사울

Saul

히브리어 שָׁאוּל헬라어 Σαούλ

인물 남성

[Easton 한국어 번역] 구하여 얻은 자. (1.) 에돔의 왕(창 36:37, 38). 대상 1:48에서는 ‘Shaul’로 표기되어 있다. (2.) 베냐민 지파에 속한 기스의 아들로서, 유대 민족의 초대 왕이다. 그는 아마 기스의 외아들이었으며, 기도로 얻은 아이, 곧 ‘구하여 얻은 자’였을 것이다. 그가 왕으로 선출되는 데 얽힌 특별한 섭리적 상황은 삼상 8-10장에 기록되어 있다. 그의 아버지의 암나귀들이 길을 잃자, 사울은 사환 한 사람과 함께 그것들을 찾으러 보내졌다. 사울과 사환은 기브아에 있는 집을 떠나(10:5에서는 영어 흠정역에 ‘하나님의 산’으로 되어 있으나, 문자적으로는 영어 개역본 난외주와 같이 ‘하나님의 기브아’이다) 북서쪽으로 에브라임 산지를 지나갔다. 그런 다음 북동쪽으로 방향을 돌려 ‘살리사 땅’에 이르렀고, 거기서 동쪽으로 사알림 땅에 갔다가, 마침내 사무엘의 집이 있는 라마 근처의 숩 지방에 이르렀다(9:5-10). 여기서 사울은 사흘 동안 아무 성과 없이 찾아다녔으니 돌아가자고 제안했지만, 사환은 먼저 ‘선견자’에게 물어보자고 제안했다. 그가 제사를 드리려 한다는 말을 듣고 두 사람은 급히 라마로 들어갔다. 그러자 ‘마침 사무엘이 그들을 마주하여 나오고’ 있었는데, 제사를 드릴 ‘바마’, 곧 ‘높은 곳’으로 가는 길이었다. 사울이 ‘선견자의 집이 어디인지 청컨대 내게 가르치소서’라고 묻자, 사무엘은 자신이 그 사람임을 밝혔다. 사무엘은 사울이 올 것을 하나님께 미리 지시받았으며(9:15-17), 그를 손님으로 맞아들였다. 사무엘은 그를 데리고 제사에 갔고, 잔치가 끝난 뒤에는 ‘지붕에서 사울과 담화하며’ 마음속에 있는 모든 것을 이야기했다. 이튿날 사무엘은 ‘기름병을 취하여 그 머리에 붓고’ 사울에게 기름을 부어 이스라엘의 왕으로 삼았으며(9:25-10:8), 왕으로 부름받았음을 확증하는 세 가지 징조를 주었다. 사울이 기브아의 집에 이르렀을 때 이 징조들 중 마지막 것이 이루어졌고, 하나님의 성령이 그에게 임하여 ‘그가 변하여 새 사람이 되었다.’ 순박한 시골 사람이 이스라엘의 왕으로 변모한 것이다. 그의 모든 거동에 갑자기 현저한 변화가 일어나자, 사람들은 건장한 기스의 아들을 바라보며 놀라서 ‘사울도 선지자 중에 있느냐?’라고 말했다. 이 말은 ‘속담’이 되었다(19:24 비교). 사울과 사무엘 사이에 있었던 일은 아직 백성에게 알려지지 않았다. ‘기름 부음’은 은밀히 행해졌다. 그러나 이제 그 일이 온 민족의 인정을 받아야 할 때가 왔다. 이에 사무엘은 백성을 미스바로 소집하여 ‘여호와 앞에’ 엄숙히 모이게 했다. 여기서 제비를 뽑았고(10:17-27), 사울이 뽑혔다. 온 이스라엘에서 가장 헌걸찬 그가 백성 앞에 소개되자, 이스라엘에서 처음으로 ‘왕의 만세를 부르나이다!’라는 큰 외침이 하늘을 진동시켰다. 이제 그는 일종의 호위대, 곧 ‘마음이 하나님께 감동된 유력한 자들’의 수행을 받으며 기브아의 집으로 돌아갔다. 집에 도착한 뒤에는 그들을 돌려보내고, 이전처럼 조용히 생업에 종사했다. 그 후 얼마 지나지 않아 암몬 사람 나하스가 길르앗 야베스에서 행한 일을 듣고(해당 항목 참조), 사울이 소집하자 이스라엘 모든 지파에서 군사들이 약속된 집결지인 베섹으로 모여들었다. 사울은 이 대군을 이끌고 출전하여, 야베스에서 침입한 암몬 군대를 완전히 물리쳤다(11:1-11). 이 승리로 모든 사람이 기뻐하는 가운데, 그는 이제 이스라엘의 왕으로 온전히 인정받았다. 사무엘의 권유로 ‘모든 백성이 길갈로 가서 거기서 여호와 앞에 사울로 왕을 삼았다.’ 사무엘은 이제 공식적으로 그에게 기름을 부어 왕으로 삼았다(11:15). 사무엘이 이스라엘의 사사이기를 그친 것은 아니었지만, 사사로서 그의 활동은 이제 사실상 끝났다. 