When Samuel was getting old, his evil sons were next in line to take over the nation. The people of Israel suggested appointing a king to lead them instead. But Samuel didn’t think that was a good idea, so he asked God about it. God didn’t like the idea either, because he thought that meant his people wouldn’t consider him their king. But he told Samuel to do it anyway.

So Samuel warned Israel that their king would steal their property and enslave them. And he said God would never save them by putting an end to the king’s reign. The people said they wanted a king anyway, because all the other nations had kings. When God heard this, he said Samuel should go ahead and give them a king.

A tall, handsome young man named Saul came to Samuel to see if the prophet could tell him where his father’s lost donkeys were. Before he could ask him, Samuel told Saul that the donkeys had already been found while he was away looking for them.

Then Samuel took Saul home with him and kissed him and oiled him and told him God had made him the ruler of his people. Saul hid, but when the people of Israel found out that he was to be their king, they got God to find him for them. And they dragged him out and made him their king.

Before long, the Ammonites came and attacked the Israelite town of Jabesh Gilead. Then the Ammonite king offered to stop attacking them and gouge out all their right eyes instead. Saul saved Jabesh Gilead from this threat by threatening to destroy the property of any Israelites who didn’t help him fight the Ammonites.

But despite Samuel’s warnings, Saul never really stole anything or enslaved anyone. And God did eventually put an end to Saul’s reign anyway.

The end.

The moral of the story

Don’t listen to people who claim to speak for God; they don’t know what they’re talking about.

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