foolish and rash act,
Samuel pronounced his future deposition; but God confounded, nevertheless,
the armies of the Philistines, and they were routed and scattered. Saul
then turned against the Amalekites, and took their king, whom he spared in
an impulse of generosity, even though he utterly destroyed his people.
Samuel reproved him for this leniency against the divine command, Saul
attempted to justify himself by the sacrifice of all the enemies' goods
and oxen, to which Samuel said, "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt
sacrifices and offerings as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold! to
obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams; for
rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as iniquity and
idolatry." Most memorable words! thus setting virtue and obedience over
all rites and ceremonies--a final answer to all ritualism and phariseeism.

(M118) The remainder of the life of Saul was embittered by the
consciousness that the kingdom would depart from his house; and by his
jealousy of David, and his unmanly persecution of him; in whom he saw his
successor. He was slain, with three of his sons, at the battle of Gilboa,
when the Philistines gained a great victory--B.C. 1056.

(M119) David, meanwhile had been secretly anointed by Samuel as king over
Israel. Nothing could exceed his grief when he heard of the death of Saul,
and of Jonathan, whom he loved, and who returned his love with a love
passing that of women, and who had protected him against the wrath and
enmity of his father.

(M120) David, of the tribe of Judah, after his encounter with Goliath, was
the favorite of the people, and was rewarded by a marriage with the
daughter of Saul--Michal, who admired his gallantry and heroism. Saul too
had dissembled his jealousy, and heaped honors on the man he was
determined to destroy. By the aid of his wife, and of Jonathan, and
especially protected by God, the young warrior escaped all the snares laid
for his destruction, and even spared the life of Saul when he was in his
power in the cave of Engedi. He continued loyal to his king, patiently
waiting for his future exaltation.

(M121) On the death of Saul, he was anointed king over Judah, at Hebron;
but the other tribes still adhered to the house of Saul. A civil war
ensued, during which Abner, the captain-general of the late king, was
treacherously murdered, and also Ishboseth, the feeble successor of Saul.
The war lasted seven