Saul, the first king of Israel, is a significant figure in the biblical narrative, marking the transition from the period of the judges to the establishment of the monarchy. His account is primarily found in the Old Testament books of 1 Samuel.

Background and Anointing

Saul was the son of Kish, a Benjamite, described as "a choice and handsome young man" (1 Samuel 9:2). The people of Israel, desiring to be like other nations, requested a king to lead them, despite the warnings from the prophet Samuel about the potential consequences of such a request (1 Samuel 8:5-18). God instructed Samuel to heed the people's demand, and Saul was chosen by divine appointment.

The anointing of Saul as king was a pivotal moment. Samuel, guided by God, met Saul while he was searching for his father's lost donkeys. God had revealed to Samuel the day before that Saul would be the one to govern His people (1 Samuel 9:15-17). Samuel anointed Saul privately, pouring oil on his head and declaring, "Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?" (1 Samuel 10:1).

Public Selection and Acceptance

Following his private anointing, Saul was publicly chosen by lot at Mizpah. Samuel gathered the tribes of Israel and, through a process of elimination, Saul was selected from the tribe of Benjamin and the family of Kish (1 Samuel 10:20-21). Initially, Saul was found hiding among the baggage, displaying a sense of humility or perhaps reluctance (1 Samuel 10:22). When he stood among the people, he was noted for his impressive stature, being taller than any of the others (1 Samuel 10:23).

Samuel then proclaimed to the people, "Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people." And the people shouted, "Long live the king!" (1 Samuel 10:24). This public acclamation solidified Saul's position as the first king of Israel.

Initial Acts as King

Saul's early reign was marked by military success and popular support. His first major act as king was the deliverance of Jabesh-gilead from the Ammonites. When Nahash the Ammonite besieged the city, Saul rallied the Israelites by sending out pieces of oxen as a call to arms, invoking fear and unity among the tribes (1 Samuel 11:6-7). The victory over the Ammonites confirmed Saul's leadership and led to a renewal of his kingship at Gilgal, where the people rejoiced and offered sacrifices to the LORD (1 Samuel 11:14-15).

Spiritual and Political Context

Saul's rise to kingship was not merely a political event but also a spiritual turning point for Israel. The demand for a king was seen as a rejection of God's direct rule, yet God used this moment to establish a monarchy that would eventually lead to the Davidic line and the fulfillment of His covenant promises. Saul's anointing by Samuel signified God's sovereignty in choosing leaders and His continued involvement in the affairs of His people.

Saul's kingship began with promise and divine favor, setting the stage for the complex and often tumultuous relationship between the king, the prophet Samuel, and the nation of Israel. His reign would be characterized by both triumphs and failures, reflecting the challenges of leadership and obedience to God's commands.1 Samuel 9:1
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
Nave's Topical Index

1 Samuel 10:1
Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD has anointed you to be captain over his inheritance?
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1 Samuel 11:12-15
And the people said to Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.
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Hosea 13:11
I gave you a king in my anger, and took him away in my wrath.
Nave's Topical Index

The Shepherd Boy of Bethlehem.
... go to Bethlehem where Jesse lived, for He had chosen one of the sons of Jesse to
be king in place of Saul. ... Long after when he was King of Israel, he made in ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xix the shepherd boy.htm

Every Inch a King.
... killed by an enemy, then all the other tribes came to Hebron and made a league with
him, so seven years after Saul's death David became king over all Israel. ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxiii every inch a.htm

The Shepherd-King
... the power of His Spirit, which takes the stripling from the sheepcotes and qualifies
him to be the antagonist of the grim Saul, and the king of Israel. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the shepherd-king.htm

The Trial of Saul.
... baptized with water and the Spirit in the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and
as Saul, by being anointed with oil by Samuel, was made king of Israel, so we ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon iii the trial of.htm

Saul Rejected
... Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the ... thou not made the
head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/saul rejected.htm

The Kingdom of all Israel.
... refused to give him one of Saul's widows to ... severely tried the Sweet Psalmist of
Israel, shepherd, prophet ... he went to his rest, after having been king for forty ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson vi the kingdom of.htm

The King after Man's Heart
... It was 'Saul and all the men of Israel' who were ... than the shouting crowd and the
proud young king had ... pathetic in the contrast he draws between Saul and himself ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the king after mans heart.htm

Of the Disruption of the Kingdom of Israel, by which the Perpetual ...
... despise thee that thou mayest not be king over Israel ... to the flesh, was of Israel,
whence also Saul sprang ... pertaining to the bond woman, and Israel pertaining to ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 7 of the disruption of.htm

The History of Saul
... Thus was Saul made the first king in Israel, and anon had much war, for on all sides
men warred on the children of Israel, and he defended them, and Saul had ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the history of saul.htm

The Reign of Saul.
... The oppression of Israel's enemies which in part at least made necessary their king
had to be dealt with at once. In his contest with them Saul had a very ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter x the reign of.htm

Why was it wrong for Saul to offer a sacrifice? | GotQuestions.org

What is the story of Saul of Tarsus before he became the apostle Paul? | GotQuestions.org

Who was David in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Saul: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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