They ran and fetched him there; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
Mizpah was the scene of Israel’s previous spiritual revival and victory over the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:5-13). Perhaps Samuel chose this site for Saul’s public presentation because of those events. As we have noted, the tabernacle may have been there as well. Samuel took the opportunity to remind Israel that Yahweh was Israel’s real deliverer so that the people would not put too much confidence in their new king (1 Samuel 10:18; cf. Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 5:6; Judges 6:8-9). He also reminded them of their rebellion against God’s will when they insisted on having a king (1 Samuel 10:19). [Note: See Bruce C. Birch, "The Choosing of Saul at Mizpah," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 37:4 (1975):447-54.] 