사울은 이제 대대로 내려오는 원수인 블레셋 사람들에게서 나라를 해방시키는 크고 어려운 일에 착수했으며, 이를 위해 군사 삼천 명을 모았다(삼상 13:1, 2). 블레셋 사람들은 게바에 진을 치고 있었다. 사울은 이천 명을 거느리고 믹마스와 벧엘 산을 점령했고, 그의 아들 요나단은 천 명을 거느리고 게바 남쪽의 기브아를 점령했다. 요나단은 아버지에게 아무 지시도 받지 않은 듯한데, 게바에 있는 블레셋 사람들을 ‘쳤다.’ 이에 격분한 블레셋 사람들은 병거 삼만 승과 마병 육천 명, 그리고 ‘해변의 모래같이 많은 백성’을 모아 믹마스에 진을 쳤다. 사울은 그곳을 떠나 길갈로 물러난 상태였다. 사울은 사무엘이 정한 대로(10:8) 아무 행동도 취하지 않고 길갈에서 이레를 기다렸다. 그러나 일곱째 날이 저물어 가자 조급해져 번제를 드렸고, 드리기를 마쳤을 때 사무엘이 나타났다. 사무엘은 그가 충분히 오래 기다리지 않았으므로, 그의 불순종이 가져올 치명적인 결과를 경고했다(13:13, 14). 사무엘이 떠난 뒤, 사울은 길갈에서 육백 명을 거느리고 믹마스에 있는 블레셋 사람들을 향해 나아갔다. 그를 따르는 자들의 수가 그만큼 줄어 있었던 것이다(13:15). 그는 믹마스 맞은편 미그론의 석류나무 아래에 본영을 두었는데, 두 곳 사이에는 와디 에스수웨이니트만 가로놓여 있었다(믹마스 항목 참조). 여기 기브아-게바에서 사울과 그의 군대는 어떻게 해야 할지 모른 채 머물렀다. 요나단은 조급해져, 사울과 군대가 모르게 자기의 병기 든 자와 함께 블레셋 사람들을 공격할 계획을 세웠다(14:1-15). 요나단과 그의 병기 든 자는 와디로 내려갔다가, 손과 발로 기어올라 보세스라 불리는 좁은 바위 능선 꼭대기에 이르렀다. 거기에는 블레셋 군대의 전초 부대가 있었다. 그들은 블레셋 사람들을 기습하여 스무 명을 죽였고, 즉시 블레셋 온 군대가 혼란에 빠져 크게 두려워하며 달아났다. ‘이는 큰 떨림이었더라.’ 초자연적인 공포가 그 군대를 사로잡은 것이다. 사울과 그의 육백 명은 이 혼란을 알아차리고 블레셋 군대를 추격했다. 그의 부대는 곧 일만 명으로 늘어났으며, 전투는 믹마스와 벧엘 중간 지점인 벧아웬까지 밀려갔다. 블레셋 사람들은 완전히 패주했다. ‘여호와께서 그 날에 이스라엘을 구원하시므로.’ 블레셋 사람들을 추격하는 동안 사울은 경솔하게 백성에게 맹세시켜 ‘저녁까지 아무 식물이든지 먹는 사람은 저주를 받을지어다’라고 말했다. 이스라엘 사람들은 기진하고 피곤했지만, ‘그 날에 믹마스에서부터 아얄론까지 블레셋 사람을 쳤다.’ 그 거리는 15-20마일이었다. 요나단은 블레셋 사람들을 추격하다가 숲을 지나는 동안 그곳에 많이 있던 꿀송이에서 꿀을 조금 맛보았다(14:27). 이 사실이 나중에 사울에게 알려지자(42절), 그는 아들을 죽이겠다고 위협했다. 그러나 백성이 나서서 ‘그의 머리털 하나도 땅에 떨어지지 아니할 것이니이다’라고 말했다. 하나님께서 그토록 뚜렷이 인정하셨고, ‘이스라엘에 이 큰 구원을 이룬’ 사람이 죽어서는 안 되었다. ‘사울이 블레셋 사람 따르기를 그치고 올라가매 블레셋 사람이 자기 곳으로 돌아가니라’(삼상 14:24-46). 이리하여 블레셋 사람들을 상대로 한 전역은 끝났다. 이것이 사울의 두 번째 큰 군사적 성공이었다. 그러나 사울의 통치는 거의 끊임없이 사방의 원수들과 전쟁을 치르는 통치였으며(14:47, 48), 그는 그 모든 전쟁에서 승리를 거두었다. 그중 자세히 기록된 것은 아말렉 사람들과의 전쟁뿐이다(삼상 15장). 이스라엘의 가장 오래된 세습적인 원수인 이들은(출 17:8; 민 14:43-45) 팔레스타인의 남쪽과 남서쪽 지역을 차지하고 있었다. 사무엘은 사울을 불러, 이스라엘의 이 잔인하고 무자비한 원수에게 하나님께서 선포하신 ‘진멸의 명령’을 집행하게 했다(신 25:17-19). 