The United Kingdom of Israel:
Saul, David & Solomon
Foreshadow Christ the King

Lesson 3 Saul Displeases the LORD
the First Book of Samuel 12:1—13:23

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for The United Kingdom of Israel
cross references in The United Kingdom of Israel
next lesson: God Regrets Making Saul King

This material coordinates with Lesson 3 on pages 18–23 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”
—the Second Book of Samuel 7:12–13

welcome to our in-depth study of Saul, David & Solomon
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. These online study pages link to our free lesson videos, as well as to a glossary and cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King has been granted an imprimatur and may be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-study question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the First Book of Samuel 9:26—11:15
In Lesson 2 Samuel Anoints Saul, Saul secretly is anointed as prince over the descendants of Jacob. Samuel gives Saul a three-part sign that this is from the LORD: 1) Saul will meet two men at Rachel’s tomb who will tell him the donkeys he’s been looking for have been found. 2) He’ll meet three men going to pray at Bethel, and they’ll give him two loaves of bread. 3) At Gibeath-Elohim he’ll meet a band of people prophesying. The spirit of the LORD will come upon him, and he’ll be turned into another man. Saul is told to then await further instructions from Samuel at Gilgal. As Saul leaves, God gives Saul another heart. When asked by his uncle about his travels, Saul neglects to mention his anointing. Samuel calls the people together at Mizpah, where God’s choice of Saul as monarch is confirmed by lot. Everybody goes home. Some time later, Ammonites under Nahash threaten the people of Jabesh-Gilead. Saul musters the descendants of Jacob in a way reminiscent of past history between the men of Jabesh and the tribe of Benjamin, to which Saul belongs. The people fear what will happen to them if they don’t assist in the rescue effort, and the Ammonites are defeated.

map notes—the significance of Gilgal
Instead of waiting for Samuel to come to him at Gilgal, Saul disobeys the LORD and performs a sacrificial burnt offering. He does so at a noteworthy location. The fifth chapter in the Book of Joshua records the descendants of Jacob stopping on the plains of Jericho to circumcise all of the males in their company after they have arrived in the Promised Land. The Book of Joshua 5:9 records: “And the LORD said to Joshua, ‘This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.’ And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.” Immediately after that, the people celebrate the Passover, and the manna ceases. Then Joshua is shown a vision of the commander of the LORD’s army, and Joshua asks: “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” The man with the drawn sword replies: “No; but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Joshua then is instructed to take off his shoes, for the place where he’s standing is holy ground. Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 21 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

how Christ the King is different from other kings (26:10)
The monarchy described in the First Book of Samuel has a critical fail-point. If the anointed king messes up, the entire people are sunk. In the video overview for Lesson 3, “Saul Displeases the LORD.” Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses how this problem is resolved for Christians because Christ the King—unlike other kings—is perfect. There’s absolutely no danger that Jesus will mess up and bring about negative consequences for those who are following him. Because Jesus is able perfectly to comply with God’s commands, he’s also able to save anyone who’s willing to allow him to reign over their life. Present-day Christians need to ensure that Jesus’ reign over us as individuals is complete, however.


The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study from Turning to God’s Word match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. You can follow along as author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 3, “Saul Displeases the LORD,” on pages 18–23 in the study book.

thinking & behaving like Samuel
St. Gregory the Great (pope from 590 to 604) encouraged Christians to look to Samuel as an example of someone who understood how to eliminate personal animosity in order to become increasingly more kind. The First Book of Samuel 12:23 records that when the people who ousted Samuel as their judge asked him to pray for them, he answered: “Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you.” Pope St. Gregory the Great taught that Samuel was such a holy man that he believed he would be committing a sin if he didn’t show kindness and goodwill by praying for those who continued to oppose him as a political and spiritual leader.

why does Samuel list himself as one who has delivered God’s people from their enemies?
The First Book of Samuel 12:11 contains an unusual instance in which Samuel includes his own name along with the names of Jerubbaal, Barak, and Jephthah, all judges responsible for saving the descendants of Jacob from annihilation at the hands of their enemies. Although this seems rather presumptuous of Samuel, it’s possible that his name was included at a later time by someone editing various manuscripts that were combined in the First and Second Books of Samuel. This is similar to the way in which the first five books of the Old Testament, the Torah, are attributed to Moses, even though the thirty-fourth chapter in the book of Deuteronomy includes a description of Moses’ own death. It’s also possible that Samuel included himself much the same way that Paul, in the fourth and eleventh chapters of his First Letter to the Corinthians, instructs early Christians to imitate him.

