164 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

thickets, in caves among the rocks, and in pits in the
ground. Many of them sought for safety in fleeing from
the foe across the Jordan, and even those who staid with
Saul were trembling and afraid. Samuel had appointed
Saul to wait for him seven days at Gilgal. Saul waited
till the seventh day came, but had not patience to wait
till it was ended. He had the presumption to offer a
burnt-offering himself. Scarcely had he done this when
Samuel came and reproved him for it, and told him that
the Lord had rejected him from being king, and had
chosen another man whom he was to make captain over
his people.

Marianne. I do not understand very well, grandfather,
why it was so wrong in Saul to offer a burnt-offering
without Samuel being there.

Grandfather. It was the command of God that no-
thing of the kind should be done till Samuel came; and
the sentence that was passed upon Saul for this dis-
obedience teaches us, that by neglecting to obey the
commands of God in any one thing, we forfeit our title
to the heavenly kingdom, which is prepared for the just.

George. What did Saul do after Samuel had told him
that he was to lose the kingdom ?

Grandfather. He numbered his army and found that
he had only six hundred men, and quite unarmed, for
not a single man had a sword or a spear, except the
king himself and his son. Neither was there an Israelite
who could supply them with any of these things, for
the Philistines obliged them to go to them to get all