그들의 죄악의 잔은 이제 가득 찼다. 이 명령은 ‘왕이 되기에 합당한 그의 도덕적 자격을 시험하는 것’이었다. 사울은 하나님의 명령을 실행하기 시작했다. 백성을 모은 뒤 들라임에서 출발하여(삼상 15:4) 아말렉 사람들을 향해 진군했고, ‘하윌라에서부터 술에 이르기까지’ 그들을 쳐서 ‘모든 백성을 칼날로 진멸했다.’ 곧 자기 손에 들어온 사람들을 모두 죽인 것이다. 그러나 그는 그들의 왕 아각을 살려 두고, 군사들이 양과 소 가운데 가장 좋은 것들을 살려 두는 것을 묵인함으로써 반역과 불순종의 죄를 범했다. 사무엘은 요단 골짜기의 길갈까지 사울을 따라가서 그에게 ‘왕이 여호와의 말씀을 버렸으므로 여호와께서도 왕을 버려 왕이 되지 못하게 하셨나이다’라고 말했다(15:23). 나라는 사울에게서 찢겨 다른 사람, 곧 여호와께서 사울의 후계자로 택하신 다윗에게 주어졌으며, 사무엘이 그에게 기름을 부었다(16:1-13). 그 날부터 ‘여호와의 신이 사울에게서 떠나고 여호와의 부리신 악신이 그를 번뇌케 했다.’ 사울과 사무엘은 헤어졌으며, 그 후 선지자 학교 중 한 곳에서 단 한 번 다시 만났을 뿐이다. 이제 다윗은 ‘수금 잘 타는 사람’으로서 부름을 받았다(삼상 16:16, 18). 악신이 사울을 괴롭힐 때 그의 앞에서 연주하게 하려는 것이었으며, 이렇게 하여 다윗은 사울의 궁정에 들어가게 되었다. 그는 왕의 큰 총애를 받았다. 얼마 후 다윗은 아버지의 집으로 돌아가, 아마 삼 년가량 이전처럼 목자의 일을 했을 것이다. 블레셋 사람들은 다시 그 땅에 침입하여, 엘라 골짜기의 남쪽 비탈에 있는 에베스담밈, 곧 소고와 아세가 사이에 군대를 모았다. 사울과 이스라엘 사람들은 그들을 맞으러 나아가 같은 골짜기의 북쪽 비탈에 진을 쳤고, 두 군대 사이에는 골짜기가 놓여 있었다. 여기서 다윗은 블레셋의 싸움 돋우는 자인 가드 사람 골리앗을 죽였으며(17:4-54), 이 공적으로 말미암아 블레셋 군대는 달아나 완전히 패배했다. 사울은 이제 다윗을 영구히 자기 곁에서 섬기게 했다(18:2). 그러나 그를 질투하게 되었고(9절), 여러 차례 그에게 적의를 드러냈다(10, 11절). 이 적의는 그를 죽이려는 결심으로 자라났으며, 사울은 여러 번 이를 실행하려 했으나 번번이 실패했다. 얼마 후 블레셋 사람들은 에스드렐론 평야에 ‘모여’ 작은 헤르몬 산 비탈의 수넴에 진을 쳤고, 사울은 ‘온 이스라엘을 모아’ ‘길보아에 진을 쳤다’(삼상 28:3-14). 여호와의 뜻을 알아낼 수 없었던 사울은 수행원 두 사람을 데리고 약 7-8마일 떨어진 ‘엔돌의 신접한 여인’에게 갔다. 여기서 그는 자기 앞에 나타난 사무엘이 신비로운 방식으로 전해 준 충격적인 말에 압도되었다(16-19절). ‘사울이 갑자기 땅에 온전히 엎드러지니 이는 사무엘의 말을 인하여 심히 두려워함이요’(20절). 블레셋 군대가 ‘이스라엘을 치매 이스라엘 사람들이 블레셋 사람 앞에서 도망하여 길보아 산에서 죽임을 받아 엎드러졌다’(31:1). 자기 군대에 닥친 참사에 절망한 사울은 ‘자기 칼을 취하고 그 위에 엎드러졌다.’ 이튿날 블레셋 사람들은 ‘사울과 그 세 아들이 길보아 산에서 죽은 것을 보았다.’ 그들은 그의 머리를 벤 뒤 그의 병기와 함께 블레셋 땅으로 보냈으며, 그 두개골을 아스돗의 다곤 신전에 달아 두었다. 머리 없는 시체는 요나단의 시체와 함께 벧산 성벽에 매달았다. 후에 길르앗 야베스 사람들이 그 시체들을 거기서 거두어 내렸고, 살을 불사른 뒤 유해를 야베스의 나무 아래에 장사했다. 그러나 그 유해는 나중에 셀라에 있는 가족 묘지로 옮겨졌다(삼하 21:13, 14). (다윗 항목 참조.) (3.) ‘바울이라고 하는’ 사람(해당 항목 참조). 사도가 할례 때 받은 이름이며, 아마 사울 왕을 기념하여 붙여진 이름일 것이다(행 7:58; 8:1; 9:1).

