ornness is as
idolatry and image worship. Because thou hast rejected the word of the
Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king."

And Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned: for I have transgressed the
commandment of the Lord, 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 the Lord."

And Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with thee: for thou hast
rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from
being king over Israel."

And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of
his robe, and it rent. And Samuel said to him, "The Lord hath rent the
kingdom of Israel from {375} 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: 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 the Lord thy God."

So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshiped the Lord.

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 the Lord 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 the Lord repented that he had made
Saul king over Israel.

THE DOWNFALL OF THE KING.

"_God is Departed from Me_."

(For some time after this Saul continued to be king over Israel, but
he had many troubles. These troubles made him sad {376} and
despondent, so that often the people thought him insane. At last war
broke out again with the fierce and powerful Philistines, who lived on
the plains to the west of the hill-country which was the home of the
Israelites. Saul was very much discouraged at the beginning of this
war. The story of what he did, and how he died at last like a hero on
the battle-field, is as follows.)

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him
in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had
familiar sp