Saul's Jewish Heritage And Identity

Saul, the first king of Israel, was a Benjamite, a member of the tribe of Benjamin ^{[1, 6, 8]}. His lineage is traced through Kish, his father, and Abiel, his grandfather ^{[7, 8]}. The tribe of Benjamin was considered the "smallest of the tribes of Israel," having been significantly reduced in number due to a past conflict ^{[9, 14]}. Despite this, Saul was described as a "choice and handsome" man, "a head taller than any of the people" ^[5].

Saul's appointment as king came through the mediation of Samuel, in response to the people's desire for a monarch ^{[2, 12]}. The biblical narrative in 1 Samuel 8-10 details the "singular providential circumstances" surrounding his election ^[8]. His reign is often divided into two periods: an initial phase of establishment and vigorous development, followed by a decline and eventual overthrow ^[12]. Josephus records several key events of Saul's reign, including his war with the Amalekites and his eventual death in battle against the Philistines ^{[3, 4]}.

The Chronicler's record of Benjamin's history includes Saul's genealogy, connecting him to a "noble heritage" that continued throughout the kingdom period ^[10]. Saul's character is described as "fierce, wayward, fitful," possibly influenced by the nature of his tribe and the societal changes of his era ^[1]. He also experienced periods of "madness" that manifested as violent frenzy ^[1].

It is important to distinguish this Saul from the New Testament figure, Saul of Tarsus, who later became the Apostle Paul. While both were of the tribe of Benjamin, the New Testament Saul (Paul) mentions his Benjamite heritage as an honor ^{[9, 13]}. The name "Saul" is the Hebrew form, while "Paul" is the Greek form of his name ^[11]. The Apostle Paul, in his ministry, would sometimes trace Jewish history, including the establishment of the monarchy and the removal of King Saul, to establish common ground with his audience ^[15].

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Saul — (desired), more accurately Shaul. + One of the early kings of Edom, and successor of Samlah. (Genesis 36:37,38; 1 Chronicles 1:48) (B.C. after 1450.) + The first king of Israel, the son of Kish, and of the tribe of Benjamin. (B.C, 1095-1055.) His character is in part illustrated by the fierce, wayward, fitful nature of the tribe and in part accounted for by the struggle between the old and new systems in which he found himself involved. To this we must add a taint of madness. which broke out in violent frenzy at times leaving him with long lucid intervals. He w”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 4, section 1: . The Appointment Of A King Over The Israelites, Whose Name Was Saul; And This By The Command Of God.”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 7, section 1: . Saul's War With The Amalekites, And Conquest Of Them.”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 14, section 1: . Now Saul Upon God's Not Answering Him Concerning The Fight With The Philistines Desired A Necromantic Woman To Raise Up The Soul Of Samuel To Him; And How He Died, With His Sons Upon The Overthrow Of The Hebrews In Battle. FOOTNOTES:”
I Samuel “I Samuel 9:2 (BSB) — And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.”
STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H7586G — King living at the time of United Monarchy (refs: #A king of Israel, from the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned)”
STEPBible TBESG “[H0022] H0022G = (H0022G) — Abiel = "El (God) is (my) father"<br> Saul's grandfather, a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1; <br> son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N); <br> father of: Kish (H7027), Ner (H5369), Abdon (H5658J), Zur (H6698I), Baal (H1168B), Nadab (H5070J), Gedor (H1446I), Ahio (H0283I), Zecher (H2144) and Mikloth (H4732); also called Jeiel (Ketiv: Jeuel; KJV: Jehiel) at 1Ch.9.35; Ner at 1Ch.8.33; 9.39;”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Saul — Asked for. (1.) A king of Edom (Gen. 36:37, 38); called Shaul in 1 Chr. 1:48. (2.) The son of Kish (probably his only son, and a child of prayer, "asked for"), of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of the Jewish nation. The singular providential circumstances connected with his election as king are recorded in 1 Sam. 8-10. His father's she-asses had strayed, and Saul was sent with a servant to seek for them. Leaving his home at Gibeah (10:5, "the hill of God," A.V.; lit., as in R.V. marg., "Gibeah of God"), Saul and his servant went toward the north-west ov”
1 Samuel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 9:1: We are here told, 1. What a good family Saul was of, Sa1 9:1. He was of the tribe of Benjamin; so was the New Testament Saul, who also was called Paul, and he mentions it as his honour, for Benjamin was a favourite, Rom 11:1; Phi 3:5. That tribe had been reduced to a very small number by the fatal war with Gibeah, and much ado there was to provide wives for those 600 men that were the poor remains of it out of that diminished tribe, which is here called, with good reason, the smallest of the tribes of Israel, Sa1 9:21. Saul sprang as a root out of a dry ground. T”
1 Chronicles (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Chronicles 8:33: 8:33-40 The Chronicler concludes his record of Benjamin’s history with the genealogy of Saul, beginning two generations before Saul and extending through Merib-baal (=Mephibosheth; see study note on 2 Sam 4:4) and down to the families of Azel and Eshek (1 Chr 8:38-40). Micah (8:35) lived in the time of Solomon, and Ulam (8:39) lived near the end of the kingdom of Judah before the destruction of Jerusalem. Thus, Saul is connected with his larger tribal history and with a noble heritage that carried on throughout the kingdom period.”
Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 7:58: 7:58 Saul was the Hebrew form, Paul the Greek form of his name (see 13:9).”
1 Samuel (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on 1 Samuel 8 (introduction): II. The Monarchy of Saul from His Election Till His Ultimate Rejection - 1 Samuel 8-15 The earthly monarchy in Israel was established in the time of Samuel, and through his mediation. At the pressing desire of the people, Samuel installed the Benjaminite Saul as king, according to the command of God. The reign of Saul may be divided into two essentially different periods: viz., (1) the establishment and vigorous development of his regal supremacy (1 Samuel 8-15); (2) the decline and gradual overthrow of his monarchy (1 Samuel 16-31). The establish”
2 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Corinthians 11:22: 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I: A Jewish heritage was seen by Paul’s opponents as a qualification for ministry (see Phil 3:5). • Are they Israelites? So am I: An Israelite was a member of the covenant community by circumcision (cp. John 1:47; Rom 9:4). Paul had this badge also and was in fact a Pharisee, a most devoted follower of Torah (Acts 26:4-5; Rom 11:1; Phil 3:5-6). • Are they descendants of Abraham? This is yet another of Paul’s opponents’ claims to God’s favor based on ethnic identity. Elsewhere, Paul clarifies who can truly be called Israelites ”
1 Samuel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Samuel 9:21: And Saul answered and said, am not I a Benjamite,.... Or the son of Jemini, the name of one of his ancestors, see Sa1 9:1 or rather, as the Targum, a son of the tribe of Benjamin: of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? having been greatly reduced, even to the number of six hundred men, by the fatal war between that tribe and the rest, on account of the Levite's concubine, and is called little Benjamin, Psa 68:27. and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? the smallest in number, had the least share of authority in the tribe, and of l”
Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 13:17: 13:17-22 To establish common ground, Paul traced Jewish history from the Exodus onward, stressing the Jews’ powerful deliverance from Egyptian bondage, the providential occupation of their inheritance in Canaan, the establishment of the monarchy, the removal of Saul, and the special place of David.”

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