribe of Benjamin was taken,] {a} viz., By lot, as the word signifieth, which is governed by God, {Pro 16:33} and is not therefore to be used ad lucrum aut lusum, but only in matters of weight.

{a} Josephus saith it was done by lots, lib. vi. cap. 5.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa 10:20. Benjamin was taken — Which tribe was now preferred before Judah, because the kingdom was freely promised by God to Judah, and was to be given to him in love; but now the kingdom was in a manner forced from God, and given them in anger, and therefore conferred upon an obscure tribe.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10:20 chosen by lot: Cp. Lev 16:8; Josh 18:6; 1 Chr 26:12-16; Acts 1:26.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

That is, by casting of lot.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(20) The tribe of Benjamin was taken.—How the “lots” were taken is not said; usually it was by throwing tablets (Jos_18:6; Jos_18:8), but sometimes by drawing from a vessel or urn, as in Num_33:54. The latter, from the Hebrew word used, was probably the method employed on this occasion.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. We are not told expressly by what process the selection was made, but it was probably by casting lots. Compare Jos_7:14 ff. The lot was in common use among all nations of antiquity. It is regarded in Scripture not as a chance decision, but as a legitimate method of ascertaining the divine will (Pro_16:33). We read of its being used—

(1) To select an attacking force (Jdg_20:9-10).

(2) For the allotment of conquered territory or spoil (Jos_18:10; cp. Joe_3:3).

(3) To detect criminals (Jos_7:14; 1Sa_14:42).

(4) For the choice of officers, &c. (1Ch_24:5; Luk_1:9; Act_1:26).

(5) For the selection of the scape-goat (Lev_16:8; Lev_16:10).

(6) For the settlement of disputes generally (Pro_18:18).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families,.... By the heads of them, to have lots cast for them, out of which of the families the king should be chosen:

the family of Matri was taken; that is, by lot; the lot fell upon that family for the choice of a king out of them: in the account of the families of the tribe of Benjamin, Ch1 8:1 no mention is made of this family, nor any where else, and yet no doubt there was such a family, and Saul was of it; it seems to have its name from the butt or mark arrows were shot at; some of the Benjamites being famous for their skill in darting and slinging, and perhaps this family might be so:

and Saul the son of Kish was taken; the lot being cast upon the men in the family of Matri, though it is not expressed, fell upon Saul; for though he was not there, as Jarchi observes, the lot fell upon him; for their names were written on a piece of paper, and put into a box, and the prophet put in his hand and took out one, and on that was the name of Saul, and this was the manner of the lot:

and when they sought him, he could not be found; because he had hid himself, as in the next verse; it is very probable, and indeed plain, that he was in this assembly at the first opening of it; and knowing what Samuel had said and done to him, and perceiving in what way the lot was going concerning the same, the tribe of Benjamin being taken, he concluded how it would issue, and therefore left the assembly, and hid himself, as follows.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Caused ... to come near ... was taken - The Hebrew phrases are exactly the same as in Jos 7:16-17, where the King James Version renders the first has “brought.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

To come near unto the place appointed for the casting of lots. This tribe was now preferred before Judah, because the kingdom was freely promised by God to Judah, and was to be given to him in love; but now the kingdom was in a manner forced from God, and given to them in anger, Hos 13:11, and therefore conferred upon an obscure tribe.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Benjamin - Which tribe was now preferred before Judah, because the kingdom was freely promised by God to Judah, and was to be given to him in love; but now the kingdom was in a manner forced from God, and given them in anger and therefore conferred upon an obscure tribe.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

the tribe of Benjamin was chosen ... the clan of the Matrites was chosen ... Saul son of Kish was chosen

This can be translated in active form. It is probably best not to say how the people knew whom Yahweh had chosen. AT: "Yahweh chose the tribe of Benjamin ... Yahweh chose the clan of the Matrites ... Yahweh chose Saul son of Kish" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

tribe

Benjamin

clan

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.