Comparison Of King David And King Saul

1 Samuel presents Israel transformation from theocracy to monarchy as theological and sociopolitical. Knut Heim mentions, “Such transformation could not take place without stresses and conflicts. The book of Samuel in general, and chaps. 8-15 in particular, reflect the tensions and ambiguities of these transitional time.” The Israel’s request of a king is seen desperate and insistence to become like other nations, due to internal and external crises. Of course, it was an evil thing to ask for because they were the God’s chosen people and God was their divine king. They are supposed to be different than other nations. Nevertheless, God graciously gives them a king, Saul, who eventually fails but God’s eternal plan of kingship unfolds as he choses a king for himself in David.

As we examine the heroes of the faith outlined for us in the Old Testament, we would be hard pressed to find a more faithful man that King David. After the death of King Saul, David became the King of the Hebrew people. David, who was meek and pious, steadfastly believed in the true God and tried to do His will. He had endured much persecution from Saul and other enemies but did not become bitter, did not lift his hand against Saul, as he was the Lord’s anointed, but placed all his hope in God, and the Lord delivered him from all his enemies.

They introduce a series of contrasts between good and evil judges, plus faithful and unfaithful kings. As 1 Samuel opens, the era of the judges is still in the forefront, but it is fading fast. The leadership of Israel rests on the undisciplined and elderly Eli, the high priest of the tabernacle at Shiloh and one of the last of the minor judges (1 Sam 4:18). Throughout the early chapters of 1 Samuel, the author draws a sharp contrast between Eli and his ungodly sons and the godly prophet Samuel. By the middle of the book (1 Samuel 15–16), the same kind of contrast is drawn between Saul and David.

Even as Samuel wrestled with God, God told him & the nation what a king would demand, and take from them. However, they shouted out they still wanted a king and to be like other nations. They didn’t care they would accept and deal with the cost associated with their request. They wanted what they wanted and it didn’t matter. We are the same today we want what we want it and don’t consider the cost, but as is often said, the devil is in the details or the cost as we see here.

Saul was the ideal king the Israelites desired. David was the king Israel needed. David was not tall or handsome but he was a man of God. When David defeated Goliath, not only did he fully trust God, David gave all the glory of his victory to God. David possessed the vital attribute that Saul never had, obedience to God. David trusted in God’s timing and plan. Despite David having the opportunity to kill Saul and reign over Israel , David continued to follow God's commands. In 1 Samuel 24:19-20 Saul said to David after spearing his life, “ When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands (NIV).” Unlike Saul David was obedient to God. God rewarded David for his obedience by anointing him King and later

King David wrestled with sin, such as adultery, family disorder, and rebellion on a national level, however he also experienced great accomplishments as well. One great achievement was the unification of Israel. "Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, "We are all members of your family. For a long time, even while Saul was our King, you were the one who really led Israel. And the Lord has told you, "You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be their leader" (2 Samuel 5:3). It is here that David makes a covenant with the leaders and becomes anointed as the

In this section historical information concerning the lives of Saul and Samuel have been discussed. Such information will enlighten ones cultural and contextual study of 1 Samuel 8–15. Moreover, the reader will have more insight into the referential world of the author, thereby allowing one to discern their intended meaning.

Both Saul and David were men of war. Each led armies against the enemies of Israel. They were both politically perceptive and operated prophetically. The difference between these two

The book of 1 Samuel, a part of the Old Testament, sparks the dawn of the United Kingdom of Israel by telling of its first king, Saul. Samuel is one of the first talked about pre-literary prophets in the bible perhaps because he anointed the first king of the United Kingdom. He is a prophet by definition because he possessed the ability to converse with the almighty Yahweh. Samuel and Saul are key players to the rise of the kingdom but Saul runs into trouble and disobeys God, which leads him to his own inevitable demise.

The nation of Israel was set apart as holy to the LORD. But they When the children of Israel demanded a king, they did so to be like the other nations. The first three kings were Saul, (outwardly tall, handsome and strong—a seemingly good choice for a king, but inwardly arrogant, proud and unrepentant—not God’s choice), David (a man after God’s own heart who repented of his sins and as such was God’s choice), and Solomon (the wisest man who ever lived, but because of covenant disobedience became the catalyst for the division and ultimate exile of Israel.

The ultimate goal here is to challenge the writer find a definitive reason for the downfall of King David who is said to be a man after God’s own heart.

"This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots…. and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest… He will take the best of your fields and

God told Samuel to locate the right person to be Israel’s first king. Well, he looked at a lot of people; God guiding him all the time. And finally he selected Saul. Saul was just a boy, but he was a tall, striking and modest young man.

Verse three outlines the start of the forming of David's band of miscreants; "Also joining him was every person who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. He became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him" (NKJV). David is now the leader of an unstructured group of men discontented with the current political situation. They had been wronged and mistreated, were under a curse of debt that they could not pay. They were not trained loyal soldiers, but like David, are so distressed that they have no option left except to run and hide from their problems (Swindoll, 1997, p.74; Epp, 1965, p.56). Psalm 57 indicates that not only were they hiding, but they were angry and wanting vengeance on those they felt had wronged them�. Keller (1985, pp. 120,121) suggests that it was in living with these oppressed outcasts that David developed his compassion for those living under oppression.

In The Bible there are multiple ideal societies which are presented, each denoted by the God's approval of that society and its leader. One of these societies is that portrayed in the story of Saul. In this story Samuel, a prophet of God, is given the task of revealing Saul, the ruler who is specified