Boy, That Escalated Quickly

I Samuel Chapter 13, the Strange and the Spectacular

Verses: 23

Is It Read At Synagogue?: No.

Famous Quotes/Phrases: Samuel’s relationship with Saul can be boiled down to how he greets Saul in Verse 11: “What have you done?” Come to think of it, that question is fair to ask of Saul in most instances from this point forward.

Basic Plot: We learn that Saul was of an uncertain age when he becomes king and rules Israel for only a short time (more on this in a moment). His son Jonathan kills a Philistine prefect, incurring the wrath of the Philistines, who gather a large force to prepare for battle. The Israelites panic when Saul doesn’t react quickly, and, presumably lost without Samuel’s presence, Saul makes a burnt offering to God.

When Samuel finally arrives, he scolds Saul for disobeying God’s directives, and says (not for the last time) that God will choose someone else to be king. Saul’s troubles continue as the text explains that the Israelites have very few weapons, since the only local people who make them are Philistines.

What’s Strange: The opening verse of this chapter is one of the most puzzling in the entire book. The Jewish Publication Society’s translation is “Saul was … years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel two years.” In his book The Reign and Rejection of King Saul: A Case For Literary and Theological Coherence, V. Philips Long lays out some alternative interpretations of this verse, casting doubt whether Saul actually reigned for two years. In fact, some theorize that the verse means that Saul was one year old when he became king! Long seems most drawn to the argument posited by Robert Althann, who suggests a poetic translation of “More than a year had Saul been reigning, even two years had he been reigning over Israel.” It certainly makes more sense than theorizing that Saul was crowned while still in diapers.

What’s Spectacular: It is said that a baseball manager who removes a starting pitcher way quicker than expected has a “quick hook”. Judging by Samuel’s words to Saul, it appears that, when it comes to kings, God has an incredibly quick hook. Why is Saul denied a royal dynasty just for offering an improper sacrifice? Even if you were to argue that doing so is a grievous sin, there is (a) no evidence that Saul knows the rules of sacrifices, and even if he does, (b) is committing that one sin really grounds for removing him from the rule of Israel?

It’s curious that the text doesn’t include a conversation between God and Samuel saying that Saul wouldn’t be long for the kingship; we can only rely on Samuel’s words to Saul. Maybe it’s outrageous to think that Samuel would go above God’s proverbial head and make that decision unilaterally, but we also know that Samuel isn’t a fan of having an Israelite king in the first place. Regardless, Samuel’s words indicate impulsiveness, even if he’s communicating exactly what God wants.

Saul proves to be a tragically flawed king, but when we evaluate how Samuel reacts, we can also learn that while we’d sometimes like to respond to difficult moments with emotion, it’s sometimes better to take a deep breath before making a quick hook.

Shabbat Shalom!