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[Easton] Asked for. (1.) A king of Edom (Gen. 36:37, 38); called Shaul in 1 Chr. 1:48. (2.) The son of Kish (probably his only son, and a child of prayer, “asked for”), of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of the Jewish nation. The singular providential circumstances connected with his election as king are recorded in 1 Sam. 8-10. His father’s she-asses had strayed, and Saul was sent with a servant to seek for them. Leaving his home at Gibeah (10:5, “the hill of God,” A.V.; lit., as in R.V. marg., “Gibeah of God”), Saul and his servant went toward the north-west over Mount Ephraim, and then turning north-east they came to “the land of Shalisha,” and thence eastward to the land of Shalim, and at length came to the district of Zuph, near Samuel’s home at Ramah (9:5-10). At this point Saul proposed to return from the three days’ fruitless search, but his servant suggested that they should first consult the “seer.” Hearing that he was about to offer sacrifice, the two hastened into Ramah, and “behold, Samuel came out against them,” on his way to the “bamah”, i.e., the “height”, where sacrifice was to be offered; and in answer to Saul’s question, “Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is,” Samuel made himself known to him. Samuel had been divinely prepared for his coming (9:15-17), and received Saul as his guest. He took him with him to the sacrifice, and then after the feast “communed with Saul upon the top of the house” of all that was in his heart. On the morrow Samuel “took a vial of oil and poured it on his head,” and anointed Saul as king over Israel (9:25-10:8), giving him three signs in confirmation of his call to be king. When Saul reached his home in Gibeah the last of these signs was fulfilled, and the Sprit of God came upon him, and “he was turned into another man.” The simple countryman was transformed into the king of Israel, a remarkable change suddenly took place in his whole demeanour, and the people said in their astonishment, as they looked on the stalwart son of Kish, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”, a saying which passed into a “proverb.” (Comp. 19:24.) The intercourse between Saul and Samuel was as yet unknown to the people. The “anointing” had been in secret. But now the time had come when the transaction must be confirmed by the nation. Samuel accordingly summoned the people to a solemn assembly “before the Lord” at Mizpeh. Here the lot was drawn (10:17-27), and it fell upon Saul, and when he was presented before them, the stateliest man in all Israel, the air was rent for the first time in Israel by the loud cry, “God save the king!” He now returned to his home in Gibeah, attended by a kind of bodyguard, “a band of men whose hearts God had touched.” On reaching his home he dismissed them, and resumed the quiet toils of his former life. Soon after this, on hearing of the conduct of Nahash the Ammonite at Jabeshgilead (q.v.), an army out of all the tribes of Israel rallied at his summons to the trysting-place at Bezek, and he led them forth a great army to battle, gaining a complete victory over the Ammonite invaders at Jabesh (11:1-11). Amid the universal joy occasioned by this victory he was now fully recognized as the king of Israel. At the invitation of Samuel “all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal.” Samuel now officially anointed him as king (11:15). Although Samuel never ceased to be a judge in Israel, yet now his work in that capacity practically came to an end. Saul now undertook the great and difficult enterprise of freeing the land from its hereditary enemies the Philistines, and for this end he gathered together an army of 3,000 men (1 Sam. 13:1, 2). The Philistines were encamped at Geba. Saul, with 2,000 men, occupied Michmash and Mount Bethel; while his son Jonathan, with 1,000 men, occupied Gibeah, to the south of Geba, and seemingly without any direction from his father “smote” the Philistines in Geba. Thus roused, the Philistines, who gathered an army of 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and “people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude,” encamped in Michmash, which Saul had evacuated for Gilgal. Saul now tarried for seven days in Gilgal before making any movement, as Samuel had appointed (10:8); but becoming impatient on the seventh day, as it was drawing to a close, when he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Samuel appeared and warned him of the fatal consequences of his act of disobedience, for he had not waited long enough (13:13, 14). When Saul, after Samuel’s departure, went out from Gilgal with his 600 men, his followers having decreased to that number (13:15), against the Philistines at Michmash (q.v.), he had his head-quarters under a pomegrante tree at Migron, over against Michmash, the Wady esSuweinit alone intervening. Here at Gibeah-Geba Saul and his army rested, uncertain what to do. Jonathan became impatient, and with his armour-bearer planned an assault against the Philistines, unknown to Saul and the army (14:1-15). Jonathan and his armour-bearer went down into the wady, and on their hands and knees climbed to the top of the narrow rocky ridge called Bozez, where was the outpost of the Philistine army. They surprised and then slew twenty of the Philistines, and immediately the whole host of the Philistines was thrown into disorder and fled in great terror. “It was a very great trembling;” a supernatural panic seized the host. Saul and his 600 men, a band which speedily increased to 10,000, perceiving the confusion, pursued the army of the Philistines, and the tide of battle rolled on as far as to Bethaven, halfway between Michmash and Bethel. The Philistines were totally routed. “So the Lord saved Israel that day.” While