e!" and seated Napoleon on the throne of the
Bourbons,--a ruler who took one man out of every five adults to recruit
his armies and consolidate his power, which he called the glory of
France. Thus kings have reigned by the will of the people,--or, as they
call it, by the grace of God,--from Saul and David to our own times,
except in those few countries where liberty is preferred to material
power and military laurels.

The peculiar situation of the Israelites in a narrow strip of territory
which was the highway between Syria and Egypt, likely to be overrun by
Aramaeans, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Egyptians, to say nothing of the
hostile nations which surrounded them, such as Moabites and Philistines,
necessarily made them a warlike people (like the inhabitants of the
Swiss Cantons five or six hundred years ago), and they were hence led to
put a high estimate on military qualities, especially on the general who
led them to battle. They accordingly desired a greater centralized power
than the Judges wielded, which could be exercised only by a king,
intrenched in a strong capital. Their desire for a king was natural, and
almost excusable if they were willing to pay the inevitable price. They
simply wished to surrender liberty for protection and political safety.
They did not repudiate the fundamental doctrine of their religion; they
simply wanted a change of government,--a more efficient administration.

The selection of a king did not rest with the people, however, but with
the great prophet who had ruled them with so much wisdom and ability,
and who was regarded as the interpreter of the will of God.

Samuel, by the direction of God, did not go into the powerful tribe of
Ephraim, which possessed one half of the Israelitish territory, to
select a sovereign, but to the smallest of the tribes, that of
Benjamin,--the most warlike, however,--and to one of the least of the
families of that tribe, dwelling in very humble life. Kish, the
Benjamite, had sent out his son Saul in quest of three asses which had
strayed away from the farm,--a man so poor that he had no money to give
to the seer who should direct his search, as was customary, and was
obliged to borrow a quarter of a shekel from his servant when they went
together to seek the counsel of Samuel. But this obscure youth was "a
choice young man, and a goodly." He had a commanding presence, was very
beautiful, and was head and shoulders taller than any other man of his
t