{"id":67511,"date":"2019-12-23T12:27:37","date_gmt":"2019-12-23T10:27:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=67511"},"modified":"2023-02-12T17:53:28","modified_gmt":"2023-02-12T15:53:28","slug":"saul-v-david","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/saul-v-david\/","title":{"rendered":"Saul v. David\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[834,384,835,885],"acf":{"old_id":"67511","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":56950,"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"In comparison to Saul, David is successful, but he too fails\u00a0\r\n\r\n","content":"

\u201c<\/span><\/i>David kept growing stronger, while the House of Saul grew weaker<\/span><\/em>\u201d <\/span><\/i>(v.1)<\/span><\/p>\n

One simple line that raises a serious theological question: If God\u2019s will is meant to serve as guidance for humanity, how did God appoint such an unsuccessful leader as Saul to be the first king of Israel? One possible answer is suggested if we compare the stories of the kingship of Saul and that of David. Perhaps the juxtaposition of the two narratives is to teach readers an important lesson.<\/span><\/p>\n

Saul from the outset is portrayed as a character with a complex personality; he is not an adventurer who gets sucked into escapades. He is a realist, not a mystic. David, in contrast, is the boy who stands against Goliath unarmed. Charisma is the force that drives David throughout his life. He is also smart and calculating, but in critical situations he entrusts himself to a higher power and thus represents a perfect king personality\u2014trusting God more than anyone or anything else.<\/span><\/p>\n

We tend to sympathize with David more than Saul, but we should not forget that though in comparison to Saul, David is successful, he too fails. A human being gifted with charismatic power eventually loses control and starts to abuse this gift. The evil deeds of David recorded in the story of Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11) serve as a reminder of how dangerous it can be when a human being cannot differentiate between their own will and the will of God.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the temporary success of David, his kingdom does not stand forever and his dynasty is eventually lost. But the wisdom of Torah stays with us through the generations and demands an interpretation. It demands that we learn the lesson and presents us with both stories of Saul and David\u2014the one story of failing kings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Image: Anonymous Netherlands 1599, after Maerten de Vos, “Saul, David, and Solomon,” Harvard Art Museums\/Fogg Museum, Gift of Belinda L. 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