carry out His bidding.

This Saul would not do. When, instead of lurking in caves, with no
weapons save their tools for husbandry, the Israelites, under his
leading, gradually became free and warlike; and his son Jonathan and
uncle Abner were able generals, he fancied he could go his own way, he
took on him to offer sacrifice, as the heathen kings did; and when sent
forth to destroy all belonging to the Amalekites, he spared the king
and the choicest of the spoil. For this he was sentenced not to be the
founder of a line of kings, and the doom filled him with wrath against
the priesthood, while an evil spirit was permittted to trouble his soul,
Samuel's last great act was to anoint the youngest son of Jesse the
Bethlehemite, the great grandchild of the loving Moabitess, Ruth, the
same whom God had marked beside his sheepfolds as the man after His own
Heart, the future father of the sceptred line of Judah, and of the
"Root and Offspring of David, the bright and morning Star."

Fair and young, full of inspired song, and of gallant courage, the youth
David was favoured as the minstrel able to drive the evil spirit from
Saul, the champion who had slain the giant of Gath. He was the king's
son-in-law, the prince's bosom friend; but, as the hopes of Israel
became set on him, Saul began to hate him as if he were a supplanter,
though Jonathan submitted to the Will that deprived himself of a throne,
and loved his friend as faithfully as ever. At last, by Jonathan's
counsel, David fled from court, and Saul in his rage at thinking him
aided by the priests, slew all who fell into his hands, thus cutting off
his own last link with Heaven. A trusty band of brave men gathered round
David, but he remained a loyal outlaw, and always abstained from any
act against his sovereign, even though Saul twice lay at his mercy.
Patiently he tarried the Lord's leisure, and the time came at last. The