1 Samuel

Israel eventually got tired of being different from their neighbors. They wanted a king like everyone else. Samuel tried to warn them that a human king would take their rights and their money, but they refused to listen. So God gave them exactly what they asked for. The first king was Saul. He looked perfect on the outside because he was tall and strong. But he had a major problem. He was insecure and often disobeyed God when the pressure was on.

Because Saul failed, God chose a replacement. This time He picked a young shepherd named David. God famously said that He looks at the heart, not the appearance. David proved this when he faced the giant Goliath. While the whole army was scared, David stepped forward with just a sling. He won the battle because he trusted God completely.

The rest of the book is actually quite sad. Saul became obsessed with jealousy. He spent his final years hunting David through the wilderness to kill him. David had to live in caves and run for his life, even though he had done nothing wrong. He even had chances to kill Saul but refused to harm the king. The story ends with a disaster for Israel. Saul dies in a losing battle against the Philistines. With the old king gone, the confusion clears up and sets the stage for David to finally take the throne in 2 Samuel.