Saul

Him Samuel the prophet succeeds, with whom Saul reigned, holding rule for twenty-seven years.

He anointed Saul as king, who was the first to reign over Israel after the judges, of whom the whole number, down to Samuel, comes to four hundred and sixty-three years and seven months.

And the prophet Samuel, having reserved a thigh from what he was eating, brought and gave it to Saul to eat.

We find in holy writ, this rule observed by Saul in the beginning of his reign.

Therefore if he thinks proper to take away by a premature or violent death the children of Achan, Saul, Jeroboam or Ahab, he is exercising over them the right of sovereignty, as well as that of punishment;

So afterwards the Spirit of God turned Saul into another man, that is, into a prophet, when it was said, ‘What is this to the son of Kish?

For not even to the Pythonic spirit then was it less permitted to feign the soul of Samuel, when Saul consulted the dead after God.

" And the woman with the familiar spirit, conjuring up for Saul by her sorceries the souls he sought, says that she has seen gods.

nor hath the murder and confiscation of the possessions of Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul, and son of Jonathan, the friend and protector of David, the least affinity with the will of this lady.

far from hymning the demons, he drove them out by true music, with which, when Saul was possessed, he healed him by merely singing.

In the more mature kingship which presently succeeded, the military functions of the King are most prominent in Saul and David, but the judicial authority again manifests itself in Solomon.

Kingdoms tells concerning David and Saul"

And the house of Josaphat increased and grew strong, while the house of Abenner was diminished and grew weak, just as the book of

Saul is accepted, but while not yet a despiser of the prophet Samuel.

since indeed He said, "It repents me that I made Saul king," prescribing, namely, that repentance savours of the confession of some evil work or error.

I mean that mercy which both granted to the people the son of Saul who was to die by a vow, and freed David, confessing his sins against the house of Uriah, by pardon, and so often restored Israel itself as often as it judged, so often washed it as often as it rebuked.

or, for the cause of reprobation, a sinner is delivered to him, as to an executioner, for punishment, like Saul—"And the Spirit of the Lord," it says, "departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord shook him and choked him";

"Cursed be the man who shall eat bread until evening, until I am avenged of my enemy"—and his whole people tasted not, while all the land was dining.

Saul, good above the rest, is afterwards overturned by envy.

Saul was by lot yet the succession was not hereditary, neither does it appear from that transaction there was any intention it ever should.