perform all those wonders. And if the children of Israel had been their captives, in their power as they were in Pharaoh's, that the God of Israel himself would not have been able to deliver them out of their hands. They despised Israel, and vowed to plague them until there should not be one left. p. 73, Para. 1, [4SGa].
God marked their boastful words against him, and appointed them to be utterly destroyed by the very people they had despised, that all nations might mark the end of that most proud and powerful people. p. 73, Para. 2, [4SGa].
God proved Saul by intrusting him with the important commission to execute his threatened wrath upon Amalek. But he disobeyed God, and spared the wicked, blasphemous king Agag, whom God had appointed unto death, and spared the best of the cattle. He destroyed utterly all the refuse that would not profit them. Saul thought it would add to his greatness to spare Agag, a noble monarch splendidly attired. And to return from battle with him captive, with great spoil of oxen, sheep, and much cattle, would get to himself much renown, and cause the nations to fear him, and tremble before him. And the people united with him in this. They excused their sin among themselves in not destroying the cattle, because they could reserve them to sacrifice to God, and spare their own cattle to themselves. p. 73, Para. 3, [4SGa].
Samuel visits Saul with a curse from the Lord for his disobedience, for thus exalting himself before the Lord, to choose his own course, and follow his own reasoning, instead of strictly following the Lord. Saul goes forth to meet Samuel, like an innocent man, greeting him with these words, "Blessed be thou of the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord. And Samuel said. What meaneth then the bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? And Saul said. They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God, and the rest we have utterly destroyed." p. 73, Para. 4, [4SGa].
Samuel relates to Saul what God had said unto him the night before, which night Samuel spent in sorrowful prayer, because of Saul's sins. "When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?" He reminds