He returned to his home in Gibeah.
But he felt dreadfully hurt and he soon showed his anger.
It was commonly said and eagerly believed that Samuel could predict the future and was a fortune-teller and soothsayer of no mean ability.
Saul of course knew this too and he gave orders that within his realm all fortune-tellers should be either killed or should be forced into exile.
Samuel from his side did not remain idle.
He was angry and he intended to keep his threat.He began to look for a more suitable occupant of the throne.This time he meant to find a candidate who was willing to listen to the wise council of an old man,who would be less independent in his actions than Saul had been.
He asked for information about different young people and some one spoke to him about a certain David,who was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem,and a grandson of Ruth and Boaz.
The boy was a shepherd and he had quite a reputation among the people of his own village for his courage.
On one occasion his sheep had been attacked by a lion and another time,they had been attacked by a bear,and in both cases David had killed the brute and had saved his flocks without calling for help.
Furthermore,David was an excellent musician.Not only could he sing,but he also had taught himself to play the harp and during the long and lonely hours when he followed his sheep he used to make up bits of verse which he sang afterwards to melodies which he had composed himself.He was quite famous for his “Psalms”(as those songs were called)and people came from far and wide to hear him.
When it became known that David enjoyed the particular favour of Samuel,and was destined by him for a great future,it was everywhere said that it was a most excellent choice and would bring happiness to the whole nation.
Only one man did not share this general enthusiasm about the young harpist.
That was Saul.
His conscience bothered him.
He knew that Samuel had been right when he accused him of having kept the flocks of Agag against the express command of Jehovah.
He now lived in constant fear of David and wished that he could get rid of his unpleasant rival.
But what could he do?The Jewish people were watching the two men very carefully and Saul had to be very careful in whatever he did.
Fortunately,a new war came to his assistance.The Philistines were coming back.They had reorganised their armies and now threatened the eastern valleys of Saul's domain.
They were led by a giant who was called Goliath.He was as big as a house and he wore an enormous coat of mail,the like of which had never been seen by the Jews.
Every morning and every night,he strutted around between the lines of the Jews and those of the Philistines and dared his enemies to leave their trenches and fight him.
He carried a sword that was seven feet long and he waved it ferociously and he called the Jews cowards and all sorts of horrible names and he jeered at them and generally made himself most detestable.
This went on day after day and week after week and nothing happened.The soldiers,ashamed of their own fear,looked for some one whom they could hold responsible for this humiliating situation.
Saul as commander-in-chief,became their scapegoat.
Why did he not go forth himself and fight a duel with the big Philistine?
For the simple reason that he was ill.He suffered from a terrible mood of depression which soon began to affect his mind.He sat in his tent and brooded and brooded and brooded,day after day and week after week.Finally his generals began to worry.
It seemed that Saul was losing his reason.He spoke to no one and hardly answered when he was asked a question.Something had to be done and it had to be done at once.
The wonderful curative power of music was known to the ancients.It was suggested that Saul be distracted by the pleasant songs of David.This seemed an excellent idea and David was sent for.The boy came and played so well that Saul wept bitter tears and for a short while forgot some of his troubles,and said that he felt much better.
But even then he did not stir from his tent and the army remained inactive and Goliath continued to abuse the Jews,and every day at a certain hour the Philistines left their fortifications and stood about and laughed until their sides ached.
This might have gone on indefinitely,when David happened to return to the Jewish camp.
He was one of a family of eight,and three of his brothers were in the army.
The Jewish soldiers were supposed to be their own cooks and quartermasters,and the sons of Jesse had sent word to their father that they needed fresh supplies.Jesse had ordered David to take a sack of corn and carry it to the front.When David with his burden reached the camp,he heard every one talking about the terrible giant,who quite alone seemed to hold an entire army at bay.
David did not quite understand such a feeling of panic before the name of a mortal man.Like most people who lead a solitary life he had thought a great deal upon religious subjects.He had an implicit faith in the power of Jehovah.Nothing could happen to the righteous man who was assured of the support of the great Jewish God.
He volunteered to go forth by himself and to kill this enemy of his people without the help of a single soldier.
The men of the army told him that he was both reckless and foolish,but David insisted.When his comrades saw that he meant to do what he said,they tried to prepare him for the combat.From the King down,they offered him their armour.
But David answered “No.”He did not need swords and spears and shields.
He needed the moral support of Jehovah.That was all.
He went to the banks of the river and he picked up a handful of shining,round pebbles.Then he took his sling and left the trench.
When the Philistines saw that a mere child was going to fight a man twice his size,they called for their hero and bade him make an example of the boy.Goliath needed no urging.Swinging his terrible sword,he rushed at David.
