Lexical Summary
Shaul: Saul
Original Word:שָׁאוּל
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Sha'uwl
Pronunciation:shaw-ool'
Phonetic Spelling:(shaw-ool')
KJV: Saul, Shaul
NASB:Saul, Saul's, Shaul
Word Origin:[passive participle ofH7592 (שָׁאַל שָׁאֵל - ask)]
1. asked
2. Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Saul, Shaul
Passive participle ofsha'al; asked; Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites -- Saul, Shaul.
see HEBREWsha'al
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
shaalDefinition"asked (of Yah)," first king of Isr., also an Edomite and two Isr.
NASB TranslationSaul (357), Saul's (34), Shaul (9).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
( =
asked (of ), cf below; Palmyrene proper name Lzb
371 Cooke
283); — :
397 1st king of Israel,1 Samuel 9:2,3(twice in verse);1 Samuel 9:5 (son of Kish, a Benjamite) + 359 t. Samuel; 28 t. 1Chronicles;Psalm 18:1;Psalm 52:2;Psalm 54:2;Psalm 57:1;Psalm 59:1 (all in titles);Isaiah 10:29 (and1 Samuel 11:4;1 Samuel 15:34;2 Samuel 21:6 see II . ).
Genesis 36:37,38 (P) =1 Chronicles 1:48,49
Genesis 46:10;Exodus 6:15;Numbers 26:13 (all P) =1 Chronicles 4:24.
1 Chronicles 6:9.
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Scope of the Nameשָׁאוּל (Shaul) means “asked (of God).” The name appears about 406 times, the overwhelming majority referring to Saul son of Kish, first king of Israel. Smaller clusters relate to earlier patriarchal and Edomite genealogies, preserving the name’s broad tribal and regional reach.
Principal Bearer: Saul Son of Kish
Anointing and Early Promise
• Israel’s request for a monarch led the LORD to direct Samuel to Saul (1 Samuel 9). Samuel poured oil on his head and declared, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?” (1 Samuel 10:1).
• Empowered by the Spirit, Saul prophesied and rallied Israel to defeat Nahash the Ammonite, securing unanimous acclamation at Gilgal (1 Samuel 11:12-15).
Military Successes and Leadership Traits
• Early victories over the Philistines (1 Samuel 13–14) demonstrate tactical boldness, yet impulsive decisions already surface—most memorably the rash oath that nearly cost Jonathan’s life (1 Samuel 14:24-45).
• His stature and courage inspired the tribes, but his leadership increasingly catered to popular opinion rather than to divine command.
Disobedience and Divine Rejection
• At Gilgal, Saul usurped priestly authority by offering sacrifice (1 Samuel 13:8-14).
• The decisive break came after sparing Agag and the best of Amalek’s livestock. Samuel pronounced, “To obey is better than sacrifice… Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king” (1 Samuel 15:22-23).
• “Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him” (1 Samuel 16:14). David’s harp soothed him, yet jealousy deepened when Israel sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7).
Conflict with David
• Repeated pursuits (1 Samuel 19–26) contrast Saul’s fear-driven aggression with David’s God-fearing restraint. Twice David spared Saul, confessing, “I will not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:10; 26:11).
• Jonathan’s covenant with David (1 Samuel 18:3-4; 20:13-17) places Saul’s own dynasty in jeopardy, yet highlights covenant faithfulness that Saul himself lacked.
Occult Consultation and Final Battle
• Desperate for guidance, Saul visited the medium at Endor (1 Samuel 28). Samuel’s apparition foretold imminent defeat and death.
• At Mount Gilboa “the battle intensified against Saul; the archers overtook him, and he was wounded by the archers” (1 Samuel 31:3). Rather than suffer capture, he fell on his own sword, and his three sons died with him.
• Jabesh-gilead retrieved and buried his remains (1 Samuel 31:11-13), later reinterred by David in Benjaminite territory (2 Samuel 21:13-14).
Legacy and Theological Themes
• Kingship: Saul embodies Israel’s turning from theocracy to monarchy; his failure underscores that true authority hinges on covenant obedience.
