The
Israelites divided up the land in such a way that each of the twelve great
tribes received a territory of its own. The elders of the tribes shared out
the land among the families. Each family received enough to satisfy all its
needs.
Each
of the tribes lived independently. But when they were threatened by an enemy
they defended themselves together. And God would grant them a saviour who
would lead them out of danger.
But
then Israel began to find it very
hard to trust in God alone and to wait for him to send them a saviour every
time they were in need. They wanted a permanent leader – a king. Samuel was a
judge sent by God. He asked them: Do you really wish to bow down before a
man, to work for him, pay him taxes?
But
the representatives of the tribes said: We want to be like the other nations.
A king should tell us what is right and what is wrong. A king should lead us
in battle.
God
spoke to Samuel: Listen to what the men are demanding. It is not you that
they have rejected, but me. Then Samuel anointed Saul in the name of God as
King of Israel. God bestowed his Spirit upon him. Saul might have remained a
good king if he himself had trusted God with all his heart. But Saul did not
want to rely on another person – not even on God. He did not trust anyone. He
became sad and confused. God was no longer with Saul. So Saul was unable to
lead the people of Israel or to defend them any
more.