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not obey Him; but he did not fear the Lord, nor love Him. He did not truly wish to do God's will; and did not care for his approval. He did not try to serve Him in truth with a perfect heart. He was willing to obey God, and honour Him, when he could do so without loss or difficulty; but he did not fear to disobey Him.

On his first trial, Saul would not go forth to battle until he had offered sacrifice to God; and he did wait for Samuel the set time of seven days; but he would not wait one hour longer, nor keep from doing what he knew to be unlawful, when he thought that he had an excuse for disobedience. On his second trial he went forth boldly against the enemies of Israel, and destroyed them; but he did not fear to break the command of God that he might do what the people wished. When Samuel told him of his sin, he sought to justify himself, and made excuses. And when at last he said that he had sinned, it was not with shame or sorrow. He did not repent, nor fear the wrath of God. He did not humble himself before the Lord, nor ask Samuel to pray to the Lord for

him. He said, "I have sinned; now therefore pardon my sin, and turn again with me that I may worship the Lord Honour me now

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pray thee before the elders of my people, and before Israel." He wished that Samuel might forgive him, and turn with him to offer sacrifice, that he might not be dishonoured before the army and the elders of his people; but he did not grieve that he had offended God, nor seek for His forgiveness, nor fear His wrath.

Saul was by nature, brave, and prudent, and generous; but he was not religious: he was proved and found wanting. He would not fear and love the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all his heart, and therefore the Lord rejected him from being king over Israel.

Chapter CX.

THE CALL OF DAVID.

WHEN Samuel had returned to Ramah, he continued to mourn for Saul; he mourned for him

because he had turned back from serving God, and had lost His favour. Then the Lord said to Samuel, "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel ? Fill thine horn with oil, and go, and I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided me a king among his sons."

Then Samuel went down to Bethlehem, a city in the land of Judah, where Jesse dwelt; and he took with him an heifer to sacrifice there to the Lord. And he told the men of Bethlehem, and Jesse and his sons, to sanctify themselves, and come forth to the sacrifice.

When the sons of Jesse and the men of Bethlehem had come forth to the sacrifice, Samuel looked on Eliab, the first-born son of Jesse, and said, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him." But the Lord said to Samuel, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature ; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” And Jesse brought six other of his sons,

one by one, before the prophet; but he said, "The Lord hath not chosen these." Then Samuel asked if these were all the children of Jesse; and Jesse said, "There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep." Then Jesse sent for David, his youngest son, and brought him in. "Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to." And the Lord said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is he." Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed David. "And the Spirit of the Lord him from that day forward."

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And when Samuel had anointed David the son of Jesse to be king over Israel, he returned again to Ramah. And David went back to keep his father's sheep; for he knew not when the time would come when the Lord would call him to take the kingdom.

Saul was still the king of Israel, and until the Lord removed him, no other could be king. So David stayed contentedly among the sheepfolds : "his heart was not haughty, he had no proud looks; he did not seek to exercise himself in

great matters which were too hard for him, but refrained his soul, and kept it low."

Now, after Saul had sinned by disobeying the command of God, and had hardened his heart against the fear of God, "the Spirit of the Lord departed from him; and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him." Then the servants of Saul asked him to let them send for some one who could play skilfully on the harp, that he might play before him; for they thought that the sound of music would restore him to a better mind. And one of the servants said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him."

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep." Then Jesse sent David his son to Saul; and when he had come to him, and stood before him, Saul loved him greatly. "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit was upon Saul, that

vid took a harp, and played with his hand:

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