Saul Facts for Kids

For the New Testament character, see Paul of Tarsus. For other uses, see Saul (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Saul

David Plays the Harp for Saul, by Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1650 and 1670.

King of Israel

Reign

late 11th century

Successor

Ish-bosheth

Died

c. 1012 BCE
Jezreel Valley, United Monarchy of Israel

Issue

Ish-bosheth
Jonathan
Abinadab
Melchishua
Merab
Michal

Full name
Saul ben Kish

Saul (שאול המלך) was the very first king of ancient Israel. He ruled from about 1047 BC to 1007 BC. His story is told in the Books of Samuel in the Bible and also in the Quran.

Becoming King of Israel
- Saul's Disobedience
  - The Kingdom is Taken Away
Saul and David
- Saul's Jealousy of David
The End of Saul's Reign
Images for kids
See also

Becoming King of Israel

Saul was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel. At first, he was a humble and obedient leader. He led the people of Israel in battles and helped them become stronger.

Saul's Disobedience

Over time, Saul stopped listening to God's commands. He became a bit greedy and made choices that God did not approve of. The prophet Samuel warned Saul that because of his disobedience, God would take the kingdom away from him. Samuel told Saul that the kingdom would be given to someone else, someone better.

The Kingdom is Taken Away

One day, as Samuel was leaving Saul, Saul grabbed Samuel's robe, and it tore. Samuel used this as a sign. He told Saul that just as the robe was torn, the kingdom of Israel would be torn from him. It would be given to a "neighbor" who was better than Saul.

Saul and David

After God's spirit left Saul, he became troubled. To help him feel better, Saul brought a young shepherd named David into his service. David was skilled at playing the harp, and his music would calm Saul.

Saul's Jealousy of David

David became very popular, especially after he bravely defeated the giant Goliath. Saul started to become jealous of David. He began to suspect that David was the "neighbor" Samuel had spoken about, the one who would take his kingdom.

Saul's jealousy grew into fear and then hatred. He tried many times to kill David. However, Saul's own son, Jonathan, was a very close friend of David. This friendship made Saul even angrier, and he sometimes lashed out at Jonathan too.

The End of Saul's Reign

Saul's story ended in a big battle against the Philistines. During the fight, Saul was badly wounded. He did not want to be captured and mistreated by his enemies. So, he chose to fall on his own sword, ending his life.