pursuing the Philistines, Saul rashly adjured the people, saying, “Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening.” But though faint and weary, the Israelites “smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon” (a distance of from 15 to 20 miles). Jonathan had, while passing through the wood in pursuit of the Philistines, tasted a little of the honeycomb which was abundant there (14:27). This was afterwards discovered by Saul (ver. 42), and he threatened to put his son to death. The people, however, interposed, saying, “There shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground.” He whom God had so signally owned, who had “wrought this great salvation in Israel,” must not die. “Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place” (1 Sam. 14:24-46); and thus the campaign against the Philistines came to an end. This was Saul’s second great military success. Saul’s reign, however, continued to be one of almost constant war against his enemies round about (14:47, 48), in all of which he proved victorious. The war against the Amalekites is the only one which is recorded at length (1 Sam. 15). These oldest and hereditary (Ex. 17:8; Num. 14:43-45) enemies of Israel occupied the territory to the south and south-west of Palestine. Samuel summoned Saul to execute the “ban” which God had pronounced (Deut. 25:17-19) on this cruel and relentless foe of Israel. The cup of their iniquity was now full. This command was “the test of his moral qualification for being king.” Saul proceeded to execute the divine command; and gathering the people together, marched from Telaim (1 Sam. 15:4) against the Amalekites, whom he smote “from Havilah until thou comest to Shur,” utterly destroying “all the people with the edge of the sword”, i.e., all that fell into his hands. He was, however, guilty of rebellion and disobedience in sparing Agag their king, and in conniving at his soldiers’ sparing the best of the sheep and cattle; and Samuel, following Saul to Gilgal, in the Jordan valley, said unto him, “Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he also hath rejected thee from being king” (15:23). The kingdom was rent from Saul and was given to another, even to David, whom the Lord chose to be Saul’s successor, and whom Samuel anointed (16:1-13). From that day “the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” He and Samuel parted only to meet once again at one of the schools of the prophets. David was now sent for as a “cunning player on an harp” (1 Sam. 16:16, 18), to play before Saul when the evil spirit troubled him, and thus was introduced to the court of Saul. He became a great favourite with the king. At length David returned to his father’s house and to his wonted avocation as a shepherd for perhaps some three years. The Philistines once more invaded the land, and gathered their army between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim, on the southern slope of the valley of Elah. Saul and the men of Israel went forth to meet them, and encamped on the northern slope of the same valley which lay between the two armies. It was here that David slew Goliath of Gath, the champion of the Philistines (17:4-54), an exploit which led to the flight and utter defeat of the Philistine army. Saul now took David permanently into his service (18:2); but he became jealous of him (ver. 9), and on many occasions showed his enmity toward him (ver. 10, 11), his enmity ripening into a purpose of murder which at different times he tried in vain to carry out. After some time the Philistines “gathered themselves together” in the plain of Esdraelon, and pitched their camp at Shunem, on the slope of Little Hermon; and Saul “gathered all Israel together,” and “pitched in Gilboa” (1 Sam. 28:3-14). Being unable to discover the mind of the Lord, Saul, accompanied by two of his retinue, betook himself to the “witch of Endor,” some 7 or 8 miles distant. Here he was overwhelmed by the startling communication that was mysteriously made to him by Samuel (ver. 16-19), who appeared to him. “He fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel” (ver. 20). The Philistine host “fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa” (31:1). In his despair at the disaster that had befallen his army, Saul “took a sword and fell upon it.” And the Philistines on the morrow “found Saul and his three sons fallen in Mount Gilboa.” Having cut off his head, they sent it with his weapons to Philistia, and hung up the skull in the temple of Dagon at Ashdod. They suspended his headless body, with that of Jonathan, from the walls of Bethshan. The men of Jabesh-gilead afterwards removed the bodies from this position; and having burnt the flesh, they buried the bodies under a tree at Jabesh. The remains were, however, afterwards removed to the family sepulchre at Zelah (2 Sam. 21:13, 14). (See DAVID.) (3.) “Who is also called Paul” (q.v.), the circumcision name of the apostle, given to him, perhaps, in memory of King Saul (Acts 7:58; 8:1; 9:1). [Smith] (desired), more accurately Shaul. One of the early kings of Edom, and successor of Samlah. (Genesis 36:37,38; 1 Chronicles 1:48) (B.C. after 1450.) The first king of Israel, the son of Kish, and of the tribe of Benjamin. (B.C, 1095-1055.) His character is in part illustrated by the fierce, wayward, fitful nature of the tribe and in part accounted for by the struggle between the old and new systems in which he found himself involved. To this we must add a taint of madness. which broke out in violent frenzy at times leaving him with long lucid intervals. He was remarkable for his strength and activity, (2 Samuel 1:25) and, like the Homeric heroes, of gigantic stature, taller by head and shoulders than the rest of the people, and of that kind of beauty denoted by the Hebrew word “good,” (1 Samuel 9:2) and which caused