Saul Vs. David : The Characters Of Saul And David

Throughout the history of Israel and Judah, there have been very few kings that are classified by scholars as being good. The king in which all other kings are measured up to, and possibly the most widely known, would be David. He is actually stated to be “the most fully developed character in the Hebrew bible” (Coogan 255). David took reign after Saul and at this time Israel was still a united monarchy. His success as a king can be contributed to both his character and relationship with God. David’s talent as a warrior can be seen when he so effortlessly conquers the massive Philistine, Goliath. He also exhibited political and military strength as a double agent working for the Israelites while living amongst the Philistines, all while conquering the enemies of Israel.

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.

In 2 Samuel the narrative shifts to the reign of David as he rises above Saul’s son Ish-bosheth to become the king, first of Judah and then of all the tribes of Israel (5:1–4). The book records David’s wars of conquest including the capture of Jerusalem and the relocation of the ark of the covenant to the City of David (6:1–19). But the author also records David’s failures: his adultery with Bathsheba (11:1–26), Absalom’s rebellion (15:1–18:30), Sheba’s revolt (20:1–26), and the disastrous census (24:1–25). Like all the prophetic writers, the author presents a portrait of his historical figures from the perspective of their faithfulness to God’s covenant.

The rise and fall of this desired king is one that is unique with a lot to look at and learn from. Saul was a man who won many battles on the field as he defeated the Philistines and others who came against the Jewish

While David was a king of God so to say, Saul was a king of man. Both had different desires in what they wanted. David was after God's own heart while Saul was after the praise of his people. Saul was cruel and unforgiving and therefore was separated from God. 1 Samuel 20: 30-32 is a good example of Saul's harsh behavior. "

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

As Samuel grew in age he intended to appoint one of his sons as the king of Israel. His sons however did not follow the ways of their father or God. “They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice” (I Samuel 8:3). The people of Israel desired a king, “a king like all the other nations” (Hindson and Yates, 2012. P.164). The people had grown tired of oppression and felt that “the lack of a strong human leader as the cause and did not realize that the reason for the oppression was a spiritual on-their failure to serve God” (Harbin, 2005, p.219). Saul was not God’s choice for the throne but “he was the people’s choice” (Hindson and Yates, 2012. P.164). Saul’s appointment as king was against the “old

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.

In the piece, Faith and Resilience: King David's Reaction to the Death of Bathsheba's Firstborn, David A. Bosworth looks at King David’s mourning, or rather lack of mourning, over the death of his son and Bathsheba’s firstborn and how this points to his resiliency as a result of the factors of the time period but more importantly, as a result of his faith in God. In the paper, Bosworth looks at King David’s previous faith in the Lord through rough patches as well as time period specific factors that could have led to his resiliency. Predating his official reign as king, David has taken an active role in his life through his belief in God’s Will and his belief that God’s Will can be changed through human prayer and entreaty. Bosworth points out that the life of David was one wrought with strife and familial contention.

However, Saul is soon abandoned by God because of his disobediences. Yet, Saul’s disobedience is controversial. Patricia K. Tull, the author of “1 and 2 Samuel” in Theological Bible Commentary, argues, “Saul’s exact offense is unclear, and commentators struggle to reconstruct it, augmenting the impression that he was given a test with no correct choices.” In contrast, Marvin Sweeney, the professor of the Hebrew Bible in Claremont School of Theology, asserts, “Although the narrative can hardly be considered anti-monarchic, it takes care to raise concerns about the character of kingship and its costs to the nation at large and it demands that proper kingship in Israel must be exercised in accordance with the divine will.” In this view, Saul has not been accorded with God’s will. Then, is this God’s intentional choice? If it is true, why he does this? If God did not choose Saul as the king, it would be possible that he is not deserted from God. Bible

Coogan expressed how YHWH disregarded traditional dominant status of the firstborn son and chose David as successor to the throne, despite him being the youngest of his brothers. Also, in David’s anointment, Coogan expresses how Samuel was not reluctant like he was when he anointed Saul. Coogan also portrays how David’s introduction to Saul’s court carried the theme of divine favor and promoted David to a legendary hero status. David is brought to Saul to provide him relief from an “evil spirit”, and David’s divine connection with God along with his musical talents provided Saul with the relief he needed. It was also David, not any other member of Saul’s army, which challenged and defeated the Philistine’s champion, Goliath. Coogan argues, however, that all of David’s actions were not solely done for his faithfulness to God, but to also establish himself in a position of power. Coogan supports this by pointing out David’s willingness to kill his fellow Israelites in 1 Samuel 25.13, 34, during his service to the Philistines. He also states that subsequent events that followed in Second Samuel proved that “David was in fact an opportunist who can be ruthless in using his power to advance his objectives” (Coogan 201), and that even his marriages were politically motivated. Coogan, more or less,

We first met Saul in chapter 7:58 as the one at whose feet the robes of those who stoned Stephen were laid. Acts 8:1, he consented to Stephen’s death. 8:3, he began to destroy the church by entering the homes of the believers, and dragging off men and women to prison. Saul greatly persecuted the early church and caused the believers to be scattered. We would see in 9:1 Saul was breathing threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples. Chapter 9:1-2 he sought warrants from the Jewish authorities to arrest and bring back to Jerusalem anyone who is following Jesus. We learn more about Saul in his personal testimony. In 26:9, He did many things hostile to the name of Jesus. Acts 26:10, he voted for the execution of believers. Verse 11, he punished the believers in their synagogues and forced them to blaspheme the Lord. It’s obvious that Saul hated Jesus and all who followed Him as hated the gospel. He was a murderer and zealous for the law but on the path to hell because he did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Saul believed that his actions met the God’s approval because he faithfully maintained the beliefs of the Jewish religion. However, in this text we will see the transformation of his life and his name would later change to Paul. After Jesus he would become the greatest theologian, missionary, teacher and pastor and God would use him to start churches all over the world. He would

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.

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