King Saul
I orginally post this in my blog here: .
well here's a blast of the past from me. You see I had this idea to do a sort of retelling of king David. I always found it interesting especially how the story/history mirrors the later myths of king Arthur. But I eventually shelve this without even getting pass king Saul and I completely forgot about it until now. I'm not continuing this but I thought it be nice to publish what's left here. Enjoy.
1
Long ago
God's visions
Were rare
But one night,
Eli growing weak
Of sight
Was lying down,
The lamp of God
Hadn't gone out
In the temple
Where the Lord's Ark stood
Samuel was sleeping there
God cried out
"Samuel!"
He answered
Running to Eli
"Here am I,
You called me!"
"My son,"
Eli answered
"I didn't,
Go back to sleep."
This happened again
By the third time
Eli realized
That God was
Calling the boy
He instructed
"Go lie down,
And if he calls
Say speak Lord
Your servant is
Listening."
Samuel did as
He was told
God said
"See I am about
To do something
In Israel
That will make ears
Of everyone
Who hears it tremble.
I will carry out
Against Eli
Everything I spoke
Against his family,
From beginning to end.
I warned him that I
Would judge his
Family forever
Because of their sin.
He knew about
His sons making
Themselves contemptible
From my offering's
He failed to restrain
Them,
The guilt of
Eli's house
Will never be
Atoned."
After the Lords
Message
Samuel
Went to sleep.
At dawn
He opened the
Doors of
God's House.
Samuel was
Afraid to tell Eli
The vision,
Eli called him
"Samuel, my son
What was it
He said to you?
Don't hide any
Of it from me.
May God
Deal with you
Ever so severely
If you do."
Samuel told
The whole truth
Eli responded
"He is the lord
Let him do
What is good
In his eyes."
2
Now the Israelite's
Went out to fight
The philistines.
The enemy
Deployed their forces
To meet Israel.
The fight
Spread to Israel's
Loss.
On the battlefield
Four thousand died.
The soldiers
Returned to camp
Their elders asked
"Why did the
Lord bring defeat
Upon us?
Let's bring the
Ark so that it may
Save us from
The hand
Of our enemies."
The ark entered
The war camp,
All Israel rose
Such an uproar
The ground shook.
The philistines asked
"What's all this
Shouting in the
Hebrew camp?"
They learned
It was the ark,
Fear griped them
Saying
"A God has come
Into the camp.
Nothing like this
Has happened before.
Woe to us!
Who will deliver us
From God's hand?
Who struck
The Egyptians
With all kinds
Of plagues?
Be strong,
Be men
Or you will
Be slaves
To the Hebrews
As they have
Been to you,
Fight!"
The battle grew
To the Israelite's
Failure.
Every man fled
To his tent
The slaughter killed
Thirty thousand
Israel Foot soldiers and
The ark was captured.
3
A benjamite
Ran from the
Battle line.
His clothes torn,
Dust
Lay on his head.
Eli was sitting
On his chair
By the side
Of the road
Watching for
His heart
Feared for
The ark.
The man entered
Telling
The town
What happened.
Wails of sound
Entered Eli's ears
He asked
"What is the
Meaning of these
Tears?"
"I have just
Come from the
Battle. I fled
From it this very
Day.
The army suffered
Heavy losses.
Your two sons
Hophni and Phinehas
Are dead.
The ark is
Captured!"
At the mans
Last word Eli
Fell backward
Off his chair
The earth snapped
His neck
Killing him.
His pregnant daughter
In law
Nearing the time
Of delivery
Heard the news.
She went into labor
Giving birth
Her body overwhelmed
Brinked to near death
By labor pains
A woman attending
Said
"Don't despair
You've given
Birth to a son."
But she didn't respond
Or pay attention.
She named the boy
Icabod saying
"The glory has
Departed from Israel."
4
The Philistines
Moved the ark
To Ashdod.
Into a pagan
Temple beside
The god Dagon.
The next morning
Dagon was found
Fallen, his face
To the ground
Before the ark.
