And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
And it happened that as soon as Saul finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to greet him.
This verse shows the unfortunate timing - Samuel arrived right after Saul had disobeyed God by performing the sacrifice himself instead of waiting.
📚 Historical Context
Saul had been told by Samuel to wait seven days for him to arrive and perform the burnt offering before battle. Under pressure from his scattered troops and the advancing Philistine army, Saul took matters into his own hands and offered the sacrifice himself, which was reserved for priests. Samuel's arrival immediately after this act of disobedience would lead to a confrontation about Saul's failure to follow God's instructions.
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