Saul: The First King Of Yisrael
(1030-1010)
At last, after a period of indecision and hesitation (the period of the Shophtim) a real king, worthy of the name, uniting practically all Yisrael under his rule, appeared in the annals of the Chosen People. His name was Saul.
This experience of kingship began excellently: it ended very badly, Fortunately, David, the little herdsman of Bethlehem, was at hand to take up the royal inheritance and ensure its prosperity.
The Quest For The Lost She-Donkeys
At the time when the elders were persistently asking Schmuel to find them a king, the family of Kish, a man of quality, lived at Geba 1 in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. One of his sons, Saul (Sha'ul =asked of ALMIGHTY), was, we are told, extremely handsome and of exceptional stature.
One morning Kish noticed that some of his she donkeys were missing. It should be realized that in those farms of Canaan the cattle were not enclosed. Donkeys, in particular, were semi-free; when they were needed for transport they had to be rounded up in the fields, If, by chance, they had wandered off, they were easily found, because each of them was branded with its owner's mark, This time, however, Kish could not discover them. He therefore told his son Saul and one of his slaves to go in search of them. After three fruitless days, Saul, fearing that his father would be anxious on account of their long absence, decided to go back to the farm. But the slave suggested that they should carryon at least as far as the neighboring town of Ramah, for a man of YAHWEH lived there, well known as a seer, and he might be able to indicate the exact spot where the animals had fled. Saul hesitated; there was no food left, and he had no money to pay for the consultation, But the slave had shown more forethought and had brought a little money with him -a quarter of a silver shekel (roughly, ten shillings) -enough to settle the seer's account.
Surprising as it may seem, it was Schmuel, one of Yisrael's Shophtim, the restorer of the religion of YAHWEH, the savior of the Law, who was this local seer, able, in return for an offering, to find lost property, strayed animals, and so forth.
Saul and the slave therefore went to look for him. Passers-by told them that the seer was on the point of leaving the city to bless a sacrifice at a neighboring high-place. If they hurried, they would probably find him there. At the entrance to the city the travelers said to one of the men about the place: Tell me, please, where the seer's house is?' This man was Schmuel himself, and he answered: I am the seer'. He examined closely the athletic young man whose arrival had been made known to him in a vision the night before. He was well aware of YAHWEH's plans for this stranger.
Without disclosing his mission, Schmuel welcomed the young Benjaminite heartily. He led him to the sacrificial meal, which he himself was about to attend, and he told the cook to set before the lad the leg and the tail, the choice portions that were reserved for an honored guest. He kept his eyes on him; there could be no doubt that this was the person whom YAHWEH had appointed to be the savior of the Chosen People.
That evening Schmuel took Saul into his own house, and gave him the place on the house-top where a blanket was spread out for travelers.
1 Three miles north of Yerusalem Now Tel el-Ful in the Wadi Fara American excavations, 1922.
Saul Is Consecrated
Saul was still concerned about his father's donkeys, but Schmuel had other ideas. In the morning, at the break of day, the seer awakened his guest, led him through the gate of the city and went a short way with him. There then occurred a curious incident. Schmuel said to Saul: 'Tell the servant to go ahead of us, but you stand still for a moment and I shall make known to you the word of YAHWEH.' Then Schmuel took a phial of oil and poured it on Sauls head; then he kissed him, saying, 'Has not YAHWEH anointed you prince over his people Yisrael? You are the man who must rule YAHWEH's people, and who must save them from the power of the enemies surrounding them.'
The young man's surprise can be imagined. To give him confidence, Schmuel foretold three events which he would witness. First, he would meet two of his father's servants who would tell him that the donkeys had been found and that they were worried about him at home. Further on, he would meet three men going up to Bethel; one would be carrying three kids; one, three loaves of bread, and the third a skin of wine. They would greet him, and he would be given two loaves. After this, on entering Gibeah, he would unexpectedly meet 'a group of prophets coming down from the high place, headed by harp, tambourine, flute and lyre; they will be in an ecstasy' (1 Schmuel 10: 5). These people belonged to a spiritual confraternity whose members reached an ecstatic state by means of music and gesticulation, rather like dancing dervishes. It was a part of the ancient spiritual practice of Canaan that the worship of YAHWEH allowed for some time. It is mentioned again in the Bible.
'Then,' explained Schmuel, 'the spirit of YAHWEH will seize upon you, and you will go into an ecstasy with them, and be changed into another man...for YAHWEH is with you.' He ended by assigning a meeting place at the set apart town of Gilgal, near Jericho. 'You are to wait seven days (a set apart number) for me to come to you, and then I will show you what you are to do.'
All the signs foretold to Saul occurred at the stated times and places. This put the words of the man of YAHWEH beyond doubt. In addition, Saul experienced a strange inner conviction which virtually made him a new man.