They put him
Back up
But it happened again.
The Lord's hand
Was heavy
Upon Ashdod
Bringing afflictions
Of tumors.
Dawning at what
Was occurring
The people said
"The ark
Must not
Stay here!"
They called
All the rulers of the
Philistines asking
Them
"What shall
We do with
The ark?"
"Have the ark moved
To Gath."
They answered.
So they did
But it only
Moved the Lords
Hand throwing
The city into
Panic.
They decided to
Move it again.
As the ark entered
Ekron the people
Cried out
"They have
Brought
The ark
To kill us."
They called
All the rulers again
Who said
"Send the ark
Back to Israel
Or it will
Kill us all.
When we return it
Let us
Send a guilt
Offering
That way we'll be
Healed.
Send five gold
Tumors and rats
According to the
Destruction of our county
And
Number of philistines
Rulers.
Get a new
Cart ready hitched with
Two cows calved
Who've never been
Yoked.
Put the ark
On the cart
In a chest beside it
Leave our guilt offering.
Send it on
Its way but
Keep watching it.
If it goes up
To its own territory
Then the lord
Has brought this
Disaster on us.
If it doesn't
Then we'll know it
Happened by chance."
5
People harvesting
Their wheat in the valley
Looked up beholding
The ark.
They rejoiced
At the sight
It stooped beside
A large rock
The people
Chopped wood from
The cart
To sacrifice the
Cows.
The Levites
Took the ark
With the chest
Placing them on
A rock.
The Philistine ruler's
Saw this before
Returning home.
In the field
God struck down
Some seventy men
For looking inside
The ark.
People mourned
The heavy blow
Asking
"Who can stand
In the presence
Of the Lord?"
They sent messengers
To Kiriath Jeraim
Saying
"Come take the
Ark to your place."
Men took it
Up to Abindab's
House on the hill
Consecrating Elazar
To guard it.
6
Twenty years latter
Israel's people
Seeking God
Came to Samuel
He said to them
"If you're returning
To the Lord
With all your heart
Rid yourselves
Of foreign gods.
Commit to the Lord
Serve him only
He will deliver you
Out of the hand
Of the philistines.
Assemble all
Israel at Mizpah
I will intercede
The lord for you."
Once there
They drew water
Poring it out
Before God
They fasted and
Confessed
"We have sinned
Against the Lord."
When the philistines
Heard of this
They came up
To attack.
Israel grew afraid
From learning of the
Coming battle.
They pleaded to
Samuel
"Don't stop crying
Out to God,
That he may rescue us
From the hand
Of the enemy."
Samuel took a
Suckling lamb
As a burnt offering
While sacrificing
The enemy drew
Near engaging
Israel in battle.
The Lord thundered
Loudly throwing
The philistines in such
A panic
They were routed
Before Israel.
The Israelite's
Pursued the enemy
Slaughtering them
Along the way
To a point below
Beth Cap.
After Israel's victory,
Samuel
Took a stone
Setting it between
Mizpah and Shen
Naming it Ebenezer
Proclaiming
"Thus far the
Lord helped us."
Samuel continued
As Judge over
All Israel for the
Rest of his life.
7
When Samuel grew
Old he appointed
His sons
As judges but
They didn't walk
In God's ways
By dishonesty,
Accepting bribes,
And perverting
Justice.
All the elders
Of Israel gathered
To meet Samuel
Saying
"Your sons
Don't walk
In your ways
Appoint a king
To lead us like
other nations."
These words displeased
Samuel.
He prayed to God
The Lord answered
"Listen to their
Every word.
It's not you
They reject but me as
Their king
Since the day
I brought them
Out of Egypt.
Warn them solemnly,
Let them know
What ruler
Will be over them."
Samuel said to the people.
"This is the kind
Of king
Who will reign,
He'll take your
Sons to serve his
Chariots,
Assigning Commanders
Over them,
Others will plow
His grounds
Still others will
Make his weapons.
Your daughters
Will be taken
To be perfumers,
Cooks, and bakers.
