But the Children of Israel often turned back from the Lord and followed their own ways, even making idols for themselves like the Canaanites had. This grieved Samuel very much, because he knew that it would make God very angry with them. At length Samuel was getting to be an old man, and the people got tired of being judged by his sons, who were not very good and faithful young men, and they asked Samuel to make a king to rule them, and go to war with them as they saw other nations do. This was the greatest grief of all to Samuel, because the Lord was their King! But nothing that he could say would turn them from their wish to have a king whom they could see, and who would lead them to battle against their enemies. The Lord told Samuel that he could do as the people asked; but that in choosing an earthly king they had rejected the Lord, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, and delivered them from all their foes. There was at this time a man of the tribe of Benjamin whose name was Saul. He was a very handsome young man, and was so tall that he was head and shoulders above everyone else. His father's name was Kish. One day, the asses belonging to Kish strayed away and got lost, and Saul and his servant went a very long way to seek for them. They searched for a long time, but could not find them. At last, the servant suggested that they should go to the prophet who lived near the place to which they had travelled, for he thought perhaps he might tell them where to find the asses. So they came to the city where Samuel the prophet lived, and when they made enquiries, they found that Samuel was going to offer a sacrifice there that very day. Now the Lord had told Samuel that He would bring the young man who was to be king to him, that he might anoint him. So Samuel met Saul and invited him to dinner, and told him that he wanted to speak to him presently, and that he should go back to-morrow. "And as for the asses," he said, "that were lost three days ago, they are found!" So when they had eaten their meal, Samuel and Saul went on the housetop and Samuel talked with him for a long time; and early the next morning Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it on Saul's head, and told him he was anointed to be King over God's inheritance. He told him also that he was to go to Gilgal and wait there seven days, until he came down to him to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. But now, children, we come to Saul's first disobedience. Saul waited seven days, but he forgot that God's prophet had said "wait seven days, even till I come to offer the sacrifice," and when Samuel delayed to come for a few hours, Saul took upon himself to offer the sacrifice. Then Samuel came! And Saul hurried out to meet him. But Samuel drew back from his greeting, and told him he had been very disobedient, and that the Lord would choose someone else to be the king; one who would keep God's commandments and love Him with all his heart!