The Story

Samuel grew old, and made his sons judges over Israel. But his sons did not walk in his ways — they loved money, took bribes, and did not judge fairly. So the elders of Israel came to Samuel at Ramah with a big request. Samuel was old, they said, and his sons were no good — they wanted something new: "make us a king to judge us like all the nations". They wanted to be like all the countries round about, with a king in a crown.

The request made Samuel sad, and he prayed to the LORD. God's answer surprised him: the people had not really rejected Samuel — "they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them". Israel already had a King — God Himself — but they wanted a king they could see, like everyone else had. God told Samuel to listen to the people, but first to warn them solemnly what a human king would be like.

So Samuel warned them: a king would take their sons for his chariots and wars, their daughters for his kitchens, their best fields for his servants, and a tenth of their grain and sheep. Still the people refused to listen. "Nay; but we will have a king over us" — and nothing would change their minds. So God told Samuel: make them a king.

God had already chosen the man, and brought him to Samuel in an everyday way — by some lost donkeys! A tall young man named Saul — "from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people" — was sent by his father, with a servant, to search for the family's lost donkeys. They searched hill after hill and found nothing. At last the servant suggested asking Samuel, the man of God, in the next city. Saul did not know that God had spoken to Samuel the day before: tomorrow He would send a man from Benjamin, to be anointed captain over His people.

Samuel welcomed Saul like an honoured guest, with the best seat at the feast and the portion kept for him, and in the morning, at the edge of the city, poured a bottle of oil on Saul's head — the sign that God had anointed him. Then came wonderful signs, just as Samuel had said: news that the donkeys were found, gifts of bread on the road, and the Spirit of God coming upon Saul so that he prophesied with the prophets.

Later, Samuel gathered all Israel at Mizpeh. Tribe by tribe the lot was taken, until it fell on Saul the son of Kish — but Saul was nowhere to be found! He had hidden himself among the baggage. They ran and fetched him out, and when he stood among the people he towered above them all. Samuel presented him, and everyone shouted: "God save the king." Samuel wrote the rules of the kingdom in a book, and sent all the people home. Israel had the king they asked for. But our memory verse tells the truth that never changed: God is the King of all the earth — and years later, God would send the greatest King of all, the Lord Jesus, from King David's own family.