He'll take the best
Of your fields
And give them to
His attendants.
The best of
Your cattle, manservant's,
And maidservants he
Will take for his
Own use.
You will become
Slave's yourselves.
A day will come
When you'll cry out
For relief from the king
You have chosen
But the lord will not
Answer."
The people refused
To listen saying
"we want a
King!"
Samuel repeated this
To God the
Lord answered
"Give them a king."
Samuel went to the men
Ordering
"Everyone go home!"
The Lord revealed
This to Samuel
"At this time
Tomorrow I'll send
You a man
From the land of
Benjamin.
Appoint him leader."
8
There was an
Impressive young man
Named Saul.
He was without
Equal among men,
A head taller
Than any other.
Saul's father
Said to him
"Take one of the
Servants with you
To look for my
Lost donkeys."
Saul passed through
Hill country but
Didn't find them.
They reached Zuph
Where Saul said
"Come let us
Go back or my
Father will stop
Thinking about the
Donkeys
Only to start
Worrying about us."
The servant replied
"In this town there's
A man of God.
He's highly respected
Everything he says comes
True.
Let's go to him
Perhaps he'll know
Where they are."
"What can we give him?
We have no food
Or gifts."
"I have a
Quarter shekel of
Silver."
"Good lets go."
They were going
Up a hill
Entering town.
They met some
Girls coming out
To draw water
They asked them
"Is the seer here?"
"He is ahead of you,"
They answered
"Hurry now he's
Just come to our
Town today.
Soon,
As you enter town
You'll find him
Before he goes
Up to the
High place to eat.
Only those
Invited will eat
There.
They won't
Begin until
He comes because
He must bless the
Sacrifice."
Following the girls
Instructions
Samuel caught sight
Of Saul. the Lord
Said to him
"This is the
Man I spoke about."
Saul approached
Asking
"Would you please
Tell me where
The seer's house is?"
"I am the seer,"
Samuel said
"Go ahead of me
To the high place
For today you are
To eat with me.
In the morning
I'll let you go
Telling you all that
Is in your heart.
Don't worry about
The donkeys they
Have been found.
To whom is all
The desire of Israel
Turned if not to
You and your
Family."
Saul replied
"Am I not
A Benjamite,
From the smallest
Tribe of Israel,
Is not my clan
Least of all?
Why do you
Say such things
To me?"
Samuel brought
Saul and his servant
Into the hall
Seating them at
The head.
Samuel spoke to
The cook
"Bring the piece
Of meat I gave
You."
The cook took
Up the leg
Setting it in front
Of Saul.
Samuel said
To Saul
"Here is what
Has been kept
For you on
This occasion
From the time
I invited guests,
Eat."
Afterwards,
Samuel talked
With Saul on
The rooftop of
His house.
Samuel called Saul
"Get ready,
I will send you
On your way."
Samuel went outside.
Saul came with his
Servant
They walked
Down to the
Edge of town.
Samuel said
"Tell the servant to
Go on ahead of us.
You stay with me
Awhile so that
I may give you
A message from the
Lord."
The servant left,
Samuel took a flask
Of oil pouring it
On Saul's head
And kissed him
Saying
"Has not the Lord
Anointed you
Leader over his
Inheritance?
When you leave
Me today,
You'll meet two
Men near Rachel's
Tomb.
They'll say to you
The donkeys are found
Your father now worrying
About you asking
What shall I do
About my son?
You'll go on from
There reaching the
Great tree of Tabar.
Three men going
Up to God at
Bathel will meet you
There.
One carrying
Three young goats,
Another three loaves
Of bread,
And a skin of wine
From the other.
They'll greet you
Offering you two
Loaves of which
You'll accept
After that go to
Gibeah,
As you approach
You'll meet a
Procession of prophets
Coming down from
The high place
playing with lyres,
Tambourines, flutes,
And harps
and they will be prophesying.
The spirit of the Lord
Will come upon
You in power
Prophesying with them
You will be changed
Into a different person.
Once these signs
Are fulfilled
do whatever your hand
Finds to do,
God is with you.
