"Saul (/sɔːl/; Hebrew: שָׁאוּל, romanized: Šāʾūl; Greek: Σαούλ; transl. "asked/prayed for"), according to the Hebrew Bible, was the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel. His reign, traditionally placed in the late 11th century BCE, supposedly marked the transition of Israel and Judah from a scattered tribal society to organized statehood.
Saul's life and reign are described primarily in the Hebrew Bible. According to the text, he was anointed by Samuel and reigned from Gibeah. He "fell on his sword" (committed suicide) to avoid being captured by the Philistines during a battle at Mount Gilboa, in which three of his sons were killed. The succession to his throne was contested between his only surviving son, Ish-bosheth, and his son-in-law, David, who eventually prevailed. According to the Hebrew text of the Bible, Saul reigned for two years, but scholars generally agree that the text is faulty and that a reign of 20 or 22 years is more probable." - (en.wikipedia.org 24.11.2021)
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