“And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.”
My Notes
What Does 1 Samuel 10:24 Mean?
Samuel presents Saul to the nation: "See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people." The crowd responds: "God save the king!" The first king of Israel is publicly presented with both divine endorsement (the LORD chose him) and popular acclaim (the people cheer). Both authorizations are present.
The phrase "none like him among all the people" highlights Saul's distinguishing feature: he was taller than everyone else (verse 23: "higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward"). The quality that sets Saul apart is physical — impressive height. The people who wanted a king "like the nations" get a king who looks the part: tall, visually commanding, externally impressive.
The divine choosing and the physical impressiveness create an irony that will play out through Saul's entire reign: God chose him (genuine), but the feature the people celebrate (height) is exactly the kind of superficial quality that God will later reject: "the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart" (16:7).
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does the crowd celebrating Saul's height reveal their misplaced values about leadership?
- 2.What does God choosing Saul (knowing he'd fail) teach about God using imperfect situations to teach his people?
- 3.Where are you dazzled by external impressiveness when internal character is what matters?
- 4.How does the contrast between Saul (chosen for height) and David (chosen for heart) inform how you evaluate leaders?
Devotional
"See him? There's nobody like him." Samuel presents the king, and the quality everyone notices is: he's tall. The tallest man in the nation. And the crowd goes wild: God save the king!
The divine choosing is real — God selected Saul (9:17). But the feature the crowd celebrates is exactly wrong. They cheer because he's impressive-looking. He towers over everyone. He looks like a king should look. And that external impressiveness — the very thing that makes the crowd confident — is the quality that has nothing to do with the internal character a king needs.
God chose Saul knowing what would happen. The choosing doesn't mean Saul was the best option — it means Saul was the option that would teach Israel what they needed to learn. The people wanted a king like the nations. God gave them one: tall, handsome, and internally inadequate. The king who looks the part will fail the part. And the failure will teach the lesson that the request should have learned: appearance isn't authority.
The "God save the king" shout is both genuine and ironic. Genuine: the people are sincerely celebrating. Ironic: they're celebrating for the wrong reasons. They think the tall man will save them from the Philistines. The tall man will eventually die on a Philistine battlefield (1 Samuel 31).
Samuel's presentation — "see him whom the LORD hath chosen" — is true. The crowd's response — celebrating his appearance — reveals their values. The same nation that should have been looking for a heart after God's own heart is dazzled by height. And the dazzlement will cost them.
What are you celebrating in leadership — the height or the heart?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, According to Ben Gersom, he laid before them the power a king had…
God save the king - There is no such word here; no, nor in the whole Bible; nor is it countenanced by any of the…
Saul's nomination to the throne is here made public, in a general assembly of the elders of Israel, the representatives…
that there is none like him among all the people Stress is again laid on Saul's imposing stature as a natural…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture