The First King of Israel: The Untold Story of King Saul

The haftarah for Parashat Zachor recounts King Saul's war against Amalek, during which the prophet Samuel rebuked him for failing to fully carry out Hashem's command. Saul did indeed sin, and because of that he lost the monarchy. Yet it is important not to let that failure overshadow the greatness of his life. Saul was Hashem's anointed king, a courageous warrior who fought Hashem's battles on behalf of the Jewish people.

Even after Saul's sin, King David continued to honor him as Hashem's chosen king. David ruled that no one was permitted to harm Saul, and anyone who did would be put to death. He even personally ordered the execution of those who claimed to have struck Saul.

Saul's First Great Victory

Saul's reign began during one of the most unstable periods in Jewish history. The era of the Judges had left the nation politically fragmented and surrounded by hostile enemies. The Book of I Samuel records a series of military campaigns that defined Saul's reign, while Chazal and the commentators further illuminate these events.

Saul first emerged as a military leader shortly after being anointed king.

Nachash the Ammonite laid siege to Yavesh Gilad, a city east of the Jordan River. The desperate residents sought a peace treaty, but Nachash imposed a humiliating condition: every inhabitant would have their right eye gouged out.

When the news reached Saul in Givat Shaul, he was filled with holy zeal.

As Scripture relates, "The spirit of Hashem came mightily upon Saul when he heard these words" (I Samuel 11).

Saul rallied the nation, divided his army into three groups, and launched a surprise attack at dawn. The Ammonites were completely defeated, Yavesh Gilad was saved, and the people renewed Saul's kingship at Gilgal.

Chazal viewed this victory as evidence of the Divine spirit and courage that accompanied Saul at the beginning of his reign.

The Battle Against the Philistines

The Philistines remained Israel's greatest military threat throughout Saul's reign.

Controlling the coastal plain and much of the lowlands, they possessed advanced military technology, including mastery of iron weapon production.

One of the most dramatic battles took place in the region of Michmash.

Jonathan, Saul's son, attacked a Philistine outpost at Geva, prompting a massive Philistine response. Their army gathered at Michmash, described by Scripture as being "as numerous as the sand on the seashore."

While Saul struggled to gather his forces and made the mistake of not waiting for Samuel before offering a sacrifice, Jonathan displayed extraordinary faith and courage.

Accompanied only by his armor bearer, he climbed the steep rocky pass between two towering crags and launched a surprise attack on the Philistine camp.

The enemy panicked, confusion spread throughout their ranks, and Israel won a remarkable victory.

These crags are generally identified with the cliffs overlooking Wadi Suweinit, north of modern Michmash. Visitors can still see the dramatic landscape where Jonathan and his armor bearer climbed without ropes or modern equipment before catching the Philistine camp completely by surprise.

It was this battle that gave rise to Jonathan's famous declaration:

"Nothing can prevent Hashem from saving, whether by many or by few" (I Samuel 14).

Defending Israel on Every Border

The prophet summarizes Saul's military achievements:

"Saul secured the kingship over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Tzovah, and the Philistines; wherever he turned, he inflicted defeat" (I Samuel 14:47).

This brief verse points to numerous campaigns that Scripture does not describe in detail.

Saul defended Israel against Moab and Edom to the east and south of the Dead Sea, against Tzovah to the north, and against repeated Philistine attacks from the west.

Archaeological discoveries reveal fortified settlements throughout these regions, reflecting the ongoing struggle to control trade routes, border crossings, and strategic strongholds.

The War Against Amalek

The defining campaign of Saul's reign was his war against Amalek, the battle described in the haftarah for Parashat Zachor.

The prophet Samuel delivered Hashem's command with complete clarity:

"Go and strike Amalek, and utterly destroy all that belongs to him" (I Samuel 15).

The campaign stretched from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt.

Although Saul defeated Amalek militarily, he spared King Agag and preserved the best livestock.

Samuel sharply rebuked him:

"Does Hashem delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of Hashem?" (I Samuel 15:22).

Samuel then executed Agag himself, and Hashem declared that Saul's kingship would be taken from him.

Chazal explain that Amalek represents the force that opposes the revelation of Hashem in the world. Saul's mistake was not military failure, but partial obedience. He showed compassion where Hashem had commanded justice, and that failure ultimately cost him the throne.

Saul's Final Battle

The final years of Saul's reign were marked by continued conflict with the Philistines.

The decisive battle took place on Mount Gilboa, overlooking the Jezreel Valley, one of the most strategically important regions in the Land of Israel.

There, Saul's sons Jonathan, Avinadav, and Malkishua were killed in battle.

Badly wounded himself, Saul fell upon his own sword rather than be captured.

The Philistines hung the bodies of Saul and his sons on the walls of Beit She'an.

But the men of Yavesh Gilad—the very city Saul had rescued years earlier—risked their own lives to recover the bodies and bring them to a proper burial, repaying the kindness Saul had once shown them.

Remembering Saul's Legacy

Saul's military campaigns spanned the entire Land of Israel—from Yavesh Gilad east of the Jordan, to the Benjamin hills and the Philistine frontier, south to Amalek, and north to the Jezreel Valley.

He was a warrior king who fought tirelessly to defend his people on every border.

Scripture testifies that Saul "delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them" (I Samuel 14:48).

His reign ended in tragedy after his failure to fully obey Hashem's command regarding Amalek, and from that point onward, Divine favor departed from him.

Yet Saul's life should never be defined by that single mistake alone.

He gave his life defending the Jewish people, accepted his fate with courage, and according to Chazal, his death served as atonement. For that reason, he merited a share in the World to Come.

Saul's story is ultimately one of courage, sacrifice, and devotion to Hashem—a legacy that deserves to be remembered alongside the lessons of his final failure.