1 Samuel 10:20
New International Version
When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.

New Living Translation
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the LORD, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot.

English Standard Version
Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.

Berean Standard Bible
Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.

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

New King James Version
And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.

New American Standard Bible
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel forward; and the tribe of Benjamin was selected by lot.

NASB 1995
Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.

NASB 1977
Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.

Amplified Bible
And when Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot.

Christian Standard Bible
Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.

American Standard Version
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

Contemporary English Version
Samuel brought each tribe, one after the other, to the altar, and the LORD chose the Benjamin tribe.

English Revised Version
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.

Good News Translation
Then Samuel had each tribe come forward, and the LORD picked the tribe of Benjamin.

International Standard Version
Samuel brought forward all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.

Majority Standard Bible
Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.

NET Bible
Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot.

New Heart English Bible
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

World English Bible
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Samuel brings all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin is captured,

Young's Literal Translation
And Samuel bringeth near the whole tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin is captured,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Samuel will cause all the tribes of Israel to come near, and the tribe of Benjamin will be taken.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Samuel brought to him all the tribes of Israel, and the lot fell on the tribe of Benjamin.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Samuel brought near all the tribes of Israel, and the lot fell upon the tribe of Benjamin.

New American Bible
So Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Shemueil came near to all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benyamin was held
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Samuel brought nigh all the tribes of Israel, and the tribe of Benjamin is taken by lot.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul Proclaimed King
19But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.” 20Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected. 21Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the clan of Matri was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they looked for him, they could not find him.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 9:21
Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”

1 Samuel 15:17
And Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, have you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel

1 Samuel 16:1
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”

1 Samuel 8:7
And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.

1 Samuel 12:13
Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you.

Judges 20:1-2
Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah. / The leaders of all the people and all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of God’s people: 400,000 men on foot, armed with swords.

Deuteronomy 17:14-15
When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” / you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.

Hosea 13:10-11
Where is your king now to save you in all your cities, and the rulers to whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”? / So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away.

Acts 13:21
Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years.

1 Samuel 11:15
So all the people went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly.

1 Samuel 14:38-42
Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today. / As surely as the LORD who saves Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must die!” But not one of the troops said a word. / Then Saul said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other side.” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied. ...

1 Samuel 24:20
Now I know for sure that you will be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.

1 Samuel 2:28
And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the food offerings of the Israelites.

1 Kings 8:19
Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’

1 Chronicles 28:4
Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah He chose my father’s household, and from my father’s sons He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.


Treasury of Scripture

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

caused

1 Samuel 14:41
Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.

Joshua 7:16-18
So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: …

Acts 1:24-26
And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, …

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Benjamin Captured Caused Chosen Israel Lot Samuel Tribe Tribes Whole
1 Samuel 10
1. Samuel anoints Saul
2. He confirms him by prediction of three signs
9. Saul's heart is changed, and he prophesies
14. He conceals the matter of the kingdom from his uncle
17. Saul is chosen at Mizpeh by lot
26. The different affections of his subjects














Thus Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward
The phrase begins with "Thus," indicating a continuation of a divine process initiated by God through His prophet Samuel. The Hebrew root for "Samuel" (שְׁמוּאֵל, Shemu'el) means "heard by God," emphasizing Samuel's role as a mediator between God and Israel. Samuel's leadership is pivotal, as he acts under divine instruction to guide Israel in selecting their first king. The "tribes of Israel" refers to the twelve tribes descending from the sons of Jacob, each with its unique heritage and role within the nation. The act of having them "come forward" suggests a formal assembly, a significant moment in Israel's history where God's sovereign choice is about to be revealed. This gathering underscores the unity and collective identity of Israel as God's chosen people, despite their request for a king like other nations.

and the tribe of Benjamin was selected
The "tribe of Benjamin" (בִּנְיָמִין, Binyamin) is noteworthy for its historical and prophetic significance. Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, is often associated with strength and resilience. Despite being the smallest tribe, Benjamin's selection highlights God's sovereign choice, often favoring the unexpected or overlooked to fulfill His purposes. The Hebrew root for "selected" (לָקַח, laqach) implies a divine choosing or taking, indicating that this was not a random selection but a deliberate act of God. This choice sets the stage for Saul's anointing as king, a pivotal moment in Israel's transition from a theocracy to a monarchy. Historically, the tribe of Benjamin had a reputation for skilled warriors, as seen in the book of Judges, which may have influenced their selection. However, the ultimate reason lies in God's inscrutable wisdom and plan for His people, reminding us that God's ways are higher than ours, and His choices often defy human expectations.

(20) The tribe of Benjamin was taken.--How the "lots" were taken is not said; usually it was by throwing tablets (Joshua 18:6; Joshua 18:8), but sometimes by drawing from a vessel or urn, as in Numbers 33:54. The latter, from the Hebrew word used, was probably the method employed on this occasion.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Thus Samuel
שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (šə·mū·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8050: Samuel -- 'name of God', a prophet of Israel

had all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the tribes
שִׁבְטֵ֣י (šiḇ·ṭê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

come forward,
וַיַּקְרֵ֣ב (way·yaq·rêḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

and the tribe
שֵׁ֥בֶט (šê·ḇeṭ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

of Benjamin
בִּנְיָמִֽן׃ (bin·yā·min)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1144: Benjamin -- 'son of the right hand', youngest son of Jacob, also the name of two other Israelites

was selected.
וַיִּלָּכֵ֖ד (way·yil·lā·ḵêḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3920: To catch, to capture, occupy, to choose, to cohere


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OT History: 1 Samuel 10:20 So Samuel brought all the tribes (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 10:19
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