שמואל א, פרק ט׳, פסוק כ״א

A sudden transition from mundane concerns to promises of national leadership leaves a person bewildered. While the news about the recovered donkeys makes perfect sense, the sudden hints of a glorious destiny bring complete astonishment. The immediate reaction is an attempt to push away such greatness. This response serves primarily as a polite and humble reply to the overwhelming praise just received.

To deflect this honor, the focus shifts to personal origins. The tribe of Benjamin is presented as the smallest and most insignificant of all the Israelite tribes. This low status has deep historical roots, tracing back to the war of the Concubine in Gibeah, which nearly wiped out the tribe entirely and left it in disgrace. Even though years have passed and the survivors have managed to rebuild, the tribe remains notably small compared to the rest of the nation [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Adding to this sense of tribal inferiority, personal standing within the tribe is also minimized. The specific family line is described as the youngest and smallest among all the families of Benjamin. Driven by a profound feeling of unworthiness, the natural response is to question why such grand promises are being made, serving as a sincere declaration of being entirely unfit for kingship [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג].