of Israel? And Jehovah anointed thee king over Israel; and Jehovah sent thee on a journey, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.' Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of Jehovah, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah?" And Saul said unto Samuel, "Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God in Gilgal." And Samuel said, "Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? 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.1 Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath also rejected thee from being king."

And Saul said unto Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah." And Samuel said unto Saul, "I will not return with thee; for thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah hath rejected thee from being king over Israel." And as Samuel turned about to go away, Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, "Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from

1. A small household image reverenced by the Hebrews somewhat as the Penates were by the pagans. The plural form only is used in the Bible even though it applies to but one image.

thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent;1 for he is not a man, that he should repent." Then he said, "I have sinned: yet honor me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship Jehovah thy God." So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped Jehovah.

Then said Samuel, "Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites." And Agag came unto him cheerfully. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." And Samuel said, "As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces

before Jehovah in Gilgal.

Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Jehovah repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

LVII

THE ANOINTING OF DAVID, WHO BECOMES SAUL'S ARMORBEARER

(I Samuel xvi: 1-23)

And Jehovah said unto Samuel, "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go: I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons." And Samuel said, "How

1. The God of Israel will not change his decree.

can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me." And Jehovah said, "Take a heifer with thee, and say, 'I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.' And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee." And Samuel did that which Jehovah spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Comest thou peaceably?" And he said, "Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto Jehovah: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, "Surely Jehovah's anointed is before him." But Jehovah said unto Samuel, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart." Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, "Neither hath Jehovah chosen this." Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, "Neither hath Jehovah chosen this." And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse,

"Jehovah hath not chosen these." And Samuel said unto Jesse,"Are here all thy children?" And he said, "There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither." And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and. withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look upon. And Jehovah said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is he." Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Jeho

vah came mightily upon David1 from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him. And Saul's servants said unto him, "Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our lord now command thy servants that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well." And Saul said unto his servants, “Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me." Then answered one of the young men, and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person; and Jehovah is with him." Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, "Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep." And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. And David came to Saul, and stood before him : and he loved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight." And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

1. "Beloved."

LVIII

DAVID AND GOLIATH

(I Samuel xvii: 1-58)

Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongeth to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the vale of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistimes. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.1 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.2 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron :3 and his shield-bearer went before him. And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, "Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us." And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel

1. About ten feet.

2. A little over 150 pounds.

3. About twenty pounds.