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Now Samuel called the people together 1to the LORD 2at Mizpah.
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And he said to the people of Israel, 3"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.'
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4But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, 'Set a king over us.' Now therefore 5present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands."
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Then Samuel 6brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.
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He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found.
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7So they inquired again of the LORD, "Is there a man still to come?" and the LORD said, "Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage."
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Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, 8he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.
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And Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him 9whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among all the people." And all the people shouted, 10"Long live the king!"
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Then Samuel told the people 11the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home.
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Saul also went to his home 12at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched.
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But some 13worthless fellows said, "How can this man save us?" And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.