W20:D1 - Ancient Israel - The Great Kings of Israel (Saul, David, Solomon)- The Adventure Box Podcast

Historical Conquest’s Adventure Box Podcast

The Day I Became King (The Story Saul was Called)

The morning light was just peeking over the hills as I tightened the strap of my sandal and rubbed the dust from my hands. I’d been searching for days, and yet the donkeys were nowhere to be found. My father, Kish, a well-known and respected man from the tribe of Benjamin, had sent me to look for them, but it seemed they had wandered far beyond their usual grazing spots. My servant and I had searched high and low, from one valley to another, and now we were growing weary.

I had no thoughts of kingship or destiny that morning. At twenty, I was focused on my family’s needs, not on the fate of Israel. I was tall and strong, a head above most men, with the kind of broad shoulders that people remarked upon. But still, I was just Saul, son of Kish—a young man from the smallest tribe, tasked with the humble work of finding a few stubborn donkeys.

As we passed through the town of Zuph, my servant suggested we seek out the “seer,” Samuel. I had heard of Samuel, of course; everyone had. He was a prophet, a judge, and a man of God who commanded great respect. The elders spoke of him often, and even in the markets, his name carried weight. My servant thought he might help us find the animals or at least give us guidance, so reluctantly, I agreed. I wondered if I was wasting my time, but my curiosity was growing. And besides, I knew better than to dismiss my servant’s advice outright.

We made our way into the town, searching for Samuel. As we approached, an older man came into view, moving with a kind of purpose and calm authority that I could feel even from a distance. His eyes were sharp, though gentle, and when he looked at me, I felt as if he could see everything about me—all my strengths, my weaknesses, the life I had lived.

Before I could speak, he surprised me by calling my name.

“Saul, son of Kish,” he said, his voice steady. “Do not worry about the donkeys you have lost, for they have been found.”

I was speechless. How could he know my name? And the donkeys—how could he have known about them? But Samuel did not wait for me to gather my thoughts. He stepped forward and placed his hand on my shoulder, a gesture that somehow calmed the storm of questions in my mind.

“Come with me,” he said. “There is much more that the Lord has planned for you.”

I followed him, hardly knowing what to think. We went to his home, where he prepared a meal. He honored me with the seat of honor, placing before me a choice portion of meat he had set aside. My head spun with confusion. I was a Benjamite, from the smallest and least powerful tribe in Israel. I was nothing remarkable, a farmer’s son. Yet Samuel, a prophet of Israel, was treating me as if I were royalty.

As the evening wore on, Samuel spoke to me about the state of our people. The twelve tribes were divided, vulnerable to attack from all sides. The Philistines pressed in from the west, strong and organized, with iron weapons that we could not match. And the people were afraid. They had begged Samuel to appoint a king, a leader who could unify the tribes and protect us from these threats. The people wanted a king like the other nations around us—a warrior, a leader who could bring strength and stability.

It was then that Samuel’s gaze turned serious, almost solemn. I will never forget his words.

“Saul,” he said, “you are the man God has chosen to lead His people.”

The weight of his words struck me like a blow. Me? King of Israel? It sounded absurd. How could I, Saul, the son of Kish, from the small tribe of Benjamin, be king? The responsibility seemed unimaginable. I had been raised to work the land, to protect my family and my tribe. The idea of leading all of Israel—of standing before God as His chosen leader—was beyond anything I had ever envisioned.

The next morning, Samuel took a small flask of oil and poured it over my head. The oil dripped down my forehead, and I felt a strange warmth, an energy, that I could not explain. As he anointed me, he spoke words I barely understood, telling me of signs that would confirm my calling. He told me I would meet two men by Rachel’s tomb who would tell me that the donkeys had indeed been found, and that I would later encounter a group of prophets. Samuel promised that, at that moment, the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me and change me into a different person.

Samuel’s words echoed in my mind as I left him and made my way home. True to his prophecy, I met the men by Rachel’s tomb. They confirmed that the donkeys were safe, just as Samuel had said. And as I continued on, I encountered a group of prophets coming down from the high place, playing instruments and singing praises to God. I felt something stir within me—a fire, a presence. Suddenly, I found myself joining them, prophesying as if I had been born to do so. It was as if God’s Spirit had opened a door in my heart, filling me with strength, purpose, and something I could only call awe.

Yet even with these signs, doubts lingered in my mind. When Samuel later gathered the people at Mizpah to choose the king by lot, I tried to hide among the baggage, nervous and overwhelmed. But there was no hiding from what God had planned. The lot fell to me, and the people found me and brought me forward. As I stood before them, Samuel declared, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.”

The people shouted, “Long live the king!”

The words rang out, filling the air with celebration, but in my heart, I felt the weight of the responsibility that lay before me. I looked around at the faces of my people—men and women from all tribes, old and young, hopeful and afraid. And though I still did not fully understand why I had been chosen, I knew this was now my calling. I was to be king, not just of Benjamin, but of all Israel.

It was a calling that would bring battles, victories, losses, and perhaps even regrets. But that day, standing before my people with Samuel at my side, I knew that God had chosen me. I was Saul, son of Kish, the first king of Israel, called not by my own ambition but by God’s purpose. And with that knowledge, I found the courage to face the future, whatever it might bring.