a8 SAMUEL

his work when he was growing old. But they, like Elis sons, turned out badly and

took bribes and gave false judgments in return for money, so that the people were
very dissatisfied. At last they would not have it any longer, and they came to Samuel
and said to him, “Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways. Now make
us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

And Samuel was displeased. when he heard them, and tried to persuade them not
to ask for a king. He told them God was their King, and they should not want
any other king to reign over them. But they would not listen to him. So he asked
God to tell him what he was to do. And God commanded him to anoint Saul to be -
their king. At first all went smoothly and they thought they knew better than
Samuel; but by and by troubles began to come on them, like black thunder clouds ,

gathering over the blue sky, as Samuel had foretold, and they found out what a
mistake they had made in choosing to have an earthly king, in spite of Samuel’s advice.
How grieved he must have been to see all these evils come upon the people whom he had
judged so long and loved so greatly. — :

At last the end came, Samuel died.

To all men on ‘this earth
Death cometh soon or late.

“And all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him, and buried him in
his house at Ramah.” ‘Yes, they found out, when it was too late, how great and good a
man he was, and from all parts of the land they came, when they heard of his death, to be
present at his funeral. His name was never forgotten, but was handed down from age to
age as the name of a man who loved God from his earliest years and was a faithful priest,
prophet, and judge. ee