Saul
Saul (/sɔːl/; Hebrew: שָׁאוּל, Šāʾūl; Greek: Σαούλ, Saoúl; transl. "asked/prayed for") was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel. His reign, traditionally placed in the late 11th century BC, supposedly marked the transition of Israel and Judah from a scattered tribal society ruled by various judges to organized statehood.
| Saul שָׁאוּל | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saul depicted in a detail from an 1878 oil painting by Ernst Josephson | |||||
| King of Israel | |||||
| Successor | Ish-bosheth | ||||
| Spouses | Ahinoam Rizpah (concubine) | ||||
| Issue | Ish-bosheth Jonathan Abinadab Melchishua Merab Michal Armoni Mephibosheth | ||||
| |||||
| House | House of Saul | ||||
| Father | Kish | ||||
The historicity of Saul and the United Kingdom of Israel is not universally accepted, as what is known of both comes exclusively from the Hebrew Bible. According to the text, he was anointed as king of the Israelites by Samuel, and reigned from Gibeah. Saul is said to have commited suicide when he "fell on his sword" during a battle with the Philistines at Mount Gilboa, in which three of his sons were also killed. Saul’s son Ish-bosheth succeeded him on the throne and was later murdered by his own military leaders, and then his son-in-law David became king.