Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 10:17

"And Samuel called the people together unto Jehovah to Mizpah;" — 1 Samuel 10:17 (ASV)

Samuel called the people together. —“Samuel does all that is further in his power to promote the great cause. He calls a national assembly to Mizpah. Here the sacred lot, it is stated, fell among all the tribes of Israel upon Benjamin; and, in an ever-narrowing circle, eventually upon Saul, the son of Kish. If we consider the general use of the sacred lot in those times, we will find that, taking the whole account in this connection, it exhibits nothing but the great truth that for the full and auspicious acknowledgment of Saul as king, his mysterious interview with the seer alone was not enough—publicly, in solemn national assembly, it was necessary for the Spirit of the Eternal to choose him out and to make him known as the Eternal’s man.”—Ewald.

Mizpah (for so the name should be spelled) was chosen by Samuel for the solemn assembly of the tribes on the occasion of electing their first king, on account of the glorious memories of his own victory, many years before, at that place. The words, unto the Lord, probably signify that the mysterious Urim and Thummim, by which inquiry was made of the Eternal, had been brought there by the high priest, or, assuming that the office was then vacant, by the priest who temporarily replaced him.