and told them: &#8220;You have carried out all the instructions of Moses the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s servant, and you have obeyed all I have told you.<n id="1" />

but you must not make an agreement with the people who live in this land. You should tear down the altars where they worship.&#8217;<n id="1" /> But you have disobeyed me.<n id="2" /> Why would you do such a thing?<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">When the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.<n id="1" />

<p class="poetry">Hear<n id="1" /> the sound of those who divide the sheep<n id="2" /> among the watering places;p> <p class="poetry">there they tell of<n id="3" /> the Lord&#8217;s victorious deeds,p> <p class="poetry">the victorious deeds of his warriors<n id="4" /> in Israel.p> <p class="poetry">Then the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s people went down to the city gates &#8211;p>

I said to you, &#8220;I am the <sc>Lordsc> your God! Do not worship<n id="1" /> the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living!&#8221; But you have disobeyed me.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

God answered Manoah&#8217;s prayer.<n id="1" /> God&#8217;s angelic messenger visited<n id="2" /> the woman again while she was sitting in the field. But her husband Manoah was not with her.

The Danites said to him, &#8220;Don&#8217;t say another word to us, or some very angry men<n id="1" /> will attack you, and you and your family will die.&#8221;<n id="2" />

So the people came to Bethel<n id="1" /> and sat there before God until evening, weeping loudly and uncontrollably.<n id="2" />

May the <sc>Lordsc> enable each of you to find<n id="1" /> security<n id="2" /> in the home of a new husband!&#8221;<n id="3" /> Then she kissed them goodbye and they wept loudly.<n id="4" />

Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk.

So now do as they say.<n id="1" /> But seriously warn<n id="2" /> them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

The <sc>Lordsc> said to Samuel, &#8220;Do as they say<n id="1" /> and install a king over them.&#8221; Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, &#8220;Each of you go back to his own city.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">When the messengers went to Gibeah (where Saul lived)<n id="1" /> and informed the people of these matters, all the people wept loudly.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Samuel said to all Israel, &#8220;I have done<n id="1" /> everything you requested.<n id="2" /> I have given you a king.<n id="3" />

But if you don&#8217;t obey<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> and rebel against what the <sc>Lordsc> says, the hand of the <sc>Lordsc> will be against both you and your king.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">So Samuel called to the <sc>Lordsc>, and the <sc>Lordsc> made it thunder and rain that day. All the people were very afraid of both the <sc>Lordsc> and Samuel.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then Samuel said to Saul, &#8220;I was the one the <sc>Lordsc> sent to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now listen to what the <sc>Lordsc> says.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Then Samuel said,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Does the <sc>Lordsc> take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrificesp> <p class="poetry">as much as he does in obedience?<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Certainly,<n id="2" /> obedience<n id="3" /> is better than sacrifice;p> <p class="poetry">paying attention is better than<n id="4" /> the fat of rams.p>

<p class="bodytext">Then Saul said to Samuel, &#8220;I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the <sc>Lordsc> commanded<n id="1" /> and what you said as well.<n id="2" /> For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes.<n id="3" />

Then David took from her hand what she had brought to him. He said to her, &#8220;Go back<n id="1" /> to your home in peace. Be assured that I have listened to you<n id="2" /> and responded favorably.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>