Saul: The Pawn Abandoned by God

This document was translated from Korean to English using Gemini 3 Flash.
The original Korean version is available at here.

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Saul was the first king of Israel. He was chosen after the elders of the various tribes persistently requested a king from the judge Samuel. When Samuel asked God to designate a king, God’s reaction was lukewarm, essentially saying, “They want to serve a king rather than me? Let them have their way” (1 Samuel 8:7). God then designated Saul (1 Samuel 9:15–17). This indifferent response might have been rooted in the negative memory of the tyranny and chaos caused by Abimelech, the wicked son of the hero Gideon who had styled himself king of Shechem.

Once chosen, Saul was actually a decent king. He was brave in defeating enemies and possessed an upright character. However, due to what seems like divine caprice, he found himself in the position of a protagonist in a Greek tragedy. Saul was someone God appointed with reluctance; God seemingly found little to admire in him. It appeared as though God was simply waiting for Saul to stumble.

When the Philistines invaded, Saul offered a burnt sacrifice to God to secure victory. He didn’t do this recklessly; he waited until the day the priest Samuel was supposed to arrive. When Samuel failed to show, Saul felt he had no choice (1 Samuel 13:8–11). His soldiers were trembling with fear, and as a leader, he had to take action. Yet, Samuel—acting like a bureaucrat obsessed with protocol—rebuked Saul for overstepping his authority. In God’s name, Samuel declared Saul’s dethronement (1 Samuel 13:14). The fault lay partly with the late Samuel, yet Saul bore the full penalty. Had Samuel truly viewed Saul as a teammate, he would have pleaded with God for forgiveness, acknowledging his own tardiness. Instead, Samuel abandoned him.

Saul did not lose his practical power immediately. Later, during the battle with the Amalekites, he spared some of the spoils instead of burning everything as an offering to God. This does not appear to be personal embezzlement, like the case of Achan in the Book of Joshua. War was, and is, an expensive endeavor. Since Israel had not yet transitioned to the Iron Age, war with neighboring nations was incredibly grueling. Those spoils were likely a reserve for future conflicts; for a ruler and administrator, discarding them entirely was unrealistic. However, this gave God another pretext to oust him. Samuel declared Saul’s deposition once more (1 Samuel 15:26). Saul begged for forgiveness with desperate intensity, clinging to Samuel, but Samuel shook him off mercilessly (1 Samuel 15:28). While harsh as a divine representative, Samuel did show a hint of human compassion by performing a meaningless act of worship just to soothe Saul’s heart (1 Samuel 15:31).

God soon found a more “pleasing” royal candidate, David, and had Samuel anoint him (1 Samuel 16:13). That was the beginning of Saul’s true tragedy. Saul was originally a righteous man who had committed no significant sins other than those mentioned. However, for David’s rise to be seen as legitimate, Saul had to be the villain. Just as with the tyrannical Abimelech, God sent an “evil spirit” to drive Saul mad (1 Samuel 16:14). The inhumane acts committed by Saul—the so-called “cruel tyrant”—were the result of this divine madness, not the free will of the righteous man he once was. God was manufacturing a justification for David’s usurpation.

If God had merely wanted to punish Saul for his sins, allowing the throne to pass to Jonathan—Saul’s son and a man of the noblest soul—would have been enough to atone for those errors. But God drove not only Saul but also the flawless Prince Jonathan to their deaths to ensure David became king. If Jonathan—who possessed perfect faith, character, bloodline legitimacy, and immense talent—had survived, there would have been no justification for David’s coronation. David himself, who loved Jonathan like a brother, would likely have refused to take the throne over him.

God’s love for David was extraordinary. He helped him defeat Goliath, protected him from Saul, and finally placed him on the throne. God loved David so much that He intended to send the Messiah through David’s bloodline. To explain this infinite attachment, consider this hypothesis: When the elders asked for a king, God was cold, implying He was already ruling well. At that time, God had not yet prepared a suitable man to be king. Thus, He felt the need to create one. Re-employing the focus He used when creating Adam, God crafted a masterpiece—a man after His own heart—born into the house of Jesse. That masterpiece was David. The reason the Statue of David is depicted with such perfect beauty might be an artistic intuition of how much care God took in creating him.

And God needed a temporary placeholder until His masterpiece, David, was ready to rule. He sought this temporary king from the tribe of Benjamin—the weakest of the tribes—so that power could be easily reclaimed. That temporary pawn was Saul.

God commanded Samuel to anoint David. Once that happened, Saul was demoted from being the King of Israel to being a “grindstone” used to sharpen David’s qualities as a future ruler. Saul repented for his mistakes and begged God and Samuel with a misery that bordered on pathetic, but no one forgave or saved him. He was left to suffer until his tragic end. In contrast, even when David committed inhumane sins like the Bathsheba incident, God forgave him after repentance, though there were consequences. David’s sin was rooted in his own lust, and despite his verbal repentance, he remained faithful to his desire by keeping Bathsheba by his side for the rest of his life. Furthermore, Solomon’s severe idolatry was not punished during his lifetime simply because he was David’s son; the punishment was deferred to his children. This stands in stark contrast to the merciless judgment handed down to Saul, who was given no chance for redemption.

