Who was Saul in the Bible?

What does the Bible say about Saul?

Saul was the first king of Israel, anointed by the prophet Samuel in response to the people's request for a king (1Samuel 8-10). He was a tall and handsome Benjamite who initially showed humility and potential as a leader (1Sa.9.2, 21; 10.6-7, 9-10). However, Saul's reign was marked by disobedience and rebellion against God. He offered an unlawful sacrifice before a battle against the Philistines (1Sa.13.8-14) and later disobeyed God's command to completely destroy the Amalekites and their possessions (1Samuel 15). As a result, God rejected Saul as king and chose David to replace him (1Sa.15.23, 28; 16.1, 13). Saul became jealous of David's success and popularity, leading him to pursue David and attempt to kill him on multiple occasions (1Samuel 18-26). Saul also massacred the priests of Nob for assisting David (1Sa.22.6-23). In a battle against the Philistines, Saul was critically wounded and took his own life to avoid capture (1Sa.31.1-6). His body was later recovered by the men of Jabesh-gilead and buried (1Sa.31.11-13). Despite his tragic end, Saul's reign united the tribes of Israel and laid the foundation for the Israelite monarchy. His life serves as a warning against disobedience and the consequences of turning away from God.

Where does Saul appear in the Bible?

Saul is referenced in 298 verses across 4 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

• 1 Chronicles 5:10
• 1 Chronicles 8:33
• 1 Chronicles 9:39
• 1 Chronicles 10:2
• 1 Chronicles 10:3
• 1 Chronicles 10:4
• 1 Chronicles 10:5
• 1 Chronicles 10:6
• 1 Chronicles 10:7
• 1 Chronicles 10:8
• 1 Chronicles 10:11
• 1 Chronicles 10:12
• 1 Chronicles 10:13
• 1 Chronicles 11:2
• 1 Chronicles 12:1
• 1 Chronicles 12:2
• 1 Chronicles 12:19
• 1 Chronicles 12:23
• 1 Chronicles 12:29
• 1 Chronicles 13:3
• 1 Chronicles 15:29
• 1 Chronicles 26:28
• 1 Samuel 9:2
• 1 Samuel 9:3

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Saul.