Saul’s narrative begins in 1 Samuel 9, where we find him, the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin, searching for his father's lost donkeys. This event was becomes a pivotal moment in Israel's history.
Key details about this story:
Saul came from a wealthy family (1 Samuel 9:1) - Kish is described as a "man of standing" or "mighty man of valor" depending on the translation.
The search took several days and covered considerable territory through the hill country of Ephraim, through the district of Shalishah, Shaalim, and the territory of Benjamin.
When they couldn't find the donkeys, Saul's servant suggested consulting Samuel the prophet, who happened to be in a nearby town. This shows how prophets were sometimes consulted for everyday matters, not just spiritual guidance.
Interestingly, the lost donkeys were found by themselves (1 Samuel 9:20), but that was secondary to God's plan. Samuel revealed to Saul that he would become king.
Saul's initial response is particularly telling - he protests that he's from Benjamin, the smallest tribe of Israel, and his clan is the least of all the clans (1 Samuel 9:21). This shows his initial humility, which contrasts with his later behavior as king.
The most fascinating aspect of this story is how God used an ordinary, everyday problem (lost livestock) to orchestrate a massive change in Israel's governance. The transition from judges to monarchy began with a simple search for donkeys, demonstrating how seemingly insignificant events can be part of a larger divine plan.
Another interesting detail is that when Saul returned home, he initially kept quiet about being anointed king (1 Samuel 10:16), telling his uncle only about finding the donkeys but not about the matter of kingship. This restraint suggests either humility or wisdom in handling such sensitive information.
The story serves as an interesting parallel to David, who was also doing an ordinary job (shepherding) when he was anointed. Both future kings were found while faithfully carrying out mundane tasks.
Reference: https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Saul.html
