Saul, perceiving that he had sinned, confessed his transgression, but
palliated it by saying that he feared the people. But this policy of
expediency had no weight with the prophet, although Saul repented and
sought pardon. Samuel continued his stern rebuke, and uttered his
fearful message, saying, "Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from
thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine that is better
than thou." Furthermore Samuel demanded that Agag, whom Saul had spared,
should be brought before him; and he took upon himself with his aged
hand the work of executioner, and hewed the king of the Amalekites in
pieces in Gilgal. He then finally departed from Saul, and mournfully
went to his own house in Ramah, and Saul saw him no more. As the king
was the "Lord's anointed," Samuel could not openly rebel against kingly
authority, but he would henceforth have nothing to do with the
headstrong ruler. He withdrew from him all spiritual guidance, and left
him to his follies and madness; for the inextinguishable jealousy of
Saul, that now began to appear, was a species of insanity, which
poisoned his whole subsequent life. The people continued loyal to a king
whom God had selected, but Samuel "came no more to see Saul until the
day of his death." To be deserted by such a counsellor as Samuel, was no
small calamity.

Meanwhile, in obedience to instructions from God, Samuel proceeded to
Bethlehem, to the humble abode of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah, one of
whose sons he was required to anoint as the future king of Israel. He
naturally was about to select the largest and finest looking of the
seven sons; but God looketh on the heart rather than the outward
appearance, and David, a mere youth, and the youngest of the family, was
the one indicated by Jehovah, and was privately anointed by the prophet.