King Saul Denied Kingship
King Saul — The First King That Was not a King. Prophet Samuel as Kingmaker
The prophet Samuel chose to anoint a King while retaining the prophetic role as kingmaker, divine intermediary and conscience. Samuel selects a humble man who was physically impressive, from his shoulders on up — taller than any man. Saul is from the family of Benjamin, the smallest and youngest of the brothers. While King Saul has the smallest natural tribal following, the choice makes him a reasonable compromise candidate between the northern and southern tribes. It also makes him weak so that Samuel retains more power relative to the king. The tribe of benjamin sits on the boundary between the northern and southern tribes. Relatives of Benjamin are also on the east bank of the Jordan river in the drylands of Gilead.
King Saul: Prophet Samuel sets rights and limits to a King’s Powers
The children of Israel are unhappy with the sons of the Prophet Samuel. They ask for a King, to lead them in battle and war. The prophet Samuel warns them and their king, establishing both the rights and limits of royal power. This reinforces and provides detail to the Torah’s commandments that restrict the King: to not have many wives, to not have far too much gold and silver, and not to over-invest in horses least he become dependent upon a foreign imperial power. the prophet Samuel rebukes the children of Israel for requesting a king, as the LORD is our King. The LORD comforts Samuel by saying that it is not Samuel that the people reject, but it is the LORD.
King Saul: Transition to Kingship Parallels Rise in Divine Presence
Leaders, particularly founding leaders, often feel as the Prophet Samuel felt. Leadership transitions can reveal deep insecurities and pose challenges. Yet, the simple meaning of the book of Samuel fails to support the contention that the people were rejecting the kingship of the LORD. Particularly, in contrast to the book of Judges which immediately precedes it chronologically, the book of Samuel establishes a clear role for the Prophet and the Cohen. Also, the distinction between the Prophet and King enables the Prophet to serve as a more pure voice carrying messages from the LORD.
King Saul: Prophet Samuel Summer Prayer for Rain
The Prophet Samuel prays for rain during the summer wheat harvest season. Rain is necessary and the epitome of blessing in our ancient near eastern desert climate. Yet, we pray rain in its season. Rain during the summer can cause the standing grain to become moldy and rot. Rain is usually good, but at the wrong time causes the people to fear. The King is generally a good step for Israel, however some of the later Kings of the northern Kingdom did evil in the eyes of the LORD.
King Saul: Rises to Occasion, Leads Battle, Saves Israelites from Oppressors
King Saul is anointed secretly. When the word comes from the drylands of Gilead that the snake of Ammon is threatens to pluck out the right eye of every Israelite, Saul summons the people of Israel to battle. He does so with a symbolic act of chopping up his oxen and sending it across Israel, saying that anyone who does not follow Saul and Shmuel, thus will happen to his own oxen. The Israelites appear as one person (a Hebrew expression saying that everyone came). He is crowned formally in Gilgal.
King Saul has Two Daughters Promises Meirav to David, But Michal Loves David
King Saul has two daughters. The younger is Michal. The older is Meirav. The Philistines challenge the Israelites to a hero-battle. Goliath appears. King Saul offers that whoever slays Goliath will marry his older daughter Meirav. David kills Goliath by using his slingshot, and removes Goliath’s head with Goliath’s own sword.
King Saul jealous of David while Saul’s Children Love David
King Saul is moody. Perhaps hinted to by the metaphor of the weather. He becomes jealous of David. The women sing that Saul kills thousands of Philistines, but David tens of thousands. King Saul withholds his daughter Meirav. However, Michal loves David. Michal marries David, after her father requires David to pay 100 foreskins of Philistines. David plays the harp for her father. David becomes best friends with her brother Jonathan. Jonathan is an expert archer who taught it to the children of Judah. Jonathan loves David.
King Saul is Merciful to Israel’s Enemies and Looses Kingdom: His son will not inherit
King Saul is commanded by the Prophet Samuel to utterly destroy the authority of Amelek, and to blot out its memory. In contrast to the order in the name of the Lord, King Saul preserves the King Agag and the best of the sheep. The Prophet Samuel executes Agag in front of King Saul. The Prophet Samuel removes the kingship from King Saul, while allowing Saul to remain King. The subtle distinction that King Saul may not have realized at that moment was that the Prophet Samuel was denying Saul the ability to transfer power upon Saul’s death to his son. That is the defining moment of Kingship, rather than a dictator or judge.
King Saul Crazy Jealous. Slaughters Priestly City. Doesn’t Spare Anyone like did for Enemies
King Saul realizes that David, his son-in-law, is the challenger anointed by the LORD to be the King after him. He bursts out in a rage at his son Jonathan: “You know that as long as the son of Yishai lives, your kingdom will not be stable.” King Saul chases David. David flees to the Nov, the city of the Cohens. When King Saul finds out about Achimelech, the head Cohen there, helping the fugitive David, King Saul orders all of the Cohen family slaughtered.
King Saul and Prophet Samuel Do Not Speak Until Day of His Death
King Saul and the Prophet Samuel do not speak again until the day of his death. As King Saul goes to war, he instructs a witch to raise Samuel from the dead to ask spiritual guidance. The Prophet Samuel answers(?!) in annoyance at being disturbed. He says, ‘Tomorrow you and your sons will be here with me.’