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12.7 fathers. When Jacob was come into Egypt, then your fathers cried unto the, and the sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and they were made to dwell in this place. But they forgot the their God, and He gave them over into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them. And they cried unto the, and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the , and have served the Baalim and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve Thee. And the sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt in safety. And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when the your God was your king. Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for; and, behold, the hath set a king over you. If ye will fear the, and serve Him, and hearken unto His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the , and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of the your God—; but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the , but rebel against the commandment of the , then shall the hand of the  be against you, and against your fathers. Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto the, that He may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the , in asking you a king.' So Samuel called unto the ; and the sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the  and Samuel. And all the people said unto Samuel: 'Pray for thy servants unto the thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.' And Samuel said unto the people: 'Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from following the, but serve the  with all your heart; and turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. For the will not forsake His people for His great name's sake; because it hath pleased the  to make you a people unto Himself. Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things He hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be swept away, both ye and your king.'

Saul was years old when he began to reign; and two years he reigned over Israel. And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmas and in the mount of Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeath-benjamin; and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the horn throughout all the