the significance of Samuel’s speech
Samuel’s speech to the people recorded in the First Book of Samuel 12:1–25 is noteworthy because it initiates the office of prophet in service to God as counselor to the anointed king. A prophet stands in the breech between humanity and divinity, speaking to the people on behalf of God. This differs from the role of a judge, whose speaks to God on behalf of the people. The judge tells God what the people want, while the prophet tells the people what God wants. Moreover, the prophetic office requires that the prophet speak for God to the king, who is seen as a representative of all of the people. The Turning to God’s Word two-part Catholic Bible study Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided and Volume II: Restoration & Redemption focuses on the role of kings who rule over the descendants of Jacob.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about Samuel so far?
Being a judge of Israel wasn’t hereditary, and Samuel stepped outside the norm to appoint his own sons as judges.

?  How have Samuel’s sons been working out in their positions as judges?
?  Consider whether this might have any effect on the people’s desire to have an earthly king appointed to rule over them.
?  Why might Samuel insists on hearing the people testify that he’s done nothing wrong during his tenure as judge?
?  What’s preventing Samuel from naming one of his own heirs to rule over God’s people as king?
?  Read the First Book of Samuel 2:12–25. How is the behavior of Samuel’s sons similar to the behavior of the sons of the priest Eli?
?  In the First Book of Samuel 2:27–35, what fate is prophesied for the sons of Eli? Consider what this suggests about what might be in store for Samuel’s sons.
?  What might prevent the sons of Samuel from experiencing a fate similar to that of the sons of Eli?
?  In what way is reign over the kingdom of heaven hereditary?
?  How is it that Christians are able to inherit the kingdom of heaven?

biblical vocabulary—theophany
Samuel’s power as a prophet can be seen in the thunderstorm he calls forth in the First Book of Samuel 12:16–18. A theophany is the appearance of God, and it usually refers to a visual manifestation of the deity. The Old Testament, however, consistently recognizes thunder as a manifestation of the voice of God. The storm contains both visual and auditory elements. Samuel demonstrates that his personal relationship with the LORD allows him to call forth the very voice of God. Samuel is able to communicate with God in a way that other people aren’t. He’s confident that God will respond, and God does. It’s for this reason that the people ask Samuel to pray for them.

how prophecy differs from foretelling the future
In the First Book of Samuel, to inquire of the LORD means to ask a question regarding the future. During the time of the judges, this was the primary way that people communicated with God, and it was done through the judges and priests. With the establishment of the kingship and the institution of the office of prophet, communication between God and humanity takes a different direction. A person anointed as prophet appears to be capable of foretelling future events, so prophets often were consulted by kings wishing to learn about things that were going to happen. The office of prophet is involved with much more than announcing future events, however, although prophets occasionally do that. Their primary role is as counselor to the king. A prophet tells the king what God wants. Counsel is tied up with wisdom, knowledge, understanding, piety, courage, and fear of the LORD (the other six gifts of the Holy Spirit). When a prophet counsels a king, the prophet is speaking for God. And when a king ignores a prophet’s counsel, he’s ignoring the advice of God.

WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE THINKING when they insist on a king?
Samuel’s speech to the people and his demonstration of the power of the LORD appear to frighten the people.

?  Why do you think it is that the people nevertheless refuse to withdraw their request for a king?
?  What is the attitude of the people regarding the consequences of sin? Consider whether people living in the present day have a different attitude toward sin.
?  What might explain why the people are unwilling to stop doing something that they clearly understand to be sinful?

fear of the LORD—you could look it up in our archives
The First Book of Samuel 12:14 offers a basic statement about fear of the LORD: “If you will fear the LORD and serve him and listen to his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well.” This instruction is given to God’s people, but it’s also a singular commandment for the king. Learn more about “fear of the LORD” by reading Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

a historical problem to keep in mind
Readers familiar with the Book of Judges will recognize one of the main themes repeated throughout that book. It’s clearly stated in the final verse, the Book of Judges 21:25: “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.” It’s easy to get caught up in thinking about how foolish the people were to want an earthly king ruling over them instead of God, but the Book of Judges points out the flip side—the people needed a king to tell them what was right and to model correct behavior. The king’s job description involves more than leading the people in fights against their neighboring enemies. The king also is to be a moral leader. This is why Samuel tells the people that both they and their king are expected to fear and serve the LORD. The king is required to know what’s right in God’s eyes and then to act accordingly. He’s responsible for the behavior of the people as a whole. If the king fails to follow God’s commandments, all of the people will be held accountable.

there’s a good side to having a king
As we’ll see moving forward, this new development in salvation history makes heavy demands on earthly kings, none of whom is fully able to live up to the job—even David. While this at first appears to be a negative development, it opens the door for a king who’s able to do what’s right in God’s eyes.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about the virtue of patience?
In the First Book of Samuel 13:8–9, Saul refuses to wait the appointed amount of time for Samuel to come to him at Gilgal.