him to be compared to the gazelle, “the gazelle of Israel.” His birthplace is not expressly mentioned; but, as Zelah in Benjamin was the place of Kish’s sepulchre. (2 Samuel 21:14) it was probable; his native village. His father, Kish, was a powerful and wealthy chief though the family to which he belonged was of little importance. (1 Samuel 9:1,21) A portion of his property consisted of a drove of asses. In search of these asses, gone astray on the mountains, he sent his son Saul It was while prosecuting this adventure that Saul met with Samuel for the first time at his home in Ramah, five miles north of Jerusalem. A divine intimation had made known to him the approach of Saul, whom he treated with special favor, and the next morning descending with him to the skirts of the town, Samuel poured over Saul’s head the consecrated oil, and with a kiss of salutation announced to him that he was to be the ruler of the nation. (1 Samuel 9:25; 1 Samuel 10:1) Returning homeward his call was confirmed by the incidents which according to Samuel’s prediction, awaited him. (1 Samuel 10:9,10) What may be named the public call occurred at Mizpeh, when lots were cast to find the tribe and family which was to produce the king, and Saul, by a divine intimation was found hid in the circle of baggage which surrounded the encampment. (1 Samuel 10:17-24) Returning to Gibeah, apparently to private life, he heard the threat issued by Nahash king of Ammon against Jabesh-gilead. He speedily collected an army, and Jabesh was rescued. The effect was instantaneous on the people, and the monarchy was inaugurated anew at Gilgal. (1 Samuel 11:1-15) It should be, however, observed that according to (1 Samuel 12:12) the affair of Nahash preceded and occasioned the election of Saul. Although king of Israel, his rule was at first limited; but in the second year of his reign he began to organize an attempt to shake off the Philistine yoke, and an army was formed. In this crisis, Saul, now on the very confines of his kingdom at Gilgal, impatient at Samuel’s delay, whom he had directed to be present, offered sacrifice himself. Samuel, arriving later, pronounced the first curse, on his impetuous zeal. (1 Samuel 13:5-14) After the Philistines were driven back to their own country occurred the first appearance of Saul’s madness in the rash vow which all but cost the life of his soil. (1 Samuel 14:24; 44) The expulsion of the Philistines, although not entirely completed, ch. (1 Samuel 14:52) at once placed Saul in a position higher than that of any previous ruler of Israel, and he made war upon the neighboring tribes. In the war with Amalek, ch. (1 Samuel 14:48; 15:1-9) he disobeyed the prophetical command of Samuel, which called down the second curse, and the first distinct intimation of the transference of the kingdom to a rival. The rest of Saul’s life is one long tragedy. The frenzy which had given indications of itself before now at times took almost entire possession of him. In this crisis David was recommended to him. From this time forward their lives are blended together. [David] In Saul’s better moments he never lost the strong affection which he had contracted for David. Occasionally, too his prophetical gift returned, blended with his madness. (2 Samuel 19:24) But his acts of fierce, wild zeal increased. At last the monarchy itself broke down under the weakness of his head. The Philistines re-entered the country, and just before giving them battle Saul’s courage failed and he consulted one of the necromancers, the “Witch of Endor,” who had escaped his persecution. At this distance of time it is impossible to determine the relative amount of fraud or of reality in the scene which follows, though the obvious meaning of the narrative itself tends to the hypothesis of some kind of apparition. ch. (2 Samuel 19:28) On hearing the denunciation which the apparition conveyed, Saul fell the whole length of his gigantic stature on the ground, and remained motionless till the woman and his servants forced him to eat. The next day the battle came on. The Israelites were driven up the side of Gilboa. The three sons of Saul were slain. Saul was wounded. According to one account, he fell upon his own sword, (1 Samuel 31:4) and died. The body on being found by the Philistines was stripped slid decapitated, and the headless trunk hung over the city walls, with those of his three sons. ch. (1 Samuel 31:9,10) The head was deposited (probably at Ashdod) in the temple of Dagon (1 Chronicles 10:10) The corpse was buried at Jabesh-gilead. (1 Samuel 31:13) The Jewish name of St. Paul. [Hitchcock] demanded; lent; ditch; death [Nave] –1. Also called SHAUL .King of Edom Ge 36:37 , 38 ; 1Ch 1:48 , 49 –2. King of Israel .A Benjamite, son of Kish 1Sa 9:1 , 2 .Sons of 1Ch 8:33 .His personal appearance 1Sa 9:2 ; 10:23 .Made king of Israel 1Sa 9 ; 10 ; 11:12-15 ; Ho 13:11 .Lives at Gibeah of Saul 1Sa 14:2 ; 15:34 ; Isa 10:29 .Defeats the Philistines 1Sa 13 ; 14:46 , 52 .Strikes the Amalekites 1Sa 15 .Is reproved by Samuel for usurping the priestly functions 1Sa 13:11-14 .Samuel rebukes him for disobedience by not exterminating the Amalekites; the loss of his kingdom is foretold 1Sa 15 .Dedicates the spoils of war 1Sa 15:21-25 ; 1Ch 26:28 .Sends messengers to Jesse, asking that David be sent to him as a musician and an armor-bearer 1Sa 16:17-23 .Defeats the Philistines after Goliath is killed by David 1Sa 17 .His jealousy of David; gives his daughter, Michal, to David to be his wife; becomes David’ s enemy 1Sa 18 .Tries to kill David; Jonathan intercedes and incurs his father’ s displeasure; David’ s loyalty to Jonathan; Saul’ s temporary remorse; prophesies 1Sa 19 .Hears Doeg against Ahimelech, and kills the priest and his family. pursues David to wilderness of Ziph; the Ziphites betray David to 1Sa 23 .Pursues David