Go, I will
Surely come down
To you, sacrificing
Burnt offerings.
You must wait
Seven days until
I come to you
At Gigal,
Say what you are
To do."
After Saul proved
He understood what
Was said
He turned to leave
God changed Saul's
Heart.
As these signs
Were fulfilled that day.
9
Saul's Uncle saw
His nephew returning home
He asked him
"Where have you been?"
"Searching for the donkeys,"
He replied
"But when we
Couldn't find them
We went to
Samuel."
"Tell me what
He said."
"He assured us
The donkeys have
Been found."
Saul didn't talk
About his kingship.
Samuel summoned
The people of
Israel.
Saying to them
"This is what
God said. I
Delivered you out
Of all the kingdoms
That oppressed you
Now you have
Rejected your God
Present yourselves
Before the lord
By your tribes."
Samuel's order
Was followed
The tribe of Benjamin
Was chosen.
Within the clans Matri's
Was chosen.
Saul was chosen
But when they
Looked for him
He was gone
They inquired of the
Lord
"Has the man
Come here yet?"
The lord answered
"Yes, he's hidden
Himself among
The baggage."
They brought him
Out,
As he stood among
The people
Samuel spoke
"Do you see the man
God has chosen?"
The people shouted
"Long live the king!"
Samuel dismissed everyone
To their homes.
10
Saul accompanied by
Valiant men was
Heading home.
Some troublemakers nearby
Said
"How can this fellow
Save us?"
Despising him they
Brought him no gifts
Saul kept this silent.
A battle grew fierce
In Jabesh Gilead
The Nahash managed
To besiege them.
Jabesh men spoke to the
Enemy
"Make a treaty
With us,
We'll be your
Subjects."
"I will make a
Treaty only on
The condition
That I gouge out
The right eye of
Everyone of your
People so all
Israel will be in
Disgrace."
They replied
"Give us seven days
So we can send
Messengers throughout
Israel if no one
Comes to our rescue,
We'll surrender."
They allowed this.
Messengers came to
Gibeah reporting the
Terms.
The people wept
Aloud just as
Saul was returning from
The fields.
He asked
"What's wrong?"
Saul heard the news
The spirit of God
Came upon him in
Power burning with
Anger.
He took a pair of
Oxen cut them into
Pieces sending them
By messengers
Throughout Israel
Proclaiming
"This is what will
Be done to anyone
Who doesn't follow
Saul and Samuel."
Terror of the lord
Fell on the people
Turning out as
One man.
Saul mustered them
At Bezek.
They told messengers
"Say to the men
Of Jabesh Gilead
By the time the
Sun is hot you
Will be free."
When the men of
Jabesh heard this
There were elated.
They said to
The enemy
"Tomorrow
We'll surrender
To you,
Doing to us
Whatever seems
Good to you."
Saul separated his
Men into three
Divisions during
The last watch of
Night they broke
Into camp slaughtering
The Nahesh
Ending at the heat of day.
Those who survived
Were scattered so
Not two of them
Were left together.
The people went
To Samuel asking
"Who was it that
Asked shall Saul
Reign over us?
Bring them here
We will put them
To death."
Saul who was nearby
Responded
"No one shall be
Put to death today,
For the Lord has
Rescued Israel."
Samuel spoke
"Come let us go
To Gigal
Reaffirming the kingship."
They did this
In the presence
Of God
There they sacrificed
Fellowship offerings,
All the Israelite's held
A great celebration.
11
Samuel spoke to
All Israel
"I have listened
To everything you
Said to me
Setting a king
As leader over you
As for me,
I am old
And gray,
My sons are here
With you.
I have been your
Leader from my
Youth to this day.
Here I stand,
Testify against me
In the presence of
The lord and his
Anointed.
Whose ox
I have taken?
Who have I
Cheated?
Have I oppressed
Anyone?
From whose hands
Have I accepted
A bribe to make
Me shut my eyes?
If I have done
Any of these,
I will make it right."
"You have not."
