“(17) And Samuel called the people together unto Jehovah to Mizpah; (18) and he said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all the kingdoms that oppressed you: (19) but ye have this day rejected your God, who Himself saveth you out of all your calamities and your distresses; and ye have said unto Him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before Jehovah by your tribes, and by your thousands. (20) So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken. (21) And he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families; and the family of the Matrites was taken; and Saul the son of Kish was taken: but when they sought him, he could not be found. (22) Therefore they asked of Jehovah further, Is there yet a man to come hither? And Jehovah answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the baggage. (23) And they ran and fetched him thence; and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. (24) And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom Jehovah hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, Long live the king.
(25) Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before Jehovah. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. (26) And Saul also went to his house to Gibeah; and there went with him the host, whose hearts God had touched. (27) But certain worthless fellows said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.”
Golden Text.—“The Lord is our King; He will save us.” Isa. 33:22.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) Where did Samuel assemble the people for the choosing of a king? Verse 17. (2) From whom did Samuel have a message to deliver? Of what was that message a reminder? What had He done for them? Verse 18. Note . (3) What did Samuel declare to the people that they had done? What had they said to the Lord in the demand which they had made? What did he, therefore, tell them to do? Verse 19. (4) When the tribes were assembled, which tribe was chosen? Verse 20. Note . (5) Which family was selected from the tribe of Benjamin as the family in which the king was to be found? Upon whom in this family did the lot fall to be king of Israel? What did Saul do? Verse 21. (6) What action did the people take when it was found that the chosen one was missing? What answer did the Lord give? Verse 22. Note . (7) What did the people do when the Lord told them where Saul was hiding? When Saul stood among the people, what did they notice about him? Verse 23. (8) What did Samuel say concerning the new king? How did the people make reply to Samuel’s statement? Verse 24. (9) What did Samuel make known to the people concerning their future? What did he do that future generations might have this to refer to? When this had been done, what did Samuel command the people to do? Verse 25. Note . (10) To what place did Saul go? Who went with him? What caused this band of men to follow Saul? Verse 26. (11) Who sought to bring in a spirit of discord? What question did they ask? How did they feel toward him? What did they refuse to do in order to show their contempt for Saul? What Christian course did Saul take in the matter? Verse 27. Note .
