The first establishment of regal government among the Hebrews, was occasioned by the corrupt administration of Joel and Abiah, the two sons of Samuel, whom he had deputed to judge Israel in the decline of his life.* The people, exasperated at the oppression they laboured under, applied to Samuel for redress, testifying a desire to experience a different mode of government, by peremptorily demanding a king.** At this, however, Samuel was greatly displeased: not that his sons had tyrannized over the people, for of that he takes no manner of notice, neither exculpating them, nor promising the people redress; his chagrin arose from this violent resumption of the supreme magistracy out of the hands of his family; a circumstance for which he expresses great resentment.*** He consults the Lord, and not knowing else how the insurrection might terminate, in his name yields to their desires; promising them a king with vengeance to them.**** "For,"(5) says the Lord, "they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them."(6) The people, nevertheless, resolving to free themselves from present oppression, at the hazard of the threatened judgments, obstinately persisted in their demand, and dispersed not without a promise of compliance. * 1 Sam. viii. 3. ** Ver. 5. *** Ver. 6, &c. **** Ver. 11, &c. (5) Ver 7, compared with chap. ix. (6) Chap. x. 1. Samuel, to all outward appearance, chose the most impartial method of choosing a king, which was by lot, from among the people assembled by tribes; but prudently pitches upon his man, previous to the election; the whole tenor of his conduct manifesting, that he intended to give them a king in name, but still to retain the supreme authority in his own hands, by choosing one who should continue subordinate to his dictates. Opportunely for his purpose, a young countryman, named Saul, having rambled about to seek his fathers asses, which had strayed, and finding all search after them vain, applied to Samuel as a prophet,* with a fee in his hand, to gain intelligence of his beasts. We gather from several passages in Jewish history, that there were seminaries of prophets, i.e. the universities of the times, where youth were trained up to the mystery of prophesying. We find there were false prophets, nonconformists, not of the establishment; we find that even the true ones were liable to be imposed on by their brethren;** and we find moreover, by this instance, that prophets did not disdain to give assistance in their prophetical character, concerning domestic matters, for reasonable gratuities. A chief among the prophets, one who had been a judge over Israel, is applied to in a pecuniary way, for intelligence concerning lost cattle.*** * 1 Sam. ix. 7, 8. ** 1 Kings, xiii. 18., Josephus in loco.