They replied
"The Lord is witness
Against you and
His anointed is witness
This day,
That you have not
Found anything."
"He is witness."
"Stand here,
I am going to
Confront you with
Evidence before God
As to all righteous
Acts performed by
The Lord for you
And your fathers.
After Jacob entered
Egypt they cried
To the Lord for
Help,
God sent Mosses
And Aaron
Who brought your
Forefather's freedom
Settling in this place.
But they forgot the
Lord so he sold
Them into the hand
Of Sisera,
Commander of the
Army of Hazor,
The Philistines,
And the king
Of Moab
Who fought against
Them.
They cried out to
God
We have sinned!
Serving baals
And ash toreths
Now deliver us
From the hands of
Our enemies we
Will serve you.
Then the Lord sent
Jerub-baal, barak,
And jepthah
I delivered you
From the hands of
Your enemies on
Every side so you
Lived securely
When you saw Nahash
King of the
Ammonites moving against you
You said to me
Now we want
A king to rule
Over us even though
God was your king
Now here is the king
You have chosen.
If you fear
The Lord serve
And obey him
Do not rebel
Against his commands
If both you and
The king follows
God good!
But if you don't
The Lords hand will
Be against you
As it was with
Your fathers.
See this great thing
God is about
To do before
Your eyes!
Is it not the
Wheat harvest?
I will call upon
The Lord to send
Thundering rain.
You'll realize what
An evil thing you did
In the eyes of God."
That same day,
The Lord sent thunder
And rain so all
The people stood in
Awe of God and
Samuel.
"Pray to God for
Your servants Samuel,
so that
We will not die,
For we have added
To all our other sins."
"Don't be afraid
You've done all
This evil,
Yet do not turn
Away from God
Serve the lord
With all your heart
Don't chase after
Useless idols
They can do you
No good,
Nor can they rescue
You.
For the sake
Of his great name
Will not reject
His people,
Because the Lord
Was pleased to
Make you his own.
As for me,
Far be it that
I should sin against God
By failing to pray
For you.
I will teach you
The way that is
Good but be sure
To fear the Lord,
Serve him faithfully
With all you heart
Consider the great
Things he's done
For you.
Yet if you persist
Doing evil both
You and your king
Will be swept away."
12
Saul order the
Trumpet blown
Throughout the land
Proclaiming
"Let the Hebrews hear!"
So all Israel heard
The news to be
Summoned to join
The king.
The philistines
Assembled to fight
At Micmash.
Their troops stood
As numerous as the
Sand on the seashore.
The men of Israel
Saw this in fear
Most hid in
Caves, thickets,
Rocks, pits, and
Cisterns.
Some even dared
To cross the Jordan
To the land of Gad.
Saul remained with
Whoever was left
They were quaking
With fear.
Samuel set a time
To meet Saul but
By seven days he
Didn't come.
More of Saul's men
Began to scatter.
The king spoke
"Bring me the burnt
Offering."
Just as he finished
Giving the sacrifice
Samuel arrived
Saul went out to greet him.
"What have you done?"
Asked Samuel.
Saul answered
"When I saw the
Men scattering and you
Weren't coming.
I thought
The philistines will
Come down against me
I have not sought
The Lords favor,
I felt compelled
To give the offering."
"You acted foolishly,"
Samuel said
"By not keeping
The command the
Lord gave you,
If you had, he
Would have established
Your kingdom over
Israel for all time.
Now your kingdom
Will not endure the
Lord has sought a
Man after his own heart
Appointing him leader
Of his people because
You have not."
Samuel left.
Saul counted his men
Numbering about
Six hundred.
Saul was staying
On the outskirts
Of Gibeah
Under a pomegranate
Tree among them was
Ahijah the Lords priest
wearing an ephod.
13
Not one blacksmith
Could be found
In all of Israel
Because the enemy
Said
"The Hebrew's will make
Swords and spears
If we don't hinder
Them."
All Israel had
To go down to
The land of the
Philistines to have
Their plowshares,
Mattocks, axes, and sickles
Sharpened.
