the smoke of the burnt-offering rose in the clear air, the Philistines came up the hill to battle with us, and the people cried, and were on the point of fleeing this way and that way, to be pursued and slain.  I commanded them to be still.  The Philistines drew nearer and nearer, and I prayed ever more and more earnestly.  The smoke of the offering was beginning to die down, and yet I prayed.  The fire was well nigh out to the last spark, and for a moment I doubted, forgetful of the vision, for the music of the army of Dagon could now be heard.  Suddenly the fire flamed up on high from the grey ashes, as if a heap of the driest wood of summer had been thrown on it, and I saw a little cloud gather on the other side of the Philistine hosts, and I knew that my prayer was answered.  The flame dropped instantly, but the cloud spread itself even as I looked, and the wind arose, and hither and thither across the cloud flashed the lightning.  Onward it came till it rested over the Philistines, and then it broke and descended on them, and they were shut out from us in thick darkness.  The thunder of the Lord crashed and rolled, and we saw His lightnings pierce down like swords.  Silent we stood, and presently the cloud lifted, and the Philistines, who, a few minutes before, marched against us in order, were a confused mass, struggling hither and thither, and many of them were lying dead on the ground.  Then, with one accord, Israel shouted, and ran and smote the Philistines until they came under Bethcar.  I went not with them; but when they had all departed, I took a stone and set it up between Mizpeh and Shen, and wrote on it Ebenezer, for hitherto had the Lord helped us—­the Lord, I say, and never a man, as it was the Lord and never a man who has helped us since we left Egypt.

After that defeat the Philistines troubled us no more, and the cities which they had taken from us were restored; but when I became old, the people grew restless, and desired a change.  The Lord, to humble me, and prevent boasting by His servant, had afflicted me with two sons, who obeyed not His commandments; and the people put forward these two sons, who were judges under me, as a reason why a king should be given them.  If, however, my sons did injustice, I was still alive to whom appeal could be made, and why should a king, because he was a king, be better?  The Lord had brought us out of Egypt, and had ruled us through His ministers.  We had no court, with women and with splendour; and those who won our battles lived like those whom they led.  Our gold and our silver were saved for the House of the Lord, which was His, and for all of us.  The office of king was foreign to us:  it was heathen and hateful to me.  None more earnestly than I worshipped the Lord, and submitted myself to His direction, and imposed His will even to death upon the people.  But that a man, because he was called king, should rule, and send the people hither and thither for his own ends, and slaughter them, was horrible to me.  I sought the Lord in prayer to know how I should meet this request, and He counselled me to yield.