“And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.”
And he had a son whose name was Saul, a choice young man and a goodly — Saul is described with two Hebrew terms of excellence: ḥurim (choice, picked, select) and tob me'od (very good). The text emphasizes his physical beauty: from his shoulders upward he was higher than all the people, suggesting he possessed the stature associated with heroic warriors in ancient Near Eastern literature. This external magnificence will later contrast sharply with Samuel's criterion—the LORD looks on the heart, not outward appearance (16:7). The dramatic irony is subtle: Israel wants a king like the other nations (8:5), and here is a man who looks like a king. Yet appearance alone will prove insufficient for faithful kingship.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a note on this verse
0/2000
No notes on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!