• Spirit and Leadership: His initial empowering and later abandonment illustrate the conditional nature of Old-Covenant empowerment.
• Obedience vs. Ritual:1 Samuel 15:22-23 stands as a perpetual reminder that outward forms cannot substitute for heeding God’s word.
• Foreshadowing the Messiah: Saul’s rejection cleared the way for David, whose line culminates in Jesus Christ. The contrast between Saul and David frames Scripture’s theology of the true Shepherd-King.
Other Bearers of the Name
1. Saul the Simeonite
• Listed among the sons of Simeon born in Egypt: “The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul son of a Canaanite woman” (Genesis 46:10).
• Reappears inExodus 6:15;Numbers 26:13;1 Chronicles 4:24. His descendants formed the clan of the Shaulites, an example of mixed ancestry folded into covenant Israel.
2. Saul of Rehoboth (Edomite King)
• “When Samlah died, Saul of Rehoboth on the River reigned in his place” (Genesis 36:37).
• Also cited in1 Chronicles 1:48-49. Though outside Israel’s covenant line, his name shows the spread of Semitic naming conventions.
3. Genealogical Mentions of King Saul
•1 Chronicles 8:30-33 and 9:39 embed Saul within Benjamin’s lineage, emphasizing the continuity of tribal records and verifying the historicity of his reign.
Ministry and Pastoral Lessons
• Calling does not guarantee perseverance; continual submission to God’s word is essential.
• Charisma without character leads to spiritual vacuity; once the Spirit departed, Saul’s insecurity metastasized into paranoia.
• Spiritual leadership must resist the fear of man (1 Samuel 15:24) and honor divine priorities over public acclaim.
• God’s sovereignty overrules human failure, using even Saul’s tragic arc to advance redemptive purposes.
New Testament Echo
Saul of Tarsus (Acts 7:58; 9:1) bears the same Hebrew name, reminding readers that grace can transform a persecutor into an apostle. The juxtaposition of the two Sauls—one who lost the kingdom and one who gained the Gospel—magnifies the mercy and faithfulness of God.
Summary
The name שָׁאוּל threads through patriarchal clans, Edomite royalty, Israel’s first monarchy, and apostolic history. Its principal bearer, King Saul, serves as a sobering study in squandered privilege, yet his narrative ultimately highlights God’s unwavering commitment to establish a king “after His own heart.”
Forms and Transliterations
אול וְשָׁא֖וּל וְשָׁא֗וּל וְשָׁא֛וּל וְשָׁא֞וּל וְשָׁא֣וּל וְשָׁא֤וּל וְשָׁא֥וּל וְשָׁאוּל֙ וְשָׁאוּל֩ וּלְשָׁא֣וּל ולשאול ושאול לְשָׁ֫א֥וּל לְשָׁא֑וּל לְשָׁא֔וּל לְשָׁא֕וּל לְשָׁא֖וּל לְשָׁא֗וּל לְשָׁא֜וּל לְשָׁאֽוּל׃ לְשָׁאוּל֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה למלחמה לשאול לשאול׃ מִשָּׁא֖וּל משאול שָׁ֝א֗וּל שָׁ֠אוּל שָׁא֑וּל שָׁא֔וּל שָׁא֖וּל שָׁא֗וּל שָׁא֛וּל שָׁא֜וּל שָׁא֞וּל שָׁא֟וּל שָׁא֡וּל שָׁא֣וּל שָׁא֤וּל שָׁא֥וּל שָׁא֧וּל שָׁא֨וּל שָׁאֽוּל׃ שָׁאוּל֒ שָׁאוּל֙ שָׁאוּל֩ שאול שאול׃ ’ūl lam·mil·ḥā·māh lammilchaMah lammilḥāmāh lə·šā·’ūl ləšā’ūl leshaUl miš·šā·’ūl mishshaUl miššā’ūl šā’ūl šā·’ūl shaUl ū·lə·šā·’ūl ul ūləšā’ūl uleshaUl veshaUl wə·šā·’ūl wəšā’ūl
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