From a traditional perspective, people condemn Saul for making excuses while praising David for prostrating himself when confronted by Nathan. But if we compare the essence of their actions, the weight of the sins is incomparable. David’s crime was an inhumane transgression that no one, in any age or culture, could defend: coveting a subordinate’s wife and sending a loyal soldier to his death to cover it up.

Saul’s failures, however, have significant extenuating circumstances. In a moment of crisis where the army was deserting before a battle because the priest hadn’t arrived, a leader’s choice to perform a sacrifice to unify the troops is a rational administrative decision. It is like placing “Jack the Ripper,” who cries “I have sinned,” alongside “Jean Valjean,” who argues he “stole bread because his nephew was starving,” and then condemning the latter as more evil because he “made excuses.”

Had Saul not been chosen by God, he might have lived a happy life as a respected leader of the tribe of Benjamin. I feel a deep sympathy for Saul, a man who, against his will, became a discarded card in a divine game. David once played the lyre for Saul to soothe his pain whenever the evil spirit tormented him. Saul likely expressed his gratitude and his remorse for the past during those moments. Thus, David probably understood Saul’s pain and heart better than anyone else, feeling a deep compassion for him. This is likely why David, despite having several opportunities to kill Saul while being hunted, could never bring himself to do it.

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An Imaginative Take on the Witch of Endor

I imagined the “Witch of Endor” who watched over Saul’s final night in 1 Samuel 28.

A famous medium had drifted into Endor. She was someone who had been persecuted during Saul’s reign for serving spirits. Driven away, she ended up in the backwaters of Endor. She hated Saul for ruining her life. Then one night, Saul came to her in disguise.

The witch rejoiced internally. She planned to extort money and take her revenge. In reality, she wasn’t a medium but a liar. Uneducated and unmarried, the only way she could survive was by selling comfort based on people’s fears. She was rumored to be gifted, but she had never actually seen a spirit. In a world made by the Great God, there were no such things as ghosts; there was only human fear, and she was simply skilled at reading and exploiting that fear.

Saul asked her to summon the spirit of Samuel. It seemed God had handed her enemy over to her. To torment Saul, she imitated Samuel. She pretended to be terrified to make the act convincing. She fell backward, screaming:

“Aaaah! My King!! A spirit in the form of an old man is approaching. I have called spirits all my life, but this great spirit alone terrifies me. Must I do this? Save me!”

She paused, then spoke in a slightly deepened voice:

“Why have you disturbed my sleep?”

“It has been a long time, Prophet. How will tomorrow’s battle go?”

“The Lord has become your enemy; tomorrow, you and your sons will die.”

The witch felt a rush of pleasure. She didn’t know if Saul would win or lose. she just wanted him to feel miserable all day as revenge, while she planned to flee elsewhere. Perhaps his unsettled mind would affect the battle and lead to defeat. If he died, her prophecy was a success; if not, she’d be gone.

Then Saul said:

“Actually, I know better than anyone that tomorrow’s battle is hopeless. We, Israel, cannot handle the Philistines. But can my son Jonathan not be spared? He is more obedient to the Lord than anyone.”

The witch was flustered. She knew of Jonathan’s noble reputation. But she couldn’t stop her performance.

“The Lord repays enemies unto the third and fourth generation. You know the proverb: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’”

“Fine. I have no lingering attachment to this world that has abandoned me. If the world is like this, perhaps it is a blessing for my son to leave it quickly. But I have something else to ask. That is why I really came to you.”

“What is it?”

“The Lord said He regretted anointing me. Does the Lord, who knows all, not know what I would become? If He knew and still did it, why does He regret it?”

The witch was at a loss for words. She squeezed her brain and replied:

“I am but a messenger of the Lord’s will. How could I know His mind?”

A look of contempt filled Saul’s eyes.

“Then let me rephrase. Did you truly deliver the Lord’s words as they are? Did the Lord truly regret it?”

“He did.”

“I find that hard to believe. You acted as the prophet who would lead me, but all you ever did was anoint me. You broke the appointment for the sacrifice at Gilgal. Because you didn’t come, the soldiers fled in fear. If the enemy had attacked, we would have been slaughtered. Did you truly run as fast as you could that day? Or were you hiding, watching our camp until I was forced to perform the sacrifice myself?”

“Of course, I ran as fast as I could. The enemies blocked the path, so I had to take a detour.”

“You were supposed to be the mediator between me and the Lord. If I did wrong, I should have been allowed to beg and receive forgiveness, but you gave me no chance. Instead, didn’t you drive a wedge between me and the Lord? I was originally a simple man. I am impatient and fearful. Did you ever truly try to restore my relationship with the Lord?”

“That is…”

“Do you remember what I said to you that day when you finally arrived late?”

