Saul - Israel's first king
1 Samuel 13:1 becomes an interesting verse when it is compared in different translations.
- Saul was a young man when he became king, and he ruled Israel for two years. 1 Sam. 13:1. Modern King James, (MKJV),
- Then, look at the Douay-Rheims (DRB), Saul was a child of one year when he began to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel. 1 Sam. 13:1.
- The DRB seems to be the closest to the Hebrew text, but it is illogical because before he is anointed as king we read that from his shoulders and upward he appeared above all the people. 9:2.
- Furthermore, before he was anointed his father said to him, Please take one of the servants with you and rise, and go look for the asses. 9:3-5. It seems a bit far-fetched to believe that a father would send his less than one-year-old to go and look for lost donkeys.
Of the various explanations of this verse, I thought this made the most sense. As if the writer had said, These things (related in 1 Samuel 12:1-25) took place in the first year of Saul’s reign: and then he proceeds in the next place to tell us what took place in the second year, the two most remarkable years of Saul’s reign. Clarke's commentary.
Here is another thought worth noting: The text of this verse, omitted by the Septuagint, is held to be corrupt, and the numerals denoting Saul’s age at his accession as well as the duration of his reign, are thought to be omitted or faulty.
Another interesting comparison is:
Saul's instructions from the Lord were, Go and attack the Amalekites! Destroy them and all their possessions. Don't have any pity. Kill their men, women, children, and even their babies. Slaughter their cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys. 15:3.
King Saul was not totally obedient, Saul and the people spared Agag (the king) and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them.15:9.
Speak of a king "passing the buck"! He said, But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. 15:21. Come on, king, aren't you in a position to tell your subjects what to do?
We also note that King Saul did not claim Jehovah as his God, he said to Samuel, Jehovah your God.
Samuel said, "Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship". 15:22-23.
Moral conduct is more than ceremonial form. So often we would rather be religious than holy; we would rather play the saintly game than do the will of God. Expositors Bible Commentary.
Here is another thought worth noting: The text of this verse, omitted by the Septuagint, is held to be corrupt, and the numerals denoting Saul’s age at his accession as well as the duration of his reign, are thought to be omitted or faulty.
Another interesting comparison is:
- Agag came to him daintily, MKJV.
- Agag was presented to him very fat, and trembling. 15:32. the DRB,
- Agag came to him cheerfully. World English Bible. (WEB).
- Agag came in chains. Contemporary English version. (CEV).
The End of Saul's Reign
Saul's instructions from the Lord were, Go and attack the Amalekites! Destroy them and all their possessions. Don't have any pity. Kill their men, women, children, and even their babies. Slaughter their cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys. 15:3.
King Saul was not totally obedient, Saul and the people spared Agag (the king) and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not completely destroy them.15:9.
Speak of a king "passing the buck"! He said, But the people took from the spoil, of the flocks and herd, the best of the things devoted to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. 15:21. Come on, king, aren't you in a position to tell your subjects what to do?
We also note that King Saul did not claim Jehovah as his God, he said to Samuel, Jehovah your God.
Samuel said, "Does Jehovah delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice! To listen is better than the fat of rams! For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship". 15:22-23.
Moral conduct is more than ceremonial form. So often we would rather be religious than holy; we would rather play the saintly game than do the will of God. Expositors Bible Commentary.
The following two verses turn the doctrine of predestination on its head. Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” 15:10-11.
To reiterate a question which I have asked a number of times already; did the Lord not know the outcome of this situation? If He did, why did He follow through with a plan which He knew would backfire on Him?
Concerning the beginning of Saul's reign: Samuel said, "When you were little in your own sight, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? And Jehovah anointed you king over Israel." 15:17.
Concerning the end of Saul's reign: Samuel said to Saul, "Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king!" 15:23
And Samuel did not see Saul again till the day of his death, for Samuel mourned after Saul, and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.15:35.
But the spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah terrified him. 16:14. Jost, in his History of the Jews ... says that Saul suffered under that form of madness called hypochondria. The Pulpit Commentary. Some consider the disease (hypochondria) as a punishment for past misdeeds. Wikipedia.
And the battle went sorely against Saul. And the archers hit him, and he was wounded by the archers. And Saul said to his armor-bearer, Draw your sword and pierce me with it. But his armor-bearer would not, for he was very much afraid. So Saul took a sword and fell on it. ... And Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together. 1 Chron. 10:3-6.
This is really a sad end for one who had such an illustrious beginning.
But the spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah terrified him. 16:14. Jost, in his History of the Jews ... says that Saul suffered under that form of madness called hypochondria. The Pulpit Commentary. Some consider the disease (hypochondria) as a punishment for past misdeeds. Wikipedia.
And the battle went sorely against Saul. And the archers hit him, and he was wounded by the archers. And Saul said to his armor-bearer, Draw your sword and pierce me with it. But his armor-bearer would not, for he was very much afraid. So Saul took a sword and fell on it. ... And Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together. 1 Chron. 10:3-6.
This is really a sad end for one who had such an illustrious beginning.
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