to En-gedi 1Sa 24:1-6 .His life spared by David 1Sa 24:5-8 .Saul’ s contrition for his bad faith 1Sa 24:16-22 .David is again betrayed to, by the Ziphites; Saul pursues him to the hill of Hachilah; his life spared again by David; his confession, and his blessing upon David 1Sa 26 .Kills the Gibeonites; crime avenged by the death of seven of his sons 2Sa 21:1-9 .His kingdom invaded by Philistines; seeks counsel of the witch of En-dor, who foretells his own death 1Sa 28:3-25 ; 29:1 .Is defeated, and is killed with some of his sons 1Sa 31 .Their bodies exposed in Beth-shan; rescued by the people of Jabesh and burned; bones of, buried under a tree at Jabesh 1Sa 31 ; with 2Sa 1 ; 2 ; 1Ch 10 .His death is a judgment on account of his sins 1Ch 10:13 –3. Of Tarsus .See PAUL [STEPBible TIPNR] A king of Israel, from the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.2) referred to as Saul (שָׁאוּל), or Saul (Σαούλ); a son of Kish; husband of Ahinoam and Rizpah; father of Jonathan, Abinadab, Malchi-shua, Merab, Michal, Ish-bosheth, Armoni, Mephibosheth. [Theographic] The son of Kish (probably his only son, and a child of prayer, “asked for”), of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of the Jewish nation. The singular providential circumstances connected with his election as king are recorded in 1 Sam. 8-10. His father’s she-asses had strayed, and Saul was sent with a servant to seek for them. Leaving his home at Gibeah (10:5, “the hill of God,” A.V.; lit., as in R.V. marg., “Gibeah of God”), Saul and his servant went toward the north-west over Mount Ephraim, and then turning north-east they came to “the land of Shalisha,” and thence eastward to the land of Shalim, and at length came to the district of Zuph, near Samuel’s home at Ramah (9:5-10). At this point Saul proposed to return from the three days’ fruitless search, but his servant suggested that they should first consult the “seer.” Hearing that he was about to offer sacrifice, the two hastened into Ramah, and “behold, Samuel came out against them,” on his way to the “bamah”, i.e., the “height”, where sacrifice was to be offered; and in answer to Saul’s question, “Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is,” Samuel made himself known to him. Samuel had been divinely prepared for his coming (9:15-17), and received Saul as his guest. He took him with him to the sacrifice, and then after the feast “communed with Saul upon the top of the house” of all that was in his heart. On the morrow Samuel “took a vial of oil and poured it on his head,” and anointed Saul as king over Israel (9:25-10:8), giving him three signs in confirmation of his call to be king. When Saul reached his home in Gibeah the last of these signs was fulfilled, and the Sprit of God came upon him, and “he was turned into another man.” The simple countryman was transformed into the king of Israel, a remarkable change suddenly took place in his whole demeanour, and the people said in their astonishment, as they looked on the stalwart son of Kish, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”, a saying which passed into a “proverb.” (Comp. 19:24.) The intercourse between Saul and Samuel was as yet unknown to the people. The “anointing” had been in secret. But now the time had come when the transaction must be confirmed by the nation. Samuel accordingly summoned the people to a solemn assembly “before the Lord” at Mizpeh. Here the lot was drawn (10:17-27), and it fell upon Saul, and when he was presented before them, the stateliest man in all Israel, the air was rent for the first time in Israel by the loud cry, “God save the king!” He now returned to his home in Gibeah, attended by a kind of bodyguard, “a band of men whose hearts God had touched.” On reaching his home he dismissed them, and resumed the quiet toils of his former life. Soon after this, on hearing of the conduct of Nahash the Ammonite at Jabeshgilead (q.v.), an army out of all the tribes of Israel rallied at his summons to the trysting-place at Bezek, and he led them forth a great army to battle, gaining a complete victory over the Ammonite invaders at Jabesh (11:1-11). Amid the universal joy occasioned by this victory he was now fully recognized as the king of Israel. At the invitation of Samuel “all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal.” Samuel now officially anointed him as king (11:15). Although Samuel never ceased to be a judge in Israel, yet now his work in that capacity practically came to an end. Saul now undertook the great and difficult enterprise of freeing the land from its hereditary enemies the Philistines, and for this end he gathered together an army of 3,000 men (1 Sam. 13:1, 2). The Philistines were encamped at Geba. Saul, with 2,000 men, occupied Michmash and Mount Bethel; while his son Jonathan, with 1,000 men, occupied Gibeah, to the south of Geba, and seemingly without any direction from his father “smote” the Philistines in Geba. Thus roused, the Philistines, who gathered an army of 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and “people as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude,” encamped in Michmash, which Saul had evacuated for Gilgal. Saul now tarried for seven days in Gilgal before making any movement, as Samuel had appointed (10:8); but becoming impatient on the seventh day, as it was drawing to a close, when he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, Samuel appeared and warned him of the fatal consequences of his act of disobedience, for he had not waited long enough (13:13, 14). When Saul, after Samuel’s departure, went out from Gilgal with his 600 men, his followers having decreased to that number (13:15), against the Philistines at Michmash (q.v.), he had his head-quarters under a pomegrante tree at Migron, over against Michmash, the Wady esSuweinit alone