On the day of
Battle not a soldier
Had a sword or spear.
Only Saul and
His son Jonathon
Had them.
One day, Jonathon
Said to his armor bearer
"Come let's go to
The philistine outpost."
He didn't tell his
Father about this
So no one was aware
Jonathon left.
He intended crossing
The cliff to reach
The philistine outpost.
Jonathon spoke to
His young armor
Bearer.
"Come let's go to
Those uncircumcised
Fellows.
Perhaps the Lord will
Act in our behalf.
Nothing can hinder
God no matter how
Many men he faces."
"Do all that you
Have in mind,"
His armor bearer said
"Go ahead, I am
With your heart
And soul."
"Come then,
We'll cross toward
The men,
Let them see us.
If they say wait
There until
We come to you
We'll stay where
We are but
If they say come up to us
We will climb
That's our sign
The Lord has given
Them into our hands."
All went as planned
"Look'" said a philistine
"The Hebrew's are crawling
Out of the holes
They were hiding in."
The men of the
Outpost shouted
"Come up to us,
We'll teach you a
Lesson."
Jonathon said to
His armor bearer
"God has given them
Into our hands."
The Philistines
Fell before Jonathon
And his armor bearer.
In that first attack
The two killed twenty men
In an area about
Half an acre.
The ground shook
For the Lord sent
Panic into the enemy.
Saul's lookouts
Saw the army
Melting away in
All directions.
Saul said to his men
"Muster the forces,
See who has left us."
They discovered
Jonathon and his
Armor bearer
Missing.
Saul spoke to
Ahijah
"Bring the ark of
God."
As Saul was talking,
Tumult in the
Philistine camp
Increased.
Saul ordered
The priest
"Withdraw your hand."
Saul and his men
Marched to battle.
They found the philistines
In total confusion
Striking each other.
When all the
Israelite's that had
Hidden heard the
Philistines were on
The run
They joined the
Battle in hot pursuit.
God rescued Israel
That day as
The battle moved
To Beth Aven.
14
The entire army
Moved into the woods.
Men of Israel were
In distress for Saul
Had bound them under an oath
"Cursed be any man
Who eats food
Before I have
Avenged my enemies!"
Jonathon who hadn't
Heard his father's vow
Discovered honey
Oozing out, on the ground.
So he
Reached out with
The end of his staff
Dipped it in a honeycomb.
Jonathon ate and
His eyes brightened.
One of the soldiers
Told Jonathon
What happened.
He replied
"My father has made
Trouble for the country.
Look at my
Brightened eyes
From tasting only
A little of this honey.
How much better
It would have been
If all the men
Eaten today
From the plunder
They took
Against their enemies.
The battle would
Have been greater?"
The next day,
Israelite's in exhaustion
Struck down
The philistines.
Pouncing on more
Plunder
Taking sheep, cattle,
And calves.
Butchering them
To eat with blood
On the earth.
Someone said to Saul
"Look, the men
Are sinning
Against the Lord
Eating bloody meat."
"You have broken faith,"
Saul said.
"Roll a large stone
Over here at once.
Go among the men
Tell them each of you
Bring me your cattle
To slaughter them properly.
Don't sin against God."
It was done,
Saul built an altar
To God for
The first time
There.
King Saul spoke
"Let us go down
After the enemy
By night leaving none alive."
"Do whatever seems best
To you."
They replied but the
Priest said
"Let's inquire God."
Saul asked the Lord
"Shall I go down
After the philistines?"
God didn't answer
"Come here,"
Saul commanded
"All who are leaders
Of the army let us find
What sin has been
Committed today.
Surely as the Lord
Who rescues Israel lives,
Even if it lies with
My son he must die."
Not one of the men
Said a word.
Saul continued
"you stand over there.
I and my son Jonathon
Will stand over here."
Saul prayed to the Lord
"Give me the right answer."
Through lots the men
Were cleared
It then passed to
Saul and his son.
Jonathon was taken.
Saul asked
Tell me, what have
You done?"
