King Saul

Biblical Figures

King Saul was the first Israelite king. He was anointed by Samuel, who advised him. While he initially took David into his household, he grew resentful of him and sought to harm him. God's favor passed to David. His daughter Michal had married him and after Saul killed himself in battle, David took the throne.

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The Handsome and Tall King

TANAKH

Saul's physical appearance and stature set him apart as an exceptional leader among the Israelites. Samuel I describes Saul as the handsomest and tallest man among the Israelites, highlighting his distinguished presence.

He had a son whose name was Saul, an excellent young man; no one among the Israelites was handsomer than he; he was a head taller than any of the people.

I Samuel 9:2

Desperation and Forbidden Practices

TANAKH

King Saul, in his desperation, turns to forbidden practices when he cannot receive guidance from God. The Book of Samuel I recounts Saul’s tragic turn to a medium in En-dor, highlighting the consequences of his actions.

And Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. Then Saul said to his courtiers, “Find me a woman who consults ghosts, so that I can go to her and inquire through her.” And his courtiers told him that there was a woman in En-dor who consulted ghosts.

I Samuel 28:6-7

Saul's Dangerous Game

SECOND TEMPLE

King Saul's cunning plan to use his daughter's affection for David as a trap reveals the intense political and personal dynamics of ancient Israel. Josephus, a 1st-century Jewish historian, provides a detailed narrative of Jewish history, including the complex relationship between Saul and David.

2. But David had God going along with him whithersoever he went, and accordingly he greatly prospered in his undertakings, and it was visible that he had mighty success, insomuch that Saul's daughter, who was still a virgin, fell in love with him; and her affection so far prevailed over her, that it could not be concealed, and her father became acquainted with it. Now Saul heard this gladly, as intending to make use of it for a snare against David, and he hoped that it would prove the cause of destruction and of hazard to him…

The Antiquities of the Jews 6:10:2

The Tragic Mediation of King Saul

COMMENTARY

King Saul's reliance on the prophet Samuel for divine communication marks a significant shift in the leadership model of ancient Israel. Rabbi Francis Nataf explores the tragic consequences of Saul's mediated relationship with God, especially after Samuel's death.

But here the Bible employs a change in the order of things. As opposed to earlier leaders, each time Shaul does something wrong it is neither God nor one of His angels that comes to rebuke him. Rather, the Divine voice needs to be mediated. In this case, it is mediated by the prophet Shmuel, who eventually informs Shaul of God’s decision to replace him. This reaches tragic proportions after Shmuel dies. Finding no other avenue to discover what God wants from him, Shaul feels he has no choice but to conjure Shmuel back from the dead (I Shmuel 28:3–25)…

Redeeming Relevance; Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 5 Kings and the Problem of Professionalization 19-20

Saul's Innocence

TALMUD

When Saul began to reign, he was as innocent and sinless as a one-year-old child. The Gemara in Tractate Yoma interprets the verse metaphorically to highlight Saul's purity and uprightness at the start of his reign.

§ The Gemara continues its discussion of Saul and David. It is written: “Saul was one year old when he began to reign” (I Samuel 13:1), which cannot be understood literally, as Saul was appointed king when he was a young man. Rav Huna said: The verse means that when he began to reign he was like a one-year–old, in that he had never tasted the taste of sin but was wholly innocent and upright.

Yoma 22b:17

The Loyalty of Saul's Armor-Bearer

COMMENTARY

Saul's armor-bearer chose to die by his own hand upon seeing Saul dead, showing profound loyalty. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's modern translation and commentary on the Bible offers a clear explanation of this episode.

His armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, and he too fell on his sword and died. Due to his profound connection to Saul, when he saw that Saul was dead, the armor-bearer felt that he too had no reason to live.

Steinsaltz on I Chronicles 10:5

Michal's Deception

COMMENTARY

Michal's deception and her claim that David threatened her adds a layer of complexity to the narrative of David's rise to kingship. The Book of Samuel, part of the Nevi'im (Prophets), recounts this dramatic moment where Michal, King Saul's daughter, helps David escape from her father's attempt to kill him.