intervening. Here at Gibeah-Geba Saul and his army rested, uncertain what to do. Jonathan became impatient, and with his armour-bearer planned an assault against the Philistines, unknown to Saul and the army (14:1-15). Jonathan and his armour-bearer went down into the wady, and on their hands and knees climbed to the top of the narrow rocky ridge called Bozez, where was the outpost of the Philistine army. They surprised and then slew twenty of the Philistines, and immediately the whole host of the Philistines was thrown into disorder and fled in great terror. “It was a very great trembling;” a supernatural panic seized the host. Saul and his 600 men, a band which speedily increased to 10,000, perceiving the confusion, pursued the army of the Philistines, and the tide of battle rolled on as far as to Bethaven, halfway between Michmash and Bethel. The Philistines were totally routed. “So the Lord saved Israel that day.” While pursuing the Philistines, Saul rashly adjured the people, saying, “Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening.” But though faint and weary, the Israelites “smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon” (a distance of from 15 to 20 miles). Jonathan had, while passing through the wood in pursuit of the Philistines, tasted a little of the honeycomb which was abundant there (14:27). This was afterwards discovered by Saul (ver. 42), and he threatened to put his son to death. The people, however, interposed, saying, “There shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground.” He whom God had so signally owned, who had “wrought this great salvation in Israel,” must not die. “Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place” (1 Sam. 14:24-46); and thus the campaign against the Philistines came to an end. This was Saul’s second great military success. Saul’s reign, however, continued to be one of almost constant war against his enemies round about (14:47, 48), in all of which he proved victorious. The war against the Amalekites is the only one which is recorded at length (1 Sam. 15). These oldest and hereditary (Ex. 17:8; Num. 14:43-45) enemies of Israel occupied the territory to the south and south-west of Palestine. Samuel summoned Saul to execute the “ban” which God had pronounced (Deut. 25:17-19) on this cruel and relentless foe of Israel. The cup of their iniquity was now full. This command was “the test of his moral qualification for being king.” Saul proceeded to execute the divine command; and gathering the people together, marched from Telaim (1 Sam. 15:4) against the Amalekites, whom he smote “from Havilah until thou comest to Shur,” utterly destroying “all the people with the edge of the sword”, i.e., all that fell into his hands. He was, however, guilty of rebellion and disobedience in sparing Agag their king, and in conniving at his soldiers’ sparing the best of the sheep and cattle; and Samuel, following Saul to Gilgal, in the Jordan valley, said unto him, “Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he also hath rejected thee from being king” (15:23). The kingdom was rent from Saul and was given to another, even to David, whom the Lord chose to be Saul’s successor, and whom Samuel anointed (16:1-13). From that day “the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” He and Samuel parted only to meet once again at one of the schools of the prophets. David was now sent for as a “cunning player on an harp” (1 Sam. 16:16, 18), to play before Saul when the evil spirit troubled him, and thus was introduced to the court of Saul. He became a great favourite with the king. At length David returned to his father’s house and to his wonted avocation as a shepherd for perhaps some three years. The Philistines once more invaded the land, and gathered their army between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim, on the southern slope of the valley of Elah. Saul and the men of Israel went forth to meet them, and encamped on the northern slope of the same valley which lay between the two armies. It was here that David slew Goliath of Gath, the champion of the Philistines (17:4-54), an exploit which led to the flight and utter defeat of the Philistine army. Saul now took David permanently into his service (18:2); but he became jealous of him (ver. 9), and on many occasions showed his enmity toward him (ver. 10, 11), his enmity ripening into a purpose of murder which at different times he tried in vain to carry out. After some time the Philistines “gathered themselves together” in the plain of Esdraelon, and pitched their camp at Shunem, on the slope of Little Hermon; and Saul “gathered all Israel together,” and “pitched in Gilboa” (1 Sam. 28:3-14). Being unable to discover the mind of the Lord, Saul, accompanied by two of his retinue, betook himself to the “witch of Endor,” some 7 or 8 miles distant. Here he was overwhelmed by the startling communication that was mysteriously made to him by Samuel (ver. 16-19), who appeared to him. “He fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel” (ver. 20). The Philistine host “fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa” (31:1). In his despair at the disaster that had befallen his army, Saul “took a sword and fell upon it.” And the Philistines on the morrow “found Saul and his three sons fallen in Mount Gilboa.” Having cut off his head, they sent it with his weapons to Philistia, and hung up the skull in the temple of Dagon at Ashdod. They suspended his headless body, with that of Jonathan, from the walls of Bethshan. The men of Jabesh-gilead afterwards removed the bodies from this position; and having burnt the flesh, they buried the bodies under a tree at Jabesh. The remains were, however, afterwards removed to the family sepulchre at Zelah (2 Sam. 21:13, 14).

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