I Shmuel 9: Lost but Found

Judges ended on a very sour note. The Sodom redux story ended with eleven tribes almost wiping out the tribe of Benjamin. The country was leaderless, and the text repeated the reason over and over again: “At that time there was no king in Israel. Each person did as they pleased.” Now, there will be a king. But in a twist, the king does not come from the tribe of Yehuda. Instead, the king comes from the tribe of Benjamin. Perhaps God chooses the first king from Benjamin to test the people’s request. Saul was a direct descendant of the families that survived the massacre as he says that he was from one of the youngest families in all of Israel. His family was a symbol of the lowest point in Israelite history in the new land. If the people truly wanted a new king, they would have to accept that their new ruler is a descendant of the tribe they tried to erase. Saul will also be a constant reminder of what happened to the nation when they did not have a king at all. It is also a chance for the tribe of Benjamin to right the wrongs of the Concubine of Giva story. A tribe that acted as evil as the city of Sodom now has a representative who is tasked with righting the ship of the nation. There is a second metaphor in this chapter. One that is directed specifically to Saul. The nation was lost at the time of the Concubine of Giva. They are searching for stability and hope to achieve that in a new king. A king alone is not enough. A king will need something else to help them. The chapter begins with Saul searching for his lost donkeys. Just like the nation, Saul is tasked with locating the lost animals. But he needs help. Ultimately, he must go to Shmuel to seek guidance. Only then, will he find them. The message is clear. For him to help the people, he is also going to need the help of Shmuel. Shmuel now transitions from Judge to prophet and divine counsel to the king. It is up to the king to listen.