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Saul
belonged to a poor family of a tribe of Benjamin, which inhabited the valley of
Zophim, near Bethlehem. He was a very smart and tall person. Once when he was
searching for the lost ponies of his father, he met Samuel. Samuel embraced
him, anointed his head with holy oil, kissed his forehead and blessed him
saying;
“Lord
has anointed thee to be the captain over His inheritance.”
Samuel had two sons Joel and Abiah,
they both were appointed judges but greed strayed them from the right path of
justice and they misjudged for gratifications.
In those times, Goliath ruled
Amalek, a city existing between Egypt and Palestine. He was a cruel ruler who
had subjugated people and disgraced their chiefs.
Chiefs
of Israel came to Samuel and demanded to appoint a king for them. Samuel
knowing their inconsistent nature advised them to forego this idea. But, when
they insisted, he’s appointing Saul as their king. Israelites objected that he
belonged to poor and lower family he had never been in power so he cannot be
the captain. Samuel told them that God had blessed Saul, he as been granted
knowledge, Wisdom and power.
“Didn’t
you see the chiefs of the children of Israel after, Moses? They came to a
Prophet among them, "Appoint for us a king, that we may fight in the cause
of God. "He said, “Is it not; King, that we may fight possible, if ye
were commanded to fight, that you will not fight? " They said, “ How
could we refuse to fight in the cause of God seeing that we were turned out of
our homes and our families?” But when they were commanded to fight, they turned
back, except a small band among them. But God has full knowledge of those who
do wrong. ”
“Their
prophet said to them, “God has appointed Saul as I king over you.” They
said, “How can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than he
to exercise authority. And, he is not even gifted with wealth in abundance? ”
He said, “God has chosen him above you and has gifted him abundantly with
knowledge and bodily prowess; God grants His authority to whom He pleases. God
cares for all, and He knows all things. "
“And
further their prophet said to them, “A sign of his authority is that there
shall come to you the Ark of the Covenant, with an assurance therein of
security from your Lord. And the relics left by the family of Moses and the
family of Aaron, carried by angels. In this is a symbol for you indeed have
faith. "
(Quran S: 2, V: 246-8) '
The
Ark of Covenant, as called by the Israelites was a box containing the
original manuscript of Torah, which was penned down under Moses personal
supervision. Besides that it also contained those tablets that were granted to
Moses on Mount Siena. That Box also had Moses’ Staff, Aaron’s Rob and
the heavenly meal ‘Mama’.
The
Ashdodi’s had taken that Ark and had placed it in the temple of their greatest
idol Dagon. When early in the morning the people gathered there to worship that
idol, they saw the idol is lying on the ground. They erected it back. Then it
started to happen daily. Once the priests saw Dagon falling apart for no
reason. This scared them all. After a few days, plague seized the people and
they started dying. Priests held a meeting amongst them and decided to send the
Ark of relics to the city of Gath from the temple of Dagon. The effects of the
Ark persisted even when it was sent to Akroon city, which was also affected by
plague and thousands of people died. The priests once again assembled and
decided to return that Ark to Israelites. So they placed that Ark on a bullock
cart and ushered it towards Israel. The cart halted in the fields of Saul. The
Ark of Covenant thus came back to Israelites after remaining in the custody of
the enemies.
Ashdodis
of Palestine and the forces of Amalek jointly started preparation to attack
Israel once again. In order to defend the attack, Saul advanced with his army.
Chiefs of Israel accepting him to be there king consented to fight in the cause
of God and an army of 70-80 thousand men started to advance for the battle.
God
commanded Saul to test the faith of his companions. Saul ordered that nobody
would drink water from the rivers on the way to battlefield and most of them
disobeyed him. Except those who had observed the orders of the king, lips of
those, who had disobeyed, turned black and they felt thirsty more than ever
before, which further aggravated the situation. Only a small contingent could
gather after crossing the river. Israelites refused to fight on the pretext of
weariness and exhaustion. Saul encouraged them and instructed, then to have
faith in God’s Powers instead of depending upon the number of army and
the armors.
When
Saul set forth with the armies, he said, “God will test you at stream, if any
drinks of its water, he goes not with my army, only those who taste not of it
go with me; a mere sip out of the hand is excused, ” But they all drank of it
except a few. When they crossed the river, he and the faithful ones with him,
they said, this day we cannot cope with Goliath and his forces." But those
who were convinced that they must meet God, said ‘How oft, by God’s Will have a
small force vanquished a big one? God is with those who steadfastly persevere.”
(S: 2, V: 249)
Saul
prayed to God saying, “Our Lord pour out constancy on us and make our steps firm
help us against those that reject faith."
Goliath, the general of the enemy
forces, was a very tall and strongly built person. He came out with great pomp
and show and challenged to combat. Israelites felt impressed and nobody came
out to answer his challenge. Saul ordered David to come forward and meet him
for the combat. David, who was only a young lad at that time, came forward and
killed him. This demoralized the enemy and Israelites were victorious.
“By
God ’s will they routed them and David slew Goliath, and God gave him power and
wisdom and taught him whatever else He willed.”
(S: 2, V: 251)
Israel
won many battles during the reign of Saul and emerged as a victorious nation
and foundations of the great Israeli nation were laid. He remained the king of
Israel quite for some time and he strived to reform the Israelites’ religious,
social and cultural norms. He preached the teachings of Moses. After the demise
of Saul, David became the king of Israel.
Plague
is caused because of Yersinia Pestis; a type of bacteria, which is found in
rats and is carried to humans through lice living on rats. When the louse of
rat bites a human being, the germs of this disease are injected into the human
blood stream causing plague. The food contaminated with mouse saliva or the
body wastes can also cause this disease. Fever, headache, pain in body and
joints and palpitation are the main symptoms of this disease. Plague grips the
body rapidly. Glands of throat, armpits and groins start swelling and become
boils, from which blood and puss oozes. When the sickness attacks the lungs
area it causes pneumonia. Face, lips and extremities turn blue. Patient starts
bleeding through the pores of the body. Patient faints and dies in two to
five days.
In black plague, spots and patches of
black color appear on the skin, which are filled with puss and the skin of that
area withers away.
The
particular thing that has been mentioned in the story of Saul is that angels
carried the Ark containing the relics of Moses and Aaron to
Israel. Ashdodis kept that Ark in their Temple. In the night the statue of
Dagon felled down on its face. Priests restored it in its place. Then it again
fell; its head and fingers broke away. The epidemic of plague gripped the city.
They sent the Ark to other cities. But wherever the Ark was sent plague
followed it so much so that Ashdodis were forced to return the Ark to
Israelites. The cart carrying the Ark came to that field which was owned by
Saul.
Saul said to his people, "How
oft, by God ’s Will have a small force vanquished a big one? God is with those
who steadfastly persevere."
(S: 2, V: 249)
Saul,
who was from a poor family, because of his wisdom, knowledge and by the grace
of God laid the foundations of a grand empire of Israel and ruled successfully
for long period of time.
“By
God ’s will they routed them and David slew Goliath, and God gave him power and
wisdom and taught him whatever else He willed.”
(S: 2, v: 251)
