thumb|The Kingdom of Saul, according to the biblical account thumb|300px|David and Saul, by Julius Kronberg, 1885 thumb|upright=1.13|David Plays the Harp for Saul, by Rembrandt|Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1650 thumb|upright=1.3|Saul threatening David, by José Leonardo, c. 1640s Saul (; , ; ; , ) was a monarch of ancient Israel and Judah and, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament, the first king of the United Monarchy, a polity of uncertain historicity. His reign, traditionally placed in the late eleventh century BC, marked the transition of the Israelites from a scattered tribal society r
Saul was the first king of ancient Israel and Judah according to biblical accounts, ruling in the late eleventh century BC and marking the transition from scattered tribes to a unified kingdom. His historical accuracy remains uncertain among scholars, though he is a significant figure in Hebrew Bible and Old Testament narratives.
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thumb|The Kingdom of Saul, according to the biblical account thumb|300px|David and Saul, by Julius Kronberg, 1885 thumb|upright=1.13|David Plays the Harp for Saul, by Rembrandt|Rembrandt van Rijn, c. 1650 thumb|upright=1.3|Saul threatening David, by José Leonardo, c. 1640s Saul (; , ; ; , ) was a monarch of ancient Israel and Judah and, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament, the first king of the United Monarchy, a polity of uncertain historicity. His reign, traditionally placed in the late eleventh century BC, marked the transition of the Israelites from a scattered tribal society ruled by various judges to organized statehood.
The historicity of Saul and the United Kingdom of Israel is not universally accepted, as what is known of both comes largely from the Hebrew Bible, a controversial source. According to the text, he was anointed as king of the Israelites by Samuel, and reigned from Gibeah. Saul is said to have committed suicide when he fell on his sword during a battle with the Philistines at Mount Gilboa, in which three of his sons were also killed. Saul's son Ish-bosheth succeeded him to the throne, reigning for only two years before being killed by his own military leaders. Saul's son-in-law David then became king.
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