Who was King Saul in the Old Testament?

King Saul was the first king of Israel, anointed by the prophet Samuel under God’s direction. His reign was marked by military victories, disobedience to God, jealousy toward David, and ultimately, a tragic downfall. His life serves as both an example and a warning—showing how pride, impatience, and disobedience can lead to spiritual ruin. This article will explore the life, reign, failures, and death of King Saul.

Saul’s Background and Calling as King

Saul’s Family and Tribe

Saul came from the tribe of Benjamin and was the son of Kish.

• 1 Samuel 9:1-2 (NKJV) – “There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.”

Saul was physically impressive—tall and handsome—but his character flaws would later cause his downfall.

Israel Demands a King

Before Saul, Israel was ruled by judges, but the people wanted a king like other nations.

• 1 Samuel 8:5 (NKJV) – “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

Samuel warned that a king would oppress them, but they still insisted.

• 1 Samuel 8:19-20 (NKJV) – “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, ‘No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.’”

Their request was a rejection of God’s kingship.

Saul Is Chosen and Anointed

God directed Samuel to anoint Saul.

• 1 Samuel 9:15-16 (NKJV) – “Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear the day before Saul came, saying, ‘Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.'”

Saul was anointed privately first, then later publicly proclaimed as king.

• 1 Samuel 10:1 (NKJV) – “Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him and said: ‘Is it not because the Lord has anointed you commander over His inheritance?'”
• 1 Samuel 10:24 (NKJV) – “And Samuel said to all the people, ‘Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?’ So all the people shouted and said, ‘Long live the king!'”

King Saul’s Reign and Early Successes

King Saul’s First Victory Over the Ammonites

Saul’s reign began well. He rescued the city of Jabesh Gilead from the Ammonites.

• 1 Samuel 11:6-7 (NKJV) – “Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, ‘Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen.’ And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.”

After the victory, King Saul was reaffirmed as king.

• 1 Samuel 11:14-15 (NKJV) – “Then Samuel said to the people, ‘Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.’ So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.”

King Saul’s Battles Against the Philistines

King Saul also fought the Philistines, Israel’s greatest enemy.

• 1 Samuel 13:3 (NKJV) – “And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, ‘Let the Hebrews hear!'”

However, King Saul’s impatience and disobedience in battle led to his first major mistake.

King Saul’s Disobedience and Rejection by God

King Saul’s Unauthorized Sacrifice

King Saul disobeyed God by offering a sacrifice instead of waiting for Samuel.

• 1 Samuel 13:8-9 (NKJV) – “Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, ‘Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering.”

Samuel rebuked King Saul.

• 1 Samuel 13:13-14 (NKJV) – “And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue.'”

King Saul’s Failure to Destroy the Amalekites

God commanded King Saul to destroy Amalek completely.

• 1 Samuel 15:3 (NKJV) – “Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them.”

However, King Saul spared King Agag and the best livestock.

• 1 Samuel 15:9 (NKJV) – “But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them.”

Samuel rebuked him again.

• 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NKJV) – “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

King Saul’s Downfall and Jealousy Toward David

King Saul’s Hatred for David

Saul became jealous of David, who gained popularity after defeating Goliath.

• 1 Samuel 18:7-9 (NKJV) – “So the women sang as they danced, and said: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.’ Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him.”

Saul tried to kill David multiple times.

• 1 Samuel 19:10 (NKJV) – “Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall.”

King Saul’s Desperation

The King’s Rejection by God

By the time Saul sought a medium, he had already been rejected by God for his persistent disobedience.

• 1 Samuel 28:6 (NKJV) – “And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.”

This silence was the result of his past rebellion, particularly his failure to obey God’s commands regarding the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15) and his jealous persecution of David.

Saul’s Forbidden Visit to the Witch

In desperation, Saul turned to witchcraft, an act strictly forbidden by God.

• 1 Samuel 28:7 (NKJV) – “Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ And his servants said to him, ‘In fact, there is a woman who is a medium at En Dor.'”

This was a grave sin, as God had commanded Israel to remove all occult practices from the land.

• Leviticus 19:31 (NKJV) – “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.”
• Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (NKJV) – “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord.”

Ironically, Saul himself had earlier banished all mediums from Israel (1 Samuel 28:3), yet now he sought one in secret.

A Demon Impersonating Samuel

When Saul asked the medium to summon Samuel, an entity appeared, but it was not Samuel—it was a demon impersonating Samuel for the dead sleep in the Lord till the day of resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; 1 Corinthians 15:51–53).

• 1 Samuel 28:12 (NKJV) – “When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman spoke to Saul, saying, ‘Why have you deceived me? For you are Saul!'”

This spirit delivered a message of doom, but its source was demonic. The Bible teaches that the dead cannot return to speak to the living.

• Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 (NKJV) – “For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun.”

Since Samuel was dead and could not communicate, the spirit Saul encountered was a demon imitating him.

The Consequences of Saul’s Sin

Saul’s actions had severe consequences. Because he consulted a medium, God allowed his death in battle.

• 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 (NKJV) – “So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. But he did not inquire of the Lord; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.”

Saul’s fate shows that seeking supernatural guidance outside of God leads to destruction. His tragic downfall serves as a warning against disobedience, witchcraft, and communicating with the dead.

Conclusion

King Saul’s life is a warning about the dangers of disobedience, pride, and jealousy. Though he was chosen by God, his failure to obey and trust the Lord led to his downfall. His story reminds us that obedience to God is more important than personal ambition or external appearances.