Matthew Henry Commentary 1 Samuel 10:17-27

"And Samuel called the people together unto Jehovah to Mizpah; and he said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you: but ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and ye have said unto him, [Nay], but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Jehovah by your tribes, and by your thousands. So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found. Therefore they asked of Jehovah further, Is there yet a man to come hither? And Jehovah answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage. And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Jehovah hath chosen, that there is none like him along all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, [Long] live the king. Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the host, whose hearts God had touched. But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace." — 1 Samuel 10:17-27 (ASV)

Samuel tells the people, You have this day rejected your God. Saul now had so little fondness for that power—which, soon after he possessed it, he could not think of parting with—that he hid himself. It is good to be conscious of our unworthiness and insufficiency for the services to which we are called; however, people should not go to the opposite extreme by refusing the positions to which the Lord and the church call them.

Most of the people treated the matter with indifference. Saul modestly went home to his own house but was attended by a band of men whose hearts God had disposed to support his authority. If the heart ever bends the right way, it is because God has touched it. One touch is enough when it is divine.

Others despised him. People are affected in such different ways by our exalted Redeemer. There is a remnant who submit to Him and follow Him wherever He goes; they are those whose hearts God has touched, whom He has made willing. But there are others who despise Him, who ask, How shall this man save us?

They are offended by Him, and they will be punished.