The Life of David Series: Is Saul Among the Prophets?

Abner spurred his horse ahead, trying desperately to keep up with his master, Shaul, king of Israel. For his part, Shaul rode like a man possessed.

Ever since trying, and failing, to skewer David to the wall with his spear, the king had descended even further into the darkness, forgetting his royal duties in his irrational obsession with destroying David. Ever the pragmatist, Abner calculated that his best bet would be to help Shaul to this end, in hopes that, with the warrior from Bethlehem out of the picture, Shaul would settle back into his kingly role. He had, after all, once been an effective king.

Their objective was a tiny settlement called Nayot, where the prophet Sh’muel had set up a kind of school for the training of prophets. The excursion so far had been…well…interesting. Breathing curses and threats against David, the king had set out with his men. But, every so often he would pull up and sit in the saddle as if in a trance. As the horse took advantage of the pause to munch on grass the king would raise his face towards heaven and intone a song of worship to Yahweh. The words of praise seemed to Abner to have a bitter, almost sarcastic edge. The men would wait awkwardly for a few minutes, then Shaul would snap out of it and they would move on.

Nobody who valued his life would even think about questioning the king about this bizarre behavior.

Rounding the bend Abner could make out the low buildings of Sh’muel’s compound. And – here his heart sank – standing in front of the compound was a group of men, presumably the cadre of prophets and prophets-in-training that dwelt at the complex. And in the center, dressed in his distinctive mantle, one hand grasping a staff, stood the unmistakable bearded figure of the prophet himself. His expression was stern, his demeanor fearless.

The king, several paces ahead of his men, leaned forward and urged his mount faster, as if charging an enemy. In horror Abner saw him reach for his sword. Abner groaned inwardly, even as he goaded his own horse forward. To all his offenses against Yahweh, Saul was about to add the murder of his prophet.

Suddenly, just as it was about to trample Sh’muel into the dust, Shaul’s horse reared up, pawing the air with its hooves. Shaul let out a garbled cry and fell to the ground in front of the ancient man of God. He laid there for a few minutes as his men rode up. Abner was about to dismount to check on his liege when he caught a glance and a slight shake of the head from Sh’muel. He stayed put.

Slowly, Shaul rose to his feet and stood in front of Sh’muel. His eyes were wild, his hair disheveled. He stared at the prophet for a moment, then a grotesque expression passed across his face, something between disdain and terror. Slowly he raised his hands into the air.

“Glory be to Yahweh!” The words seemed to Abner to have been yanked out of his mouth by some unseen force. “Glory be to Yahweh forever and ever!” The king repeated the words over and over, beginning to turn around and hop in a macabre kind of dance. “Glory be to Yahweh, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob…God of…God of…God of David!”

With an anguished wail Shaul threw himself on the ground and began to wallow in the dust. His stunned soldiers watched as their king rolled around and began to tear at his royal garments. It was as if he was physically fighting against some invisible foe, and losing badly.

Out of the corner of his eye Abner saw one of his men nudge a companion, a smirk on his face. “Is Saul now among the prophets?” The sarcastic comment brought a chuckle from those who heard it, until Abner silenced them with a stern glare.

The king, meanwhile, was now lying still on the ground, his royal robes in shreds around him, like a man beaten at a wrestling match. “Glory to Yahweh, glory to Yahweh, glory to Yahweh…” the repeated words escaped his lips in a pathetic whine.

Abner looked again at Sh’muel. The aged prophet’s face held the same stern expression as he gazed upon the disgraced monarch. But, as Abner looked closer, he noticed a single tear make its way down the old man’s cheek.

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The end of I Samuel 19, which is the source for the above dramatic retelling, serves to illustrate King Saul’s descent into madness. It is also an example of some fascinating parallelisms that exist in the narrative of his life. For example (and this was alluded to in the dramatic retelling of a previous post) we first find Saul chasing lost donkeys, while, when Samuel meets David, he is tending sheep. This is full of portent for the kind of king each one of them would be.

Another interesting parallel is the usage of the phrase “Is Saul also among the prophets?” found in verse 24 of the current chapter. We have seen this phrase before, back in chapter 9, verses 10-12, when God was confirming Saul’s kingship.

When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, “What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” Then a man from there answered and said, “But who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

Here we see an expression of surprise and wonder. Saul was not known for his prophetic ability, yet here he was, prophesying. It is clearly a divine confirmation of kingship.

Fast forward to chapter 19, and we find the same phrase being used, but in a much different context. Once again the Spirit has come upon Saul and he is prophesying, but it is not to honor him, but to judge him, and to demonstrate to all that God had rejected him. And instead of being admired, he has become a punchline. The use of the phrase here carries some strong “how the mighty have fallen” vibes.

And this should be a cautionary tale to everyone who reads it – especially those who have used by God at one time or another to accomplish great things. The lesson here is this: past victories do not guarantee permanent blessing. Men and women who have done great things for God have fallen, have shipwrecked the faith, have irreparably disgraced themselves.

I often wonder if the Apostle Paul, once called Saul, and also of the tribe of Benjamin, had his ancient namesake in mind when he penned these words in Philippians 3:12-14.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Saul is a cautionary tale. We would do well to heed the caution.

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And be sure to read the action-packed adventures of Missionary Max: Missionary Max and the Jungle Princess and Missionary Max and the Lost City.