2730 AM (1030 BCE) – A HEAD ABOVE THE REST
Saul meandered along the path that his father’s donkey tended to favor when he managed to escape his pen. And this donkey was clever. He would escape his pen at least twice a year, if only to prove he could.
Raphael, the head servant of Saul’s father, Kish, followed Saul, listening to Saul’s never-ending monologue. Raphael had served Kish for his whole life. Kish was a man of war, respected and wealthy. His thoughts were deep, and often drifted toward obedience to Adonai, if only for the sake of Israel.
Saul, on the other hand, was like a child. Sure, he was strong and fast and tall— a head above the average warrior. In many ways he followed in his father’s footsteps, given the gift of war and strength. But his mind was so basic. Raphael would never say such things out loud, of course; he had too much decorum.
Raphael’s attention was drawn back to Saul, son of Kish, who was continuing his unbroken chain of thought, “You see, Samson is a mighty warrior himself, in a way. I mean, whether it’s a kick or he simply chews the ropes, he just manages to confound us. And here we are trying to figure out where he’s at. You can see why we named him Samson, right?” Saul said, laughing hysterically. “He’s a pain in the—”
“Yes, Saul,” Raphael interrupted, “we all know why he is called Samson.” Raphael tried not to sound too unenthusiastic, but it came out far more tired than he intended.
Saul did not seem to notice. “Well, he usually hides himself pretty well, but I can usually find him. I always do. Though, I think he sometimes smells me coming. He has that ability. But once I get him cornered, he can be a fierce adversary. Hah!”
Saul drew his sword and swiped the air twice before re-sheathing it. They reached the end of the path, and Saul looked perplexed. “Well, he usually hides himself here. Not sure… maybe this way?”
Saul leapt toward a new direction, and before long they were deep into thickets along the hillsides. All the while, Saul continued his banter: “Yeah, Kish can always rely on me to fetch his mules. That darn Samson always leads the others astray.”
After another half day of searching, it was starting to get late. “Um…” Saul said, looking at Raphael, “I think we should circle back. It’s been three days. Maybe we passed them? Perhaps we will find them on the way back. Besides, we should check in with Dad. I think he might start worrying about us. Besides, our packs are bare, and I am getting hungry.”
Raphael looked all around them, as darkness was becoming more imminent. “You know,” Raphael said in his very even, paternal voice, “there is a holy man in the next city. We are in the region of Tzuf, right?”
“Oh?” Saul pondered, “a holy man?”
“Yes,” Raphael continued, “and he prophesies, and what he says always comes true, so we know he is a genuine man of God. Maybe he can tell us where the donkeys have gone.”
“Genuine man of God, you say? Interesting. Well, aren’t we supposed to bring him something for his time or something?” Saul asked. “My sack is empty, and I do not even have money to buy food. Do you have anything?”
“Let me see,” Raphael said, checking his own pockets and pack, “Well, I do have this quarter shekel. Better than nothing, I would say? Perhaps if it can’t purchase the location of the animals, it could at least purchase their general direction?”
“Hah! Right!” Saul said boisterously. “Exactly! Let’s go! I will lead the way.”
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Saul led them toward the city as the sun was setting and the cool of the evening would soon be upon them. Some young girls were out fetching water as Saul and Raphael passed by, “Ladies!” Saul said as they neared.
The girls all blushed and covered their mouths with youthful giggles at the attention of the magnanimously handsome giant of a man. Saul appreciated the effect he had on the female persuasion and took the opportunity to ask, “Hey, ladies, have you seen the seer?”
More giggling ensued, but one young lady did respond with, “Oh, he is just ahead. There is a sacrifice this evening, and so you must hurry before he goes up to the high place.”
As the girls moved on, Saul and Raphael exchanged glances. Raphael made the “after you” gesture and Saul quickened his pace. They were all but at a run, with Raphael trailing some distance behind Saul. As they crested the next hill, a man came out and stood in front of them and held up his hands.
Saul approached the man and asked, “Please, tell me where the seer’s house is.”
Samuel, the seer, looked up at Saul. “I’m the seer,” he said, “go up to the high place. You will dine with me today. As for your donkeys, they have already been returned to your father.”
“I, uh, um …” Saul didn’t know what to say. “We are from the tribe of Benjamin … but I guess you already knew that. But, I mean, we are the least important of the families in Benjamin as well … which I guess you know that, too. What I mean is …”
Samuel held up a hand, “come, let us go up to the high place, and all will be explained.”
