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as samuel grew up in the house of the
lord the lord was with him preparing him
to become a leader and judge of israel
one day
eventually eli the priest passed away
along with his two sons his sons had
been very evil and did not honor god in
his commandments
because of their evil actions not one
male descendant of eli's family lived to
reach old age
after the death of eli and throughout
samuel's lifetime the hand of the lord
was against all the enemies of the
israelites the israelites lived in peace
through samuel's strong leadership and
devotion to the lord
when samuel grew old he appointed his
own sons as judges for israel but just
as eli's sons did not follow in the
lord's ways neither did samuel's sons
they were dishonest and could not be
trusted
so all the elders of israel met with
samuel and said you are old and your
sons do not walk in the ways of god as
you do we want you to appoint a king to
lead us like all the other nations
this disturbed samuel so he went before
the lord in prayer
god said to samuel
listen to what the people are saying to
you it is not you they have rejected
they have rejected me as their king they
have forsaken me and served other gods
from the day i brought them out of egypt
until today
listen to them but sternly warned them
what the king will do to them
samuel went back to the elders of israel
and told them what the lord had said he
warned them what a king who reigned over
them would do a king will take your sons
and they will drive his chariots and
become his horsemen he will make them
commanders over thousands and fifties
they will make weapons for war for him
and equipment for his chariots some will
plow his fields and reap his harvest
your daughters will be put to work for
him as well
they will bake and cook and do other
household tasks the king will take the
best of your fields vineyards and olive
groves he will take a tenth of your
grain and wine as well as your cattle
and donkeys and flocks you yourselves
will become his slaves
when that day comes you will cry out for
relief from the king you have chosen and
the lord will not answer you in that day
but the people of israel were a very
stubborn and rebellious people and
refused to listen to samuel they said
no we want to king over us then we can
be like all the other nations with a
king to lead us and fight our battles
when samuel heard what the people said
he repeated it to the lord
then the lord answered
listen to them and give them a king
the lord revealed to samuel that he was
going to send a man from the tribe of
benjamin for him to crown his king
the very next day samuel saw a man
walking toward him and the lord said to
him
that is the man that i spoke to you
about he will rule over my people the
man's name was saul and he had no idea
of the lord's plan in fact he and his
servant were just out searching for some
donkeys that had gone missing from his
father's land when samuel told saul the
plans of the lord he could not believe
his ears he exclaimed
sir i am just a binjamite from the
smallest tribe of israel my family is
even the smallest family of the tribe of
benjamins why would you say such a thing
to me
he could not believe that he would be
chosen by the lord to lead god's people
and become king over them samuel
continued to reassure saul and they went
and dined together afterwards they went
to the rooftop of samuel's house and
talked a very long time when daybreak
came samuel called to saul and told him
to wake up and come down from the roof
then samuel got a flask of oil poured it
over his head and said the lord has
anointed you ruler over his people
when you leave me today you will begin
to prophesy and be changed into a
different person as saul turned to leave
samuel god changed saul's heart and the
spirit of god came upon him and he began
to prophesy
samuel summoned all the people of israel
to the lord at a place called mitzba
samuel then told them this is what the
lord the god of israel says i brought
you out of egypt and out of all the
kingdoms that oppressed you but you have
now rejected your god who saves you out
of all your calamities and distresses
you insist on having a king so now i
will present one to you then samuel
brought forward the tribe of benjamin in
order to present saul to the people of
israel
but when they looked for him they could
not find him
the lord spoke and said he has hidden
himself by all the baggage
the people ran and found him and brought
him out as saul stood among them he was
ahead taller than everyone there
samuel said to all the people do you see
the man the lord has chosen there is no
one like him among all the people
afterwards the people of israel all
began to shout
long live the king
law the king
therefore the people confirmed saul as
king before the lord and all the
israelites held a great celebration to
honor their new
king
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