. They did not try always to do justly.

The elders of all the tribes of Israel came to Samuel at his home in
Ramah; and they said to him: "You are growing old, and your sons do not
rule as well as you ruled. All the lands around us have kings. Let us
have a king also; and do you choose the king for us."

This was not pleasing to Samuel. He tried to make the people change
their minds, and showed them what trouble a king would bring them.

But they would not follow his advice. They said: "No; we will have a
king to reign over us."

So Samuel chose as their king a tall young man named Saul, who was a
farmer's son of the tribe of Benjamin. When Saul was brought before the
people he stood head and shoulders above them all. And Samuel said:

"Look at the man whom the Lord has chosen! There is not another like him
among all the people!"

And all the people shouted, "God save the king! Long live the king!"

Then Samuel told the people what should be the laws for the king and for
the people to obey. He wrote them down in a book, and placed the book
before the Lord. Then Samuel sent the people home; and Saul went back to
his own house at a place called Gibeah; and with Saul went a company of
men to whose hearts God had given a love for the king.

So after three hundred years under the fifteen Judges, Israel now had a
king. But among the people there were some who were not pleased with the
new king, because he was an unknown man from the farm. They said:

"Can such a man as this save us?"

They showed no respect to the king, and in their hearts looked down upon
him. But Saul said nothing, and showed his wisdom by appearing not to
notice them. But in another thing he was not so wise. He forgot to heed
the old prophet's advice and instructions about ruling wisely and doing
as the Lord said. It was not long before Samuel told him that he had
disobeyed God and would lose his kingdom.

When Samuel told Saul that the Lord would take away the kingdom from
him, he did not mean that Saul should lose the kingdom at once. He was
no longer God's king; and as soon as the right man in God's sight should
be found, and should be trained for his duty as king, then God would
take away Saul's power, and would give it to the man whom God had
chosen. But it was years before this came to pass.

The Lord said to Samuel: "Do not weep and mourn any longer over Saul,
for I have refused him as king. Fill the horn with oil, and go to
Bethlehem