The witch couldn’t possibly know the conversation between the two. She replied, “I do not remember.”

“I suppose you dislike remembering things that disadvantage you. I said this: ‘Priest, a sacrifice without a priest is just burning an ox. A priest must be present for it to be a true sacrifice. I was merely performing a play to boost the soldiers’ morale. How could I ever commit an act of disobedience? Now that you are here, please perform the sacrifice.’”

“Ha! That wordplay? Do you think such a pathetic excuse works on the Lord?”

Saul raised his voice.

“Do you think I don’t know your heart? Your two sons lost the people’s trust because they took bribes and perverted justice. You wanted to pass the position of Judge to them, but the people rejected them and demanded a king. I cannot forget your expression when you anointed me. That look of disdain. That day was the first time I realized a human could look up at someone while looking down on them at the same time.”

The witch was silenced. The world of this “mad” king was the opposite of what she had imagined. The expulsion of mediums was not out of cruelty, but out of the king’s firm obedience to his God.

“Your spite tormented me all my life. You said I was deposed, yet I won every battle after that. The Lord helped me and the Prince even after that day. Was I truly deposed by the Lord that day? Even David, whom you anointed, respected me as the ‘Lord’s anointed’ and couldn’t kill me even when he had the chance. I prayed for repentance every day. But the only way for the Lord to show me His will was through your mouth. Did you truly convey His will? Or did you perhaps offer a burnt offering asking the Lord to depose me? Using your precious priestly authority?”

Saul’s decades of resentment were laced with venom. Sweat beaded on the witch’s forehead. She began to regret her attempt at revenge.

“How could I do such a thing?”

“If anyone would, it is you. Do you remember King Agag? He was a good king. He loved his people and knew the weight of responsibility. When Amalek was destroyed, he wept like a child, asking to be killed in place of his people. He said he would gladly give his life if it meant not one more of his people would die. But it was the Lord’s command, so I had to carry it out with a breaking heart. Yet when I saw his tears, I couldn’t kill him. I reached out to him. Just as Rahab the foreigner became one of Judah, I invited him to become one of us. I knew the Lord was not one to destroy even the righteous—like Lot and Rahab. I was a lowly man; I felt I had much to learn from his royal dignity. I wanted to be his friend. He refused at first, but my persistence moved him. We were even setting a date for his circumcision. But you… you hacked him to pieces. To think an old man’s strength could dismember a human body—you were more a warrior than a prophet.”

“Make no excuses. You disobeyed the Lord’s command to destroy everything and kept the best livestock. Then you claimed you kept them for the Lord. Herem (utter destruction) is the true offering, yet you offered such absurd sophistry to the Lord who sees all.”

“I regret that part too. Those animals were actually meant for King Agag. He was a man who was once a king. To be my friend, he couldn’t be a mere servant in my palace; he needed a foundation to stand on his own. But since you brutally slaughtered him, those animals became useless. If I had known it would end that way, I should have killed them all from the start.”

“Are you finished? You committed horrific acts—killing priests and throwing a spear at your own son, Jonathan.”

The fire in Saul’s eyes turned into a profound sorrow.

“Of course, I committed great sins. The Lord sent an evil spirit, and through my body, horrific things happened regardless of my will. I should have resisted, but I believed that not resisting a spirit sent by the Lord was true obedience. Was I just a fool who made the wrong decision every single time?”

The witch remained silent for a long time. Saul continued:

“You have brought back the terrible memory of trying to kill my son Jonathan with my own hands. You took the place of Eli’s sons because they were profane. Your sons are no different from Eli’s. And the Lord judged them. But I am still alive. And my son is a noble man incomparable to your sons. Finally… can you not offer an intercessory prayer to the Lord for him, if not for me? It is the last wish of a pathetic father who tried to kill his own son. In the end, he will die as you said, but I want to see you pray for him.”

Saul knelt before the witch. She turned her head to hide her tears. She hesitated to actually pray, but she couldn’t. Pretending to offer the prayer of a prophet who directly communicated with God was a weight of guilt too heavy even for a woman who had lied to suffering people all her life.

Finally, she spoke:

“The spirit has departed.”

“I suppose I am destined to hear nothing but curses, just as it was when he was alive.”

Saul collapsed, exhausted. Tears welled in the old king’s eyes. The witch stepped out for a moment and returned.

“I have asked the villagers to slaughter a fattened calf. Would you like to offer a burnt offering for tomorrow’s battle?”

“Performing a sacrifice without a priest was how this all began. I have already repented; I do not wish to sin again.”

“There is a man in the village who is well-versed in sacrifices. If a burnt offering is too much, perhaps a peace offering…”

“Do not bring trouble upon this village by performing a useless sacrifice. It is late, but call the villagers and let us share the meat. I want to see my people one last time. I will pay generously for the calf. Thank you for preparing my last meal. My time is short, but I will never forget this until I die.”

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This document was translated from Korean to English using Gemini 3 Flash.
The original Korean version is available at here.