1 Samuel 11 · a question people ask
Wasn't Saul already king? What was renewed at Gilgal?
Samuel had anointed Saul (10:1). At Mizpah he was chosen, and "All the people shouted and said, ‘Long live the king!’" (10:24), and "Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom" (10:25). Now Samuel says, "Come! Let’s go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there" (11:14) (tap renew and kingdom), and "there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal" (11:15). Kingdom in 10:25 and 11:14 is the same Hebrew word, melukhah. The chapter doesn't explain the renewing beyond what the people did: they made Saul king, offered peace offerings "before the LORD", and rejoiced (11:15). Christians read it in two main ways. Both agree that the LORD chose Saul (10:24), and that at Gilgal all the people made him king before the LORD (11:15).
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
The people made again the kingship begun at Mizpah
Those who read it this way point to what came between. At Mizpah not everyone received Saul: "They despised him, and brought him no tribute" (10:27). After the rescue the people themselves ask, "Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’" (11:12). Brown-Driver-Briggs gives the verb of 11:14 as "renew, make anew". On this reading, renewing the kingdom meant making Saul king again, now with all the people behind him: "All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal" (11:15).
1 Samuel 10:27 · 1 Samuel 11:12 · 1 Samuel 11:14-15
Israel renewed its kingdom under the LORD
Those who read it this way look at what Samuel says to all Israel next (12:1). He reminds them that when Nahash came against them they said, "No, but a king shall reign over us" (12:12), "when the LORD your God was your king" (12:12), and he sets out the terms: "If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of the LORD your God" (12:14). On this reading, what was renewed at Gilgal was the kingdom as a whole, Israel and its king together before the LORD, with the peace offerings of 11:15.
1 Samuel 12:1 · 1 Samuel 12:12-14 · 1 Samuel 11:15
The verses
“Then Samuel took the vial of oil and poured it on his head, then kissed him and said, “Hasn’t the LORD anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?”
“Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” All the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!” Then Samuel told the people the regulations of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD. Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.”
“Then Samuel said to the people, “Come! Let’s go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.” All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they offered sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.”