They made their way up to where the guests were waiting for Samuel. They were in a room that was decorated in a festive manner for the occasion. Samuel gave the blessing, and everyone was served. Saul was seated next to Samuel in the most esteemed of places, and the most valued portion of thigh meat was brought out and set before Saul.
Samuel explained, “this was set aside especially for you by command of Adonai. You and Raphael will stay here tonight, and I will send you back in the morning.”
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At daybreak, Samuel woke up Saul to send him on his way. “Send Raphael ahead,” Samuel commanded. “I need to speak with you alone.”
Saul looked at Samuel and then nodded to Raphael, who packed up their few things and then left.
As Raphael was just out the door, Saul then added, “Hey, Raphael, let Dad know that I will be back soon and—”
p>Samuel cut off Saul with a gesture and just looked at him, while Raphael made a hasty departure.“Now,” Samuel commanded; his voice was like the voice of a thousand men. “Stand still and listen, for I will tell you now what Adonai has said to me.”
Samuel took out a flask and held it up, saying a blessing in Hebrew: “Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam, shehecheyanu ve’kiyemanu ve’higiyanu lazman hazeh,” which means, “Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.”
Samuel then poured the oil over Saul’s head and kissed Saul. And then Samuel continued, “With this oil, Adonai has anointed you to be prince over His inheritance.”
Saul reached up to touch the oil, but Samuel batted his hand away and looked Saul in the eyes.
“Saul, listen. After you leave today, you will see two men at Rachel’s tomb. They will tell you that they found the donkeys. From there go to the Oak of Tabor. They will be carrying elements for a sacrifice at Bethel—young goats, wine, and bread. Take the two loaves of bread that they will offer you and let them go their way. You are to go to the Hill of Adonai, where the Philistines are garrisoned.”
“The Philistines?” Saul repeated, with fear dripping off each word as he spoke.
“Would you just…” Samuel spoke in frustration from all the little interruptions from Saul.
“When you get to that hill, there will be prophets coming down from the high place with all sorts of musical instruments. They will be singing unto Adonai and dancing and prophesying. Join them. The Spirit of Adonai will fall upon you; you will prophesy, and you will be a new man. Finally, afterward, you will go down to Gilgal, and I will come down to you, and I will perform a peace offering. Wait for me until I come, even if you have to wait a week.”
Samuel studied Saul for a minute before asking, “Hey, do you wish to know the secret to patience?”
Saul looked up in surprise, as he was processing everything that Samuel had already shared. “Um, well, yeah. Sure.”
Samuel took another long look at Saul, from his large toes sticking out from his ginormous sandals to the top of his head, which glimmered in the daylight from the anointing oil.
“Okay, I will share with you the secret of patience,” Samuel said, as he turned around and briskly walked away, in the opposite direction that Saul needed to go.
Saul watched Samuel leave in disbelief, having no idea what Samuel meant about patience. Then Saul turned his head in the direction of the path to Rachel’s tomb, and then back to Samuel. Samuel did not turn around and then was out of sight.
Saul sighed. With just a few moments more hesitation, he finally turned to head to Rachel’s tomb.
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By the time Saul had the bread in his hands, he was ravenous. Samuel never said what to do with the bread. Was he to take it to the prophets? But they would be coming down from the high place. Maybe the bread was simply… lunch?
Saul did not lessen his pace as he headed to where the dreaded Philistines taunted the armies of the Hebrews relentlessly. Without thinking, Saul nibbled on the loaves. By the time he arrived at the Hill of Adonai, the bread was no longer in his hands.
But just as Samuel had said, down came many prophets dancing and singing and prophesying. Saul had already forgotten about the bread, and something like a strong wind swept over him.
Suddenly, Saul joined in with the other prophets almost involuntarily, “Lo yasur shevet miYehudah, u-mchokek mibein raglav. Ad ki yavo Shiloh, v’lo yikhat amim yikhat!” Which means, “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.”
Then, yet again, Saul said, “Er’enu v’lo atah, asurenu v’lo karov. Darach kochav miYaakov, v’kam shevet miYisrael, u-machatz paatei Moav, v’karatz kol bnei Shet. V’hayah Edom yirash, v’Seir yirash oyvav, v’Yisrael oseh chayil.” Which means, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong.”
The loud cacophony of sound from all the prophets speaking at once was on the one hand very dissonant, yet there was almost a melodic symphonic aspect to it all.
For seven days they sang and danced and prophesied. Those who knew Saul from before could not understand this change that had come over him. Where was the cowardice? The indecision? The infantile expressions of mediocre contemplation?
