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Today’s reading gives us a quick glimpse into the brief and initially favorable reign of King Saul, as recorded in 1st Samuel 13–14.

Right from the start (verses 1–5), the text presents a couple of interpretation challenges. You’ll notice that translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, RSV) render the opening verse differently. This is due to only one ancient manuscript being available—no comparisons to check. There seem to be some numbers missing in the one manuscript that is available. So, the questions that arise are: "Was Saul 30 years old when he became king? And how long did he reign?"

Another debated point is the number of Philistine chariots used against Israel. In verse 5 of our text 30,000 chariots are mentioned—which, when you consider there were only 6,000 horsemen, would mean each had five chariots! Most scholars believe this is a copyist’s error, as the Hebrew for “thirty thousand” closely resembles “three thousand.”

While we may not know the exact numbers, I trust the fact that God preserves the truth of His Word (Matthew 5:18). It’s not beyond belief that an archaeological discovery—like another set of Dead Sea Scrolls—could one day clarify such discrepancies. Wouldn’t that be epic? But until that day, the truth of God's Word remains intact. 

Now, to the heart of the story, the trouble: Saul’s early failure as king. Israel had been taught to seek God’s favor before going into battle, but Saul grew impatient waiting for Samuel to arrive and offer the required sacrifice. So, he took matters into his own hands and performed the offering himself. When Samuel finally arrived and saw what Saul had done, he righteously upset. Saul made excuses and as a result, Samuel declared that Saul had lost God’s favor and that the kingdom would be taken from him and given to another.

What stood out to me most in this was Saul’s lack of contrition. He didn’t humble himself or repent. That’s what was a key difference between Saul and David. David, though flawed, consistently humbled himself before God and sought to change when confronted with sin. Saul never did. That’s why Samuel could say to Saul in chapter 13, verse 14,

“But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after His own heart…”

These chapters also introduce one of my favorite Bible characters—Jonathan, Saul’s son. Like the young David who would later face Goliath, Jonathan displayed an unwavering faith in God's power. Facing overwhelming odds—just he and his armor-bearer against a heavily guarded enemy outpost—Jonathan declared:

“…Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” 1st Samuel 14:6

What I love about Jonathan is that there is no recorded instance of a dishonorable thought, word, or deed. His faith is simple, strong, and courageous.

Takeaway: God is not impressed by outward displays of religion or leadership titles; He desires hearts that trust Him, wait on Him, and respond with humility. While Saul clung to excuses, Jonathan clung to God. Who will we be today?