?  What is that amount of time?
?  Based on your previous knowledge of Scripture, what’s significant about that amount of time in terms of God’s past action in Hebrew history?
?  How do you think that God’s relationship to time differs from the relationship men and women have with time?
?  Think of a time when you were impatient for God to act in your life. What happened?
?  Consider whether your life would be better or worse if you developed more patience.

pray with the Psalms—some tangible benefits
Psalm 128 reinforces the practical reasons behind why the First Book of Samuel 12:14–15 records Samuel encouraging the people to heed God’s laws. The person who’s humble and honors the LORD will be able to engage in satisfying and lucrative work. His community—in the case described by the Psalmist this was members of the 12 tribes of Israel—will experience prosperity and peace. The LORD’s blessings extend beyond individual households to encompass all of God’s people. Significantly, these blessings will continue to extend through time to benefit God’s faithful people for generations to come. Prayed at Tuesday Vespers (Week II), Psalm 128 is included as part of Lesson 21 May the LORD Bless You in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers.

biblical vocabulary—Hebrews 
The Hebrews mentioned in the First Book of Samuel 13:3 and 13:19 are people living in the region who have descended from Abraham but not through Isaac and Jacob. The word Hebrew identifies a descendant of Eber, who was a descendant of Noah’s son Shem. In the First Book of Samuel, Hebrew is used to designate descendants of Abraham who aren’t also descended from Jacob. You can learn more about descendants of Abraham’s son Ishmael through Sarah’s maid Hagar, about descendants of Abraham’s other children born to his concubine Keturah after Sarah’s death, and descendants of Isaac’s son Esau in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. In Lesson 3 of our study of the united kingdom of Israel, it’s Saul who uses the term Hebrews. It later will be used by neighboring peoples who make no distinction between Israelites and Hebrews. Consider why the author of the First Book of Samuel writes that Saul announces his victory to Hebrews and not simply to the Israelites over whom he’s reigning as king. The Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis looks at the history of all of God’s people, but eventually narrows the focus to the descendants of Jacob. This always is presented as temporary.

a Philistine monopoly on war
The First Book of Samuel 13:19–23 suggests that the Philistines had developed the ability to fashion tools and weapons from iron, and that they were allowing only their own people access to these weapons. While Saul and his son Jonathan have proper swords and spears, the men they’re leading into battle must fight with farm implements. This is the first hint that Saul’s military capabilities aren’t quite up to snuff. He’s failed to develop a large military, and he hasn’t equipped the army that he does have. Saul’s apparent lack of military acumen will contribute to his inability to rule God’s people. A primary duty of the king is to successfully lead his people in battle against neighboring nations.

biblical vocabulary—pim
A pim, mentioned in the First Book of Samuel 13:21, is a scrap of silver used to pay the cost of sharpening farm tools. It was roughly equivalent to about two-thirds of a shekel, the standard weight for the monetary system used by the descendants of Jacob. Learn more about the value of the shekel and other ancient coins in “Shekel / Talent,” the vocabulary box on page 166 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. 

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however.

the First Book of Samuel 12:23—paragraph 2578

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the primary biblical text for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the First Book of Samuel 12:1–13:23 (NIV)

round black doveclose with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on the biblical text in this lesson in the study book The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

O God, throughout history you have rescued your people and led them to safety.
Grant that we may listen to your voice and follow your commandments
in order that all may be well with us.
Teach us patience to allow us to wait in faith
for your saving action in our lives.
We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who reigns over all of history. Amen.

Lesson 4 God Regrets Making Saul King—the First Book of Samuel 14:1—15:35
Lesson 2 Samuel Anoints Saul—the First Book of Samuel 9:26—11:15

you also may like our study of the book of Genesis
The first seven lessons of In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, a 28-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, provide an in-depth look at the very earliest biblical history—including the two accounts of Creation, events surrounding the Fall of Adam and Eve, the relationship between Cain and Abel, and the baptismal foreshadowing present in the account of Noah and the Flood. Remaining lessons look at lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus—but the same books aren’t found in existing Hebrew manuscripts, which aren’t as old as the oldest version of the Septuagint. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces those with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.