The Torah Atlas

person · P0063

Shaul HaMelech שאול המלך

Shaul is Israel's first king, chosen amid the transition from judgeship to monarchy. He begins with humility and military success, but repeated conflicts with Shmuel over obedience define his decline. His later reign is consumed by fear of David, war with the Philistines, and the destruction of his house on Mount Gilboa.

I. Who

Hebrew
שאול המלך
Also known as
Saul, King Saul
Era
bible

II. When

Traditional
c. 2830–2884 AM (reign traditionally 2882–2884 in the compressed regnal scheme)
Academic
c. late 11th century BCE; exact regnal dates remain debated.
Lifespan (traditional)
≈54 years
Precision
approximate

V. How do we know

ClaimEvidenceConfidenceSources
Shmuel privately anointed Shaul with oil and told him that God had appointed him ruler over Israel.
Directly stated in the cited source.
 biblical ★★★★★
Shaul rallied Israel to rescue Jabesh-gilead from Nahash the Ammonite, after which the people renewed the kingship at Gilgal.
Directly stated in the cited source.
 biblical ★★★★★
After Shaul offered the burnt offering at Gilgal instead of waiting for Shmuel, Shmuel told him that his kingdom would not endure and that God had sought a man after His own heart.
Directly stated in the cited source.
 biblical ★★★★★
Shaul spared Agag and the best Amalekite livestock despite the command conveyed by Shmuel; Shmuel declared that obedience is better than sacrifice and that God had rejected Shaul as king.
Directly stated in the cited source.
 biblical ★★★★★
Shaul was the son of Kish, a Benjaminite of standing; he was described as exceptionally handsome and taller than the rest of the people.
Directly stated in the cited source.
 biblical ★★★★★
After the private anointing, Shaul was selected publicly by lot at Mitzpah and acclaimed as king by the people.
Directly stated in the cited source.
 biblical ★★★★★
His wife was Achinoam daughter of Achimaatz; his named children included Yonatan, Yishvi, Malki-Shua, Merav, and Michal.
Directly stated in the cited source.
 biblical ★★★★★
After being wounded by Philistine archers on Mount Gilboa, Shaul fell on his own sword and died; three of his sons died in the same battle.
Directly stated in the cited source.
 biblical ★★★★★
Men of Jabesh-gilead recovered the bodies of Shaul and his sons, burned them, and buried their bones beneath a tamarisk tree at Jabesh.
Directly stated in the cited source.
 biblical ★★★★★
David later transferred the bones of Shaul and Yonatan to the tomb of Kish at Zela in Benjamin.
Directly stated in the cited source.
 biblical ★★★★★
The traditional reading of Shmuel I 13:1 assigns Shaul a two-year reign immediately before David (c. 2882–2884 AM); the lifespan band shown (c. 2830–2884 AM) is a schematic Mesorah Atlas reconstruction widening that regnal datum to a plausible traditional lifetime. The cited sources do not state an absolute AM range.
The research input gave 2882–2884 AM as the entity's date range; that figure is his traditional reign, not a lifespan, so the band was widened at ingest. Other Jewish sources and modern historians reconstruct a longer career; the textual problem of Shmuel I 13:1 is well known.
tradition reconstruction ★★☆☆☆