Editing Saul (section)

=== House of King Saul ===
According to the [[Biblical Hebrew|Hebrew text of the Bible]], Saul reigned for two years, but Biblical scholars generally agree that the text is faulty and that a reign of 20 or 22 years is more probable.{{r|finkelstein}} In the [[New Testament]] book of [[w:wikisource:Bible (King James)/Acts of the Apostles#13:21|Acts 13:21]], the [[Apostle Paul]] indicates that Saul's reign lasted for forty years.

According to the [[Hebrew Bible]], Saul was the son of [[Kish (Bible)|Kish]], of the family of the [[Matrites (family)|Matrites]], and a member of the [[tribe of Benjamin]], one of the twelve [[Tribes of Israel]]. It appears that he came from [[Gibeah]].{{r|je}}
[[File:David and Saul (Julius Kronberg) - Nationalmuseum - 18384.tif|thumb|''David and Saul'' (1885) by [[Julius Kronberg]]]]

Saul married [[Ahinoam]], daughter of [[Ahimaaz (disambiguation)|Ahimaaz]], with whom he sired at least five sons ([[Jonathan (Samuel)|Jonathan]], [[Abinadab]], [[Malchishua]], Ishvi and [[Ish-bosheth]]) and two daughters ([[Merab]] and [[Michal]]).<ref>{{bibleverse|1|Samuel|14:49|HE}} lists three sons – Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchi-shua – and the two daughters. But see also {{bibleverse|2|Samuel|2:8|HE}} and {{bibleverse|1|Chronicles|8:33|HE}}</ref>

Saul also had a [[concubine]] named [[Rizpah]], daughter of [[Aiah (biblical figure)|Aiah]], who bore him two sons, [[Armoni and Mephibosheth]].<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Samuel|21:8|HE}}</ref>

Saul died at the Battle of [[Mount Gilboa]],<ref>{{bibleverse|1|Samuel|31:3–6|HE}}; {{bibleverse|1|Chronicles|10:3–6|HE}}</ref> and was buried in [[Zelah, Judea|Zelah]], in the region of [[Tribe of Benjamin#Territory|Benjamin]].<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Samuel|21:14|HE}}</ref> Three of Saul's sons – Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua – died with him at Mount Gilboa.<ref>{{bibleverse|1|Samuel|31:2|HE}}; {{bibleverse|1|Chronicles|10:2|HE}}</ref> His surviving son [[Ish-bosheth]] became [[Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy)|king of Israel]], at the age of forty. At David's request [[Abner]] had Michal returned to David. Ish-bosheth reigned for two years, but after the death of Abner, was killed by two of his own captains.<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Samuel|4:5|HE}}</ref>

During a famine, God told king David that the famine happened because of how Saul treated the [[Gibeonites]]. The Gibeonites told David that only the death of seven sons of Saul would compensate them for losing their livelihood after the priests at Nob were killed under Saul's orders.<ref>2 Samuel 21:1-6</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Ellenson |first=David |title=After Emancipation: Jewish Religious Responses to Modernity |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HkaEDwAAQBAJ&q=Gibeonites+livelihood+after+the+priests+at+Nob+were+killed&pg=PA422 |publisher=Hebrew Union College Press |year=2004 |page=422 |isbn=0-87820-223-4}}</ref> David then granted the Gibeonites the jurisdiction to individually execute Saul's surviving two sons and five of Saul's grandsons (the sons of Merab and Adriel).<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Samuel|21:8–9|NIV}}</ref> The Gibeonites killed all seven, and hung up their bodies at the sanctuary at Gibeah.<ref>2 Samuel 21:8-9</ref> For five months their bodies were hung out in the elements, and the grieving Rizpah guarded them from being eaten by the beasts and birds of prey.<ref>2 Samuel 21:10</ref> Finally, David had the bodies taken down and buried in the family grave at Zelah with the remains of Saul and their half-brother Jonathan.<ref>2 Samuel 21:13-14</ref> Michal was childless.<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Samuel|6:23|HE}}</ref>

The only male descendant of Saul to survive was [[Mephibosheth]], Jonathan's lame son,<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Samuel|4:4|HE}}</ref> who was five years old at the time of his father's and grandfather's deaths. In time, he came under the protection of David.<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Samuel|9:7–13|HE}}</ref> Mephibosheth had a young son, Micah,<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Samuel|9:12|HE}}</ref> who had four sons and descendants named until the ninth generation.<ref>{{bibleverse|1|Chronicles|8:35–38|HE}}</ref>