Saul said to Mikhal: Why did you deceive me so, and you released my enemy, and he escaped? Mikhal said to Saul: He said to me: Release me; why should I put you to death? She told her father that David had threatened her and therefore she had let him escape.

Steinsaltz on I Samuel 19:17

Loyalty Beyond Death

TANAKH

The men of Jabesh-gilead showed remarkable faithfulness and respect by burying King Saul, even after his death. In the biblical narrative of Samuel II, David expresses gratitude to these men, highlighting their loyalty and honor towards Saul.

So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed of the LORD because you performed this act of faithfulness to your lord Saul and buried him.

II Samuel 2:5

David's Reverence for Saul

MIDRASH

David's respect for Saul, despite Saul's hostility, exemplifies unwavering faith and recognition of divine order. The Midrash Tehillim offers insights into the relationship between King David and King Saul, emphasizing David's humility and reverence for God's anointed.

Another explanation: A meditation of David. Rabbi Tarfon says: David praised the Holy One, blessed be He, greatly for the miracles that He had performed for him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to David: David, you sing before Me about the downfall of Saul; if you had been Saul and he had been David, I would have lost many Davids before him. And this is the meaning of "a meditation of David". He said before Him: Master of the Universe, did the Children of Israel not sing before You when You saved them from the sea? And even though Saul was pursuing me…

Midrash Tehillim 7:15

The Tragic Complexity of King Saul

COMMENTARY

King Saul's story is a compelling study of a talented and charismatic leader whose inherent contradictions lead to his downfall. The Book of Samuel as explained by Everett Fox, narrates the rise and fall of King Saul, Israel's first king.

The narrative in Chaps. 9–11 is at times confusing and contradictory. As McKenzie (2000) summarizes, we may be dealing here with what were originally three separate accounts—of Sha’ul seeking lost asses and being anointed by the prophet, of a public coronation ceremony, and of his acclamation as king following a stirring military victory. They bring with them a complex picture of Sha’ul as a man with undeniable talent, even charisma, but one who somehow fails to measure up to the task.

The Early Prophets, by Everett Fox, Samuel, Part II; The Requested King 7

The Temporary Rule of Saul

KABBALAH

Saul's kingship was temporary, paving the way for David's eventual rule. The Zohar explores the timing and justice in the transition of kingship from Saul to David.

In the same way Saul obtained the kingdom, because the time of David, to whom it rightfully belonged, had not yet come. But when David’s time arrived to come into his own, Zedek arose and gathered in Saul on account of his sins, and he had to make way for David.

Zohar, Vayeilech 2:10

The Jealous King and the Future Monarch

JEWISH THOUGHT

King Saul's intense jealousy and violent attempts to kill David reveal the dramatic shift in divine favor from Saul to David. Eliezer Berkovits explains the escalating tension and hostility between King Saul and David, who is destined to become the next king of Israel.

And an evil ruah Y was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand. And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the spear into the wall.

Man and God, Chapter 2 the Spirit of God 72

The Last Stand of King Saul

COMMENTARY

King Saul's final battle against the Philistines is a pivotal moment in Jewish history, marked by strategic decisions and geographical significance. This modern analysis delves into the tactical and geographical aspects of King Saul's last stand at Tel Jezreel and Mount Gilboa.

Our final stop is a tel on the eastern edge of the Jezreel Valley that saw some of the greatest biblical drama in its heyday. This is Tel Jezreel, the site of the ancient city of Jezreel, a city of Issachar. In the last days of his life, King Saul gathered his troops at the nearby Jezreel Spring (the cluster of trees visible in the near distance from the eastern lookout point on the tel), in preparation for war against the Philistines. His strategy was to draw the Philistines to higher ground, where their chariots would be less effective…

Tribal Lands, Chapter 6; Yissakhar 107