As to Samuel, his conduct is far above human praise. Though injuriously treated by his countrymen, who cast him off after he had served them 25 faithfully till he was "old and gray-headed,"[3] and who resolved on setting over themselves a king against his earnest entreaties, still we find no trace of coldness or jealousy in his behavior towards Saul. On his first meeting with him, he addressed 30 him in the words of loyalty--"On whom is all the desire of Israel? is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?" Afterwards, when he anointed him king, he "kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be 5 captain over His inheritance?" When he announced him to the people as their king, he said, "See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?" And, some time after, when Saul had irrecoverably 10 lost God's favor, we are told, "Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: _nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul_." In the next chapter he is even rebuked for immoderate grief--"How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, 15 seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?"[4] Such sorrow speaks favorably for Saul as well as for Samuel; it is not only the grief of a loyal subject and a zealous prophet, but, moreover, of an attached friend; and, indeed, 20 instances are recorded, in the first years of his reign, of forbearance, generosity, and neglect of self, which sufficiently account for the feelings with which Samuel regarded him. David, under very different circumstances, seems to have felt 25 for him a similar affection. [3] _Ibid._ xii. 2. [4] 1 Sam. ix. 20; x. 1, 24; xv. 35; xvi. 1.