y could not be turned from their purpose, nor
did they regard the words of Samuel, but peremptorily insisted on their
resolution, and desired him to ordain them a king immediately, and not
trouble himself with fears of what would happen hereafter, for that it
was necessary they should have with them one to fight their battles,
and to avenge them of their enemies, and that it was no way absurd, when
their neighbors were under kingly government, that they should have the
same form of government also. So when Samuel saw that what he had
said had not diverted them from their purpose, but that they continued
resolute, he said, "Go you every one home for the present; when it is
fit I will send for you, as soon as I shall have learned from God who it
is that he will give you for your king."

CHAPTER 4. The Appointment Of A King Over The Israelites, Whose Name Was
Saul; And This By The Command Of God.

1. Ther was one of the tribe of Benjamin, a man of a good family, and of
a virtuous disposition; his name was Kish. He had a son, a young man of
a comely countenance, and of a tall body, but his understanding and his
mind were preferable to what was visible in him: they called him Saul.
Now this Kish had some fine she-asses that were wandered out of the
pasture wherein they fed, for he was more delighted with these than with
any other cattle he had; so he sent out his son, and one servant with
him, to search for the beasts; but when he had gone over his own tribe
in search after the asses, he went to other tribes, and when he found
them not there neither, he determined to go his way home, lest he should
occasion any concern to his father about himself. But when his servant
that followed him told him as they were near the city of Ramah, that
there was a true prophet in that city, and advised him to go to him, for
that by him they should know the upshot of the affair of their asses, he
replied, That if they should go to him, they had nothing to give him as
a reward for his prophecy, for their subsistence money was spent. The
servant answered, that he had still the fourth part of a shekel, and he
would present him with that; for they were mistaken out of ignorance, as
not knowing that the prophet received no such reward [6] So they went to
him; and when they were before the gates, they lit upon certain maidens
that were going to fetch water, and they asked them which was the
prophet's house. They showed them which it was; an