An Obedient Servant? The Reign of King Saul (1 Samuel 13—15) Reassessed

This article reconsiders 1 Samuel 13—15 and the negative characterization of Saul that has been perpetuated by subsequent interpreters. It considers the story of Saul’s reign in light of the account of the call for a king in 1 Samuel 8, where a narrative contrast is established between obedience to the people and obedience to God and where the subordination of the people to their king is prophesied. This article shows that a key element of 1 Samuel 13—15 is Saul’s preference for the will of the people and concludes that the fact that this contradicts the prophesied image of kingship in 1 Samuel 8 enables a more positive interpretation of Saul and his reign. Rather than a king who makes servants of his people, we encounter a king anxious to serve them.