Jonathon answered
"I merely tasted a little
Honey, Now I must die?"
Saul said
"May God deal with me
Be it ever so severely
If you don't die, Jonathon."
But the men said
"Should Jonathon Die?
He who brought this
Great deliverance?
Never! As surely
As God lives, not a hair
Of his head will fall.
For what he did today
Was with God's help."
With that he was not put
To death.
Saul stopped pursuing the
Philistines, withdrawing to
Their own land.
15
Samuel spoke to Saul
"I'm the one the Lord
Sent to anoint you king;
So listen now to
God's message.
I will punish the
Amalekites for what they
Did to Israel, by
Waylaying them
Coming up from Egypt.
Go attack,
Totally destroy everything
That belongs to them.
Don't spare them,
Put to death men,
Woman, children,
Even infants."
Saul summoned the
Mustered men at Telaim.
Two hundred thousand
Foot soldiers and ten thousand
Men from Judah.
They went to the city
Of Amelek in the ravine
An Ambush was set.
He warned the Kenites
"Go away, leave so
That I don't destroy
You along with them
For you showed kindness
To all Israel
When we came
Out of Egypt."
The Keneties fled.
Saul attacked the
Amalekites all the way
From Havilah to Shur.
He took their King Agag
Alive, all his people
He totally destroyed
With sword
But Saul and his army
Spared the best of the
Sheep, cattle, fat calves,
And lambs.
These they were
Unwilling to destroy
But everything that
Was weakly despised,
Totally ravaged.
Word of the Lord
Came to Samuel
"I'm grieved that I
Have made Saul king.
He has turned away
From me by not
Carrying out my instructions."
Troubled Samuel cried out
To God all that night.
Early in the morn,
Samuel got up
Traveling to meet Saul.
When he got there
He was told
"Saul has gone to Carmel.
He's set a monument there
In his own honor
And has turned
To go down Gigal."
Samuel reached him.
"The Lord bless you!"
Saul exclaimed
"I have carried out
The Lords instructions."
Samuel asked
"What is this bleating
Of sheep in my ears
And this lowing of cattle?"
Saul answered
"Soldiers brought them
From the Amalekites,
Sparing them to sacrifice
For the lord but we
Totally destroyed the rest."
"Stop!" Samuel said
"Let me tell you what
God has spoken to me
Last night.
Although you were
Once small in your own eyes,
Did you not
Become head of the
Tribes of Israel
You were sent on a mission
To obliterate those wicked
Amelkites.
Why didn't you obey the Lord?
Pouncing on plunder
Doing evil in the
Eyes of God."
"But I did obey,"
Saul pronounced
"I went on the mission.
I completely destroyed them
And brought back Agag,
The best plunder was
Devoted to God."
Samuel replied
"Does the Lord delight
In burnt offerings as much
As obeying the voice of God?
To obey is better
Then sacrifices.
Rebellion is like the
Sin of divination, arrogance,
And idolatry.
Because you have
Rejected the Lord
He has rejected you as king."
Saul pleaded
"I have sinned.
I violated Gods command.
I was afraid of the people
So I gave in to them.
I beg you, forgive my sin
Come back with me
Where I may worship the Lord."
"I will not go
Back with you."
Samuel said
"You've rejected
The word of the Lord."
Samuel turned to leave,
Saul gripped the hem
Of his robe it tore apart.
Samuel spoke
"The Lord has torn
The kingdom of Israel
From you today.
He's given it to one
Of you neighbors
Better than you.
He who is the glory
Of Israel
Does not lie or
Change his mind
For he is not a man
That should change his
Mind."
Saul said
"I have sinned,
Please honor me
Before the elders
Of my people before
Israel;
Come back with me
So I may worship God."
Samuel went back with
Saul who worshiped before
The Lord.
Samuel demanded
"Bring me Agag."
He entered confidently thinking
Surely the bitterness
Of death is past.
Samuel said
"As your sword has
Made woman childless
Among woman
So will your mother be."
With these words
Samuel strikes him down.