athers' houses of the tribes of the children of
Israel."

The period of the Judges, extending from Joshua to Saul, over three
hundred years, was a time in which Israel was troubled by several
heathen tribes, including the Moabites, Ammonites, Midianites,
Amalekites, and Canaanites. The most troublesome of all were the
Philistines, who "were repulsed by Shamgar and harassed by Samson," but
they continued their hostility, capturing the Ark of the Covenant in the
days of Eli, and finally bringing Israel so completely under their power
that they had to go to the Philistines to sharpen their tools.

The cry was raised: "Make us a king to judge us, like all the nations."
Although this was contrary to the will of God, and amounted to rejecting
the Lord, the Almighty gave directions for making Saul king, when the
rebellious Israelites "refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel," and
said: "Nay, but we will have a king over us." Two important events in
Saul's reign are the battle of Michmash and the war with Amalek. In the
first instance a great host of Philistines were encamped at Michmash,
and Saul, with his army, was at Gilgal. Samuel was to come and offer a
sacrifice, but did not arrive at the appointed time, and the soldiers
deserted, till Saul's force numbered only about six hundred. In his
strait, the king offered the burnt offering himself, and immediately
Samuel appeared, heard his explanation, and declared: "Thou hast done
foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of Jehovah thy God. * *
* Now thy kingdom shall not continue." Saul's loyalty to God was again
tested in the affair with Amalek, and his disobedience in sparing Agag
and the best of the cattle and sheep should be better known and more
heeded than it is. Concerning this, the prophet of God chastised him,
saying: "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 is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the
word of Jehovah, he hath also rejected thee from being king." The dark
picture of Saul's doings is here and there relieved by the unadulterated
love of Jonathan and David, "which, like the glintings of the diamond in
the night," takes away some of the deepest shadows.

The next king, Jesse's ruddy-faced shepherd boy, was anointed by Samuel
at Bethlehem, and for seven and a half years he reigned over Judah from
his capital at Hebron. Abner made Ish-bo