Nathan to Samuel – part 2

Samuel anoints Saul king

But that day we had to travel to obey the word of Yahweh. We were already on our way to Zuph so that Samuel could bless the annual sacrifice. At the shrine Samuel performed his duties, and asked the cook to set aside a large portion of the meat. When he was asked who this would be for, Samuel didn’t answer. Towards evening a young man, Saul, son of Kish of the tribe of Benjamin, approached Samuel to ask him whether he could tell him where his father’s lost donkeys could be, as he had been searching for them for three days. Samuel didn’t answer him, but just led him into the shrine, sat him down at the head of the company and asked the cook to bring the portion of meat he had asked to be set aside. Saul ate. When he was satisfied, Samuel made a bed up for him on the roof of the shrine, and he slept until morning.

In the morning, in the presence of the people of Zuph, Samuel poured a horn of oil over Saul and anointed him to be King of Israel. Saul protested that he was only an insignificant man from the tribe of Benjamin, but Samuel was adamant. He then told Saul that his donkeys had returned home, but that he now had some more tasks to perform. He was to leave Zuph and travel to Zelzah where he would meet two men near to the tomb of Rachel, who would confirm the donkeys were alright, but that his father was now worried about him. From there he was to travel to the terebinth tree at Tabor, where he would meet with three men going up to Bethel to worship, one carrying three goats, one three loaves and the last a skin of wine. Saul was told to accept two loaves of bread, and then travel to the Hill of God where the Philistine Governor lived, where he would meet with a company of prophets coming down from the shrine, led by a group of musicians. There the spirit of the Lord would fall upon him, and he would become as one of the prophets. When all this has come to pass, so Samuel told Saul, go down to Gilgal and wait, and I, Samuel will come to make offerings and sacrifices for seven days and introduce you to the people.

All this came to pass just as Samuel had prophesied, and Saul son of Kish became King of Israel at the request of the people. Samuel wrote down a record of the nature of a King, and deposited it before Yahweh, and Saul returned home to Gibeah with a group of young men to begin ruling the people of Israel.

The deeds of Saul are written in the book of the people, as are his crimes. When Yahweh could no longer stand the misdeeds of Saul, Samuel, now a very old man was sent to anoint David as king to replace him. For all his many good qualities, David also transgressed before Yahweh.

I had always hoped that one day I would follow in Samuel’s footsteps as a messenger of Yahweh, and on his death that came to pass, and I was filled with the spirit of Yahweh. I became a prophet knowing at least something of the cost to me, having watched Samuel all those years. I had seen the good times when the people heeded the word of Yahweh, and on that day after the assembly of the people, I began to realise the cost of being the messenger of Yahweh. I was afraid then, that I would never be strong enough or good enough, or even the person that Yahweh wanted to be a prophet for him, but in his strength, I Nathan the prophet have spoken truth to King David, even though I know it might cost me my life. But that is another story for another day.

Nathan to Samuel – part 1

Samuel anoints Saul king

I remember the day well, when my Master returned from that meeting with the elders of Israel. He was distraught. He paced up and down the room, no, he prowled up and down the room like a lion in a trap. His garments swirled out when he reached a corner of the small house we were staying in and swept around it. It took with it motes of dust creating a sensation for me, sitting on the family platform, of being in a whirlwind. I watched in utter fascination, as I had never seen him like this before, and I had seen him in all sorts of moods.

I had been part of the household of the Prophet Samuel since I was a young boy. I think my parents hoped that I would get a good position, so that I could earn enough money to help them in their old age. If I had been in the household of any of Samuel’s sons, then I might have become a rich man, as when they had become of age, Samuel had made them Judges over the people of Israel. Unlike their father, who was at all times scrupulously just and honest, the sons of Samuel were corrupt, and would judge according to how much money they could get for their judgement. I am sure that Samuel knew what was going on, but like any father he was very reluctant to see any real bad in his sons. He must have just kept hoping that things would improve as his sons got older. It really was his one and only bad piece of judgement; his weakness, his blindness, this love for his sons, and it had led to this room, and this burst of energy, despite his advanced years. I sat quietly until Samuel’s anger finally wore itself out. The air seemed to drain out of him, and he just slumped down on the edge of the platform with his head in his hands.

Many times I had seen Samuel in the presence of Yahweh. On this day he just sat there not moving, scarcely even appearing to breath. Somehow when he was talking with Yahweh he would become changed. I don’t quite know how to explain it, he would become lighter, as if being lit by some internal flame. Usually this would bring him great peace and joy, but on this day although the lightness was there, it didn’t seem to bring him any peace. As the evening shadows lengthened and night fell I could have sworn that I saw a hand rest comfortingly on his shoulder, but that could just have been a trick of the light.

Eventually Samuel seemed to come back into the room, from wherever he had gone. He stood, stretched and looked around. Seeing me, he smiled, and said that he was sorry to have kept me from my sleep. I rose and gathered his cloak, threw it around his shoulders, and led him to the step of the house, where he sat down. I brought him food and drink, and he ate and drank. He said that he was now tired and that we should both sleep, as we had much to discuss in the morning. He rolled himself in his cloak, and curled up on the platform, and fell asleep. When I was certain that he was asleep, I allowed myself to fall asleep as well.

The next day when we had broken our fast together, Samuel instructed me to pack our bags, as Yahweh had commanded us to go to the town of Zuph. There we would meet with a young man from the tribe of Benjamin, whom he would anoint to be King over the people of Israel. Having heard Samuel on the subject of kings, both privately and in the meeting of the people, I was astonished, and asked him why he had changed his mind? He sighed deeply and said that Yahweh said that he, Samuel had better do what the people had asked. It was not that they were rejecting Samuel as their leader, it was that yet again they were rejecting Yahweh’s leadership over them, as they had from the moment they had left Egypt in the time of Moses and Aaron. All the people could see around them was the glory of the battles won by the kings of neighbouring territories, and they wanted that for themselves. What they did not see was the young men called from their families and their fields to serve in the armies, to fight and to die leaving their families bereft. What they did not see was the ploughshares turned into swords, and the carpenters and metal workers fashioning chariots and spears for the army, instead of agricultural tools to till the land and turn it into the land flowing with milk and honey that Yahweh had promised. What they did not see was the choice land and vineyards that kings take for themselves, to feed their households and their families, and to give to their courtiers. What they did not see was the young women leaving their families to become bakers and cooks and perfume makers. And they do not see the taxes the king imposes on his people; the tithe of cattle, sheep, goats, grain, wine and olive oil that the king demands, so that he becomes wealthy and his people become poor. Then they will cry out to Yahweh for help, and he will just remind them, that it is what they themselves asked for and wanted.