ver them. Their choice fell upon
a leader whose name was Saul, and who was made the first king of Israel.

King Saul was a brave man and a wise leader, who made the name of the
Israelites feared by all their enemies round about. But after a time
he acted in a way displeasing to God, and was reproved by Samuel in His
name. Saul, however, went on in his sinful ways, and this filled the
heart of the prophet Samuel, who was now an old man, with sore trouble
and distress.

Samuel lived, among his young men on the little hill of Ramah, mourning
because of King Saul's sinful ways. But there came a time when God
told him--perhaps in a vision--to mourn no longer. He was to fill a
small horn with oil and go to the village of Bethlehem, and there
anoint one of the sons of Jesse the shepherd to be the next king; but
at first the old man was afraid to go, lest King Saul should hear of it
and kill him.

Then one day he left Ramah early in the morning, riding on an ass, with
a young man behind him driving a cow; for he gave out that he was going
to offer a sacrifice to God. Their path lay to the southwards, and on
by the camel road into the Hebron hills. It was a long ride, in hot
autumn weather, along these stony paths glistening in the Eastern sun.

The watchers on the walls of Bethlehem saw Samuel, while he was yet a
long way off, riding slowly up the rough path, with his servant driving
a cow before him; and they were alarmed, for the old prophet was the
chief judge in the land. Then the leading men of the place hastened
out through the gate in the wall to meet him, and ask if he came to
them in peace.

He answered that he had come to offer a sacrifice, and bade them wash
themselves in the stream, and put on clean clothing, that they might
join him in it. Riding through the low arch in the walls, he asked for
Jesse, a wealthy shepherd of the place, who had hundreds of flocks and
herds; and when he found him, he ordered him and his sons to wash and
dress and come to the feast also. Jesse thought he was highly
honoured, for he had eight sons, and he was pleased that they should
show themselves before the great prophet and judge of Israel.

A fire of sticks was kindled upon the flat rock outside the village
walls, on which the sacrifices were always made; and the prophet killed
the cow he had brought, and cut it in pieces for burning. Part of the
flesh was then placed upon the wood, and as the old man raised his
han