Almighty, he at length received directions from God, first to set before the people the consequences which must necessarily flow from the existence of kingly power among them; such as slavery to themselves and to their children, subjection to the most offensive offices, oppressive taxes, constant war, and many other evils which could not be enumerated; and then should they still persist in their determination to have a king, to grant them their request.

Samuel, in accordance with these directions, assembled the people together, and plainly and faithfully pointed out to them the dangers and difficulties to which the proposed change in the form of their government would necessarily expose them; but it was all to no purpose: the people still absolutely insisted on a compliance with their demand; saying, "Nay, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he re hearsed them in the ears of the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king."

CHAPTER THE FOURTH.

THE KINGS.

SECTION I.

SAUL: His Election as King-His Victory over the Ammonites-Hie Confirmation in the Kingdom-Samuel relinquishes the office of Judge, and appears thenceforth as a Prophet only-An extraordinary Exploit of Jonathan-Defeat of the Philistines-The Offense of Jonathan-Saul's Commission to extirpate the Amalekites-His Disobedience, and consequent Rejection from the Throne-David anointed as his Successor.

THE Israelites had hitherto lived as independent tribes and families, rather than as a distinct nation; and hence they acted in unison in such emergencies only as their common interests required. While they remained in that simple condition, they had no national character, but were under the immediate supervision and disposal of the Almighty himself; and their circumstances were prosperous or adverse, just in proportion to their obedience to the Divine commands, or their disregard of them. Henceforth, however, we shall have to view them as a consolidated nation, under one permanent head, or leader, and subject to all the vicissitudes attending ordinary nations; though the Almighty by no means relinquishes his exclusive right to their obedience, or his absolute authority over them as his peculiar people.

It having been revealed by the Almighty to the prophet Samuel that Saul, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, should be the king of Israel, the prophet hastened privately to anoint him; soon after which he was publicly designated for that exalted station, in the presence of the whole nation. To give the utmost dignity and solemnity to the selection and inauguration of the future monarch,

Samuel convened a general assembly of the people at Mizpeh, brought thither the Ark of the Lord, and then proceeded to determine who should be the Lord's anointed, by lot. The people having separated themselves into tribes and families, first ascertained, by lot, from which tribe the king should be taken; when the lot fell upon the tribe of Benjamin. They next cast lots to determine to which family he should belong; when the family of Matri was designated. They then proceeded, in the same manner, to select the individual from that family whom the Lord had appointed for their ruler; and the lot fell upon Saul.

There

Saul having already learned from Samuel that God had determined that he should be king of Israel, intentionally absented himself from the assembly on this important occasion; but, as soon as the lot was determined in his favor, the people anxiously sought him out, and brought him to Samuel, who, presenting him to the assembled multitude, said, "Behold him whom the Lord hath chosen ! is none like him among the people." And when the people beheld the imposing aspect and noble stature of Saul, they immediately expressed their approbation of the choice by exclaiming, "God save the king!" Upon hearing this expression of the people's approbation of what had just passed, Samuel produced a record, which he had previously written, of all these events; and, after having rehearsed it in their presence, he placed the book in the Ark of the Covenant there to remain as a perpetual evidence of the truth of his prophecy.

Saul, in 1095 A. C., being thus, with the general approbation of the people, publicly recognized as king, immediately proceeded to Gibeah, his native place, while Samuel, after having dismissed the assembly, returned to Ramah. The leaders, and the chief men of the different tribes, soon