Shaul HaMelech

Shaul son of Kish, of the tribe of Binyamin, was the first king of Israel. The book of Samuel describes him as a striking young man, a head taller than everyone (1 Samuel 9:1-2). The prophet Shmuel anointed him in private (10:1). He proved himself by rescuing Yavesh Gilead from the Ammonites, and the people then confirmed him as king at Gilgal (11:1-15). He ruled from his home town, Gibeah, and fought the Philistines throughout his reign, together with his son Yonatan. The text records two failures of obedience: offering a sacrifice at Gilgal without waiting for Shmuel (13:8-14), and sparing the Amalekite king Agag and the best of the livestock (15:9). After each, Shmuel told him the kingdom would not remain with him (13:13-14; 15:26-28). His later years were overshadowed by his pursuit of the young David. On the eve of his last battle he consulted a medium at Ein Dor (28:7). He died on Mount Gilboa with three of his sons, and the men of Yavesh Gilead rescued the bodies (31:1-13). David later buried his bones in his father Kish's tomb in Binyamin (2 Samuel 21:14). Scholars date his reign to the late 11th century BCE.