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Saul was the son of Kish, of the Tribe Of Benjamin .

According to the Book of Samuel, Saul was sent with a servant to look for his father's she-asses, who had strayed. Leaving his home at Gibeah , Saul and his servant wandered eventually to the district of Zuph , near Samuel 's home at Ramah (9:5-10). At this point, Saul proposed to them to return from the three days' fruitless search, but his servant suggested that they should first consult the "seer." The two met with Samuel, who secretly anointed Saul as king over Israel.

After Saul returned home, Samuel summoned the people to an assembly at Mizpah . Lots were drawn to determine the new king, and Saul was confirmed before the people as king. Shortly thereafter, Saul led the army of Israel in battle against the invading Ammonites , whom he defeated at Jabesh-Gilead , thus confirming his status as king. Then Saul and his son Jonathan made war against the Philistines . Saul was apparently somewhat impatient to go into battle against a vastly superior Philistine force at Michmash , leading to a curse from Samuel and the departure of the old judge. Shortly thereafter, while Saul still waited, Jonathan launched a surprise attack against the Philistines without his father's knowledge, leading to panic among the Philistine forces. Saul took advantage of the confusion to inflict a great defeat upon the Philistines.

Saul then went to war against the Amalekite s. After routing the Amalekites, however, Saul refused to execute their king Agag and destroy their livestock, angering Samuel, who had instructed that the Amalekites