Page 28 - Divinity_F5

Divinity for Advanced Secondary Schools

Saul acclaimed as the First King of (1 Sam. 11:5-11). In addition, he built
Israel (1 Sam. 10:17) a disciplined army. He recruited and
Saul did not tell anyone about what trained Israeli soldiers, and by the time
Samuel had said about his becoming a David came to power, the army was well
king. Later, all the Israelites gathered organised.
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together, and Samuel called them for
a religious gathering at Mizpah. Saul Additionally, Saul was a God-fearing
from the tribe of Benjamin, the least King. He participated in Samuel’s
religious functions, rejoiced before
important, was chosen and shown to God, and called upon people to honour
the people of Israel as their first king. the Lord. He had a devotion to God. He
They all shouted, long live the king. The upheld the covenant faith during the
people were told the rights and duties of early periods of his reign. For example,
a king which were written in a book that at one time, he expelled all the mediums
was deposited in a holy place. and fortune tellers from Israel (1 Sam.
11:15).

Saul was a good administrator. He never
discriminated against his people; hence,
he was non-exploitative. In this way, he
restored the society’s peace, law and
order. Saul was also a nationalist. He
loved his nation to the extent that he died
at the battlefront with the Philistines
while defending his nation (1 Sam.
31:1-13).

He cleared the forest areas in the
Philistine region, purposely to reduce
Figure 2.3: Saul the first king of Israel
the hiding places of the Philistine’s
army. This helped strengthen security
Achievements of King Saul and promoted peace in Israel. He laid a
Saul managed to fight and defeat foundation for the institution of kingship
his enemies, namely the Philistines, on which other kings like David and
Ammonites and Moabites. These tribes Solomon based in developing Israel.
had threatened the existence of Israel
as a nation. Saul united the Israelites. Failures of King Saul
Furthermore, he brought together the Although King Saul attained numerous
12 tribes of Israel to fight against his achievements, he later turned away
enemies. Saul treated all of them equally from God. To quote, “The word of the

Form Five Student’s Book 19