As it turned out, the Spirit of Adonai is one of those things that you cannot take for granted, that you need to walk close to Adonai to receive regularly, and that you sometimes even need to ask for in times of trouble.
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Saul and Raphael finally made it back home. Saul’s uncle asked them where they had been. Saul looked to Raphael, who just shrugged his shoulders and waited for Saul to speak. Saul began slowly, “Well, you know, we were, you know, looking for the donkeys and, you know, well, we ran into Samuel the seer.”
The uncle looked at Saul, and then at Raphael, and then back to Saul. His impatience beginning to brim, he inquired more firmly, “Well, what did Samuel tell you? You were gone for much longer than three days! What did the man say?”
“Oh, uh, well, you know, so like, um, he just basically told us where the donkeys were,” Saul finally replied.
The uncle once again looked at Saul expectantly, then at Raphael, who just slightly shook his head, and then he was looking at Saul again. Finally, in frustration, he slapped his forehead with an “Oy vey!” and stormed away.
Saul was too afraid to share with him his being anointed king. What would he say? It would be awkward. What if his uncle laughed at him? What if he started laughing and spreading around town that Saul thinks he’s king now? What if? Saul looked at Raphael and then disappeared into the crowd. Raphael just shook his head and returned to tending to his duties.
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Later in the day, Samuel arrived. The leaders gathered around him. It was clear that the people wanted a king. Samuel had pleaded with them to keep Adonai as their King. But they wanted to be like the other nations. The other nations! Would they not learn? Could they not learn? This is not what Adonai had wanted. Samuel had left to confer with Adonai, but now he was back. Lest Samuel forget they wanted a king, the crowd was incessantly cheering, “Give us a king!”
Samuel stood and endured the nonsense until a strong gust of wind like a flock of birds settled upon him, and he spoke. He wasn’t particularly loud, but everyone heard him speak clearly, and they quickly quieted down.
“Here are the words of Adonai. Hear the Creator of the heavens and the earth speak. I birthed this nation out of Egypt, where you lived four hundred years as slaves to false gods. You are from the seed of Abraham, whom I handpicked because he wasn’t like the nations around him, and he didn’t want to be like the nations around him.”
“And yet, here we are, and here you are, clamoring for a king to be just like the nations around you. When will you learn? You have not rejected me, Samuel, your judge, a mere man. You have rejected Adonai, whom I represent, who is not like man, who does not change His mind like man, whose will does not sway this way and that, like the reeds blowing in the wind.”
Samuel looked out into the crowd, waiting for Adonai to continue speaking through him.
Finally, he spoke, “Bring the heads of your tribes, and Adonai will select the tribe.”
As all the heads of the tribes passed, the tribe of Benjamin was selected.
With almost animosity, Samuel continued, “Now, bring all the heads of the families of Benjamin.”
The families passed, and the family of Matri was chosen. As Kish stood there, nervously, representing the family of Matri, Samuel asked him, “Where is your son, Saul?”
Kish, the brave and stalwart man of war, looked around. He looked to his family. “Where is Saul?” he asked, and they shrugged their shoulders. Kish looked and saw Raphael. “Hey, Raphael, where is Saul?” Raphael did a quick look around himself, where he last saw Saul, but he found nobody.
Finally, Samuel spoke, “Adonai says that Saul, your kin who has been anointed king, is hiding in the larder.”
Kish nodded to Raphael, who went to check the larder. In the back of the makeshift tent, Raphael found Saul hiding under some sacks of flour.
“What are you doing? Are you for real?” Raphael whispered firmly to Saul. “Get out there; they are waiting for you!”
Raphael followed Saul back to Samuel and Kish. Saul was conspicuously tall, well endowed in his legs and shoulders. It was almost as if he could pick up a weaver’s beam and use it as a javelin. Kish grabbed a cloth and patted flour off his sleeve, to no avail. Samuel gave them all a stern look, and everyone retreated, leaving Samuel and Saul at the front of the assembly.
“This is Saul,” Samuel started. “Have you seen anyone like him in all of Israel?”
The crowd immediately exploded in cheers and adulation at the physical power and beauty of Saul.
Samuel continued, “Exactly. This is exactly why Adonai has chosen him for you. He is the king you desire.”
The people agreed, and they eagerly shouted, “Long live King Saul! Long live the King!”
Saul half-smiled and half raised a hand to acknowledge the people. He looked to Samuel for affirmation, but Samuel was already walking away, his back toward the whole ludicrous saga.
Used with permission by the author. Find the author’s complete works online: Complete Works of Mack Samuels
