[:en]Saul was 30 years old when he became king and he reigned over Israel for 42 years. (v. 1). Jonathan attacked the Philistines and Saul blew the trumpet to summon people to join him at Gilgal. When men of Israel saw the numerous chariots and soldiers of Philistines, some hid in caves, among the rocks and in pits and cisterns. All the troops were quaking with fear. They waited 7 days for Samuel to come but he did not come. So Saul was very impatient and he offered the burnt offering himself. After finished making the offering, Samuel arrived. Samuel rebuked him for not keeping God’s command by offering the burnt offering which only a prophet can do. But Saul made a lot of excuses to justify his act by saying: “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash I thought, Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor. So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering” (vs. 11-12) So Samuel replied: “You acted foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God gave you. If you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now, your kingdom will not endure. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of His people because you have not kept the Lord’s command” (vs. 13-14)
“An excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie” (by Billy Graham)[:]