loaded down with gold.” Saul looked at Abner. “How long would it take to bring it here?”
A warrior entered the tent. “There is still no sign of Samuel, my lord.”
Abner frowned. “There is no time. You must do something now before all the men are gone.” Everyone agreed.
“Don’t.” Jonathan was a lone voice in the tent. He looked into his father’s face. “Wait. Please. Give the seer more time.”
Abner shook his head. “You know too little of men, Jonathan. If we wait much longer, the camp will be empty and the king will stand alone. How long do you think your father will survive with just those of us inside this tent to defend him?”
Abner’s words swayed Saul. “Bring me the burnt offerings and the peace offerings. We can’t ask God to help us unless we give Him something.”
Jonathan’s heart pounded heavily, the pit of his stomach like a hard, cold ball of fear. He drew out the Law. “You mustn’t do this, Father. Please, listen. I can show you—”
“Do you not yet understand?” Saul shouted. “I can’t wait.” His eyes blazed. “I won’t wait! Samuel promised he would come. He didn’t keep his word!” Saul went outside. “Gather some stones. We’ll build the altar right here.” He grabbed Jonathan’s arm. “You will stand over there. And say no more!” His chin jerked up. “The kings of other nations make sacrifices before their armies. Why shouldn’t I?” Saul turned to Abner. “Call the men. They must see what I do. Tell them I am making an offering to the Lord so He will help us.”
Jonathan turned to Ebenezer and spoke quietly. “Station yourself where you can see anyone approaching camp. When you see Samuel, run back here like the wind and shout his coming. Hurry!”
“Yes, my lord.” The boy drew back from the others, turned, and ran to do Jonathan’s bidding.
As the young prince watched his father, he wondered if God would take Saul’s fear into account. Lord, forgive him. He doesn’t know what he’s doing .
The men gathering looked pleased by what was about to happen. Had his father read, written, and studied the Law, he would know better than to defy the Lord like this! And those who followed him would know better than to trust their lives to the plans of men.
The sun hovered above the western horizon. A crippled calf was brought to Saul. Why kill a healthy one without blemish as the Law commanded? It seemed that as long as his father had decided to disregard one part of the Law, none of its other instructions mattered either. Jonathan watched as King Saul put his hands on the animal’s head, prayed loudly for God’s help, and then slit the calf’s throat. Jonathan closed his eyes, sickened by the ceremony. Soon he smelled smoke, mingled with the stench of disobedience.
Dismissed, the men went about their duties. Saul looked at Jonathan and smiled, confident again. He went back inside his tent to talk with his advisors.
Jonathan sat, head in his hands.
Ebenezer came running. Face flushed, out of breath, he rasped, “The prophet comes.”
Shame filled Jonathan. How could he face Samuel?
Saul came outside. “Come! We will meet him together!” He spread his arms wide and smiled warmly. “Welcome, Samuel!”
Samuel’s eyes blazed. His fingers whitened on his staff. “Saul! What is this you have done?”
Surprised, Saul frowned. He looked from the prophet to the men around him. “I saw my men scattering from me—” his eyes narrowed coldly—“and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled—” he swept his hand, taking in his advisors—“to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
Jonathan looked between the two men. Wasn’t his father’s sin bad enough without trying to cast blame on the seer?
Samuel’s glance took in
A warrior entered the tent. “There is still no sign of Samuel, my lord.”
Abner frowned. “There is no time. You must do something now before all the men are gone.” Everyone agreed.
“Don’t.” Jonathan was a lone voice in the tent. He looked into his father’s face. “Wait. Please. Give the seer more time.”
Abner shook his head. “You know too little of men, Jonathan. If we wait much longer, the camp will be empty and the king will stand alone. How long do you think your father will survive with just those of us inside this tent to defend him?”
Abner’s words swayed Saul. “Bring me the burnt offerings and the peace offerings. We can’t ask God to help us unless we give Him something.”
Jonathan’s heart pounded heavily, the pit of his stomach like a hard, cold ball of fear. He drew out the Law. “You mustn’t do this, Father. Please, listen. I can show you—”
“Do you not yet understand?” Saul shouted. “I can’t wait.” His eyes blazed. “I won’t wait! Samuel promised he would come. He didn’t keep his word!” Saul went outside. “Gather some stones. We’ll build the altar right here.” He grabbed Jonathan’s arm. “You will stand over there. And say no more!” His chin jerked up. “The kings of other nations make sacrifices before their armies. Why shouldn’t I?” Saul turned to Abner. “Call the men. They must see what I do. Tell them I am making an offering to the Lord so He will help us.”
Jonathan turned to Ebenezer and spoke quietly. “Station yourself where you can see anyone approaching camp. When you see Samuel, run back here like the wind and shout his coming. Hurry!”
“Yes, my lord.” The boy drew back from the others, turned, and ran to do Jonathan’s bidding.
As the young prince watched his father, he wondered if God would take Saul’s fear into account. Lord, forgive him. He doesn’t know what he’s doing .
The men gathering looked pleased by what was about to happen. Had his father read, written, and studied the Law, he would know better than to defy the Lord like this! And those who followed him would know better than to trust their lives to the plans of men.
The sun hovered above the western horizon. A crippled calf was brought to Saul. Why kill a healthy one without blemish as the Law commanded? It seemed that as long as his father had decided to disregard one part of the Law, none of its other instructions mattered either. Jonathan watched as King Saul put his hands on the animal’s head, prayed loudly for God’s help, and then slit the calf’s throat. Jonathan closed his eyes, sickened by the ceremony. Soon he smelled smoke, mingled with the stench of disobedience.
Dismissed, the men went about their duties. Saul looked at Jonathan and smiled, confident again. He went back inside his tent to talk with his advisors.
Jonathan sat, head in his hands.
Ebenezer came running. Face flushed, out of breath, he rasped, “The prophet comes.”
Shame filled Jonathan. How could he face Samuel?
Saul came outside. “Come! We will meet him together!” He spread his arms wide and smiled warmly. “Welcome, Samuel!”
Samuel’s eyes blazed. His fingers whitened on his staff. “Saul! What is this you have done?”
Surprised, Saul frowned. He looked from the prophet to the men around him. “I saw my men scattering from me—” his eyes narrowed coldly—“and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled—” he swept his hand, taking in his advisors—“to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
Jonathan looked between the two men. Wasn’t his father’s sin bad enough without trying to cast blame on the seer?
Samuel’s glance took in
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