Saul Chosen to Be King - 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. 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. Now the. Typological Foreshadowing of the True King Saul prefigures the contrast between the first Adam and the last Adam, Jesus Christ.
Like Adam, Saul received clear commands (1 Samuel 10:8; 15:3) yet chose self-reliance, bringing judgment. David, a Messianic prototype, anticipates Christ, who perfectly obeys the Father (John 8:29). Throughout his reign Saul similarly doubted God, seeking counsel in the wrong places, and finally dying a suicide as his army was routed by the enemy (1 Sam.
31:4). David Chosen to Succeed Saul As Samuel searches for Saul's replacement, he nearly makes the mistake of judging by appearances a second time (1 Sam. 16:1-4).
When Saul arrived seeking help finding the lost donkeys, Samuel recognized him as God's chosen one. The anointing ceremony was initially private, with Samuel pouring oil on Saul's head and explaining his divine calling. This was followed by public confirmation at Mizpah, where Saul was chosen by lot before all the tribes of Israel.
Explore why God chose Saul as Israel's first king by delving into the historical and theological contexts of 1 Samuel and Israel's transition to monarchy. 1 Samuel 9:17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him, "This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people." 1 Samuel 10:20-21, 24 When Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matris clan was chosen.
Samuel Anoints Saul - There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. Now the donkeys belonging to Saul's father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul.
Saul, the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin, was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel. Described as "an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites-a head taller than any of the people" (1 Samuel 9:2), Saul's physical stature and appearance made him an ideal candidate in the eyes of the people. 1 Samuel 12:13 1 Samuel 12:13 describes Saul as the king that the people chose.
That description may surprise us when we read 1 Samuel chapters 9 and 10. Those chapters show clearly that God, and not the people, appointed Saul to be their king. As the first king of Israel, Saul had nothing - no army, no palace, and no royal city.
He was not eager to become king. After Samuel anointed him before the people, Saul went back to his home in Gibeah. He continued to work on his father's land until he was needed to lead the people in battle.