As soon as he returned to Geba his father questioned him about his conversation with Schmuel. Saul answered casually 'He only told us that the donkeys were already found.'
Schmuel's Official Designation Of Saul As Yisrael's King (About 1030)
The choice made by Schmuel very secretly on the outskirts of Ramah was indicative only. The oil he poured on the young man's head was a symbolic proclamation. Although his spiritual worth was considerable and although he had been officially entrusted with the duty of finding a king for Yisrael, a private spiritual rite of this kind was insufficient guarantee that the 'lord's anointed' would have the powers enabling him to govern the People of YAHWEH. As soon as possible, there had to be a ceremony that would be simultaneously both secular and spiritual. This was a characteristically Yisraelite custom.
In order, therefore, to designate the king in the traditional way, Schmuel called together the people (or, more probably, the elders of the tribes) to YAHWEH at Mizpah. There followed a rite to discover which tribe, clan, family and finally, which individual, YAHWEH had chosen to rule over Yisrael. Unfortunately, the exact method used is unknown.2 The final result was the appointment of Saul, the son of Kish. They looked for him in vain. YAHWEH revealed that he was hidden among the baggage. So he was discovered and brought before the people, a splendid person, head and shoulders taller than them all. Schmuel cried out proudly: 'Have you seen the man YAHWEH has chosen? Of all the people there is none to equal him.' And all present acclaimed the new sovereign.
This does not mean, however, that the theocratic and anti-monarchist party had given up the struggle. The verses that follow prove the contrary.
First of all, after Saul had risen to power, Schmuel was at pains to give a public reminder of the people's rights and the king's duties. He drew up a kind of charter (thus indicating that the monarchy would be constitutional) which was placed before YAHWEH (that is; probably in front of the Ark in its new abode at Beth-shemesh). Various documents surviving from the ancient East indicate that at this period, in Egypt, Babylon and Canaan, treaties were deposited in the temples at the feet of a statue of a god, as a sign that the god was a witness of the contract.
Secondly, some of the people sneered openly. The elevation of this hitherto unknown young peasant to the throne only made some scoundrels scoff: 'How can this fellow save us?' To mark their contempt some of the elders refrained from offering any gifts to the new 'King'.
The opposition, therefore, was weighty. Saul was morally obliged to perform some outstanding action without delay.
2 It may have been by means of the teraphim, but very little is known about it. Or it may have been the ephod, another object employed in questioning YAHWEH. Or again it may have been by urim and thummim. All these oracles which at this remote period were regarded as intimations of YAHWEH's will.
Saul's First Striking Victory: Over The Ammonites
Saul, like the Shophtim before him who in between their war-like expeditions continued to look after their land, spent his time in daily work on his home farm at Gibeah.
While he was thus engaged, the Ammonites -a nomadic people from TransYardenia -decided to attack. Their king, Nahash, laid sedge to the Yisraelite city of Jabesh-gilead, on the opposite bank of the Yarden. The elders of Jabesh sent messengers to every tribe requesting help and assistance. But these were received only with tears and groans; defeatism was the general mood; the military weakness of the tribes was invoked as an excuse. At Gibeah, the people declared that they were overwhelmed by the fact that they were unable to provide the aid which the delegates from Jabesh begged; they offered sympathy, weeping and lamentation, but the besieged could count on nothing more While this was happening, Saul came back with his animals from the fields. He was told how things stood. At once the spirit of YAHWEH seized on him... and his fury was stirred to fierce flame. He took a yoke of oxen, cut them in pieces and sent throughout the territory of Yisrael with these words: 'If anyone will not march with Saul, this shall be done with his oxen! It was a vigorous summons to resistance, but also a hidden threat to those who were trying to withdraw from their set apart and fraternal duty.
Yisrael's forces were mobilized in record time, for Jabesh had to be reinforced before the Ammonite attack began. Saul inspected the troops from the northern and southern tribes, (that is from Yisrael and Yahudah) at Bezek, on the direct route to Jabesh. They set out without further delay, and approached the Ammonite camp secretly. A furious battle ensued, in which Saul was the victor.
SAUL'S FIRST CAMPAIGN: AGAINST THE AMMONITES
Jabesh (in TransYardenia), a city besieged by the Ammonites, Saul mobilized the warriors of the tribes; he went up to Bezek where he assembled his army; he then relieved Jabesh and cut the Ammonites in pieces. He returned by way of Gilgal At Ramah Schmuel anointed Saul in secret. At Mizpah Saul is chosen by lot as king of Yisrael. Then Saul returned to Gibeah to his farm. Warned by the inhabitants of where he was confirmed as king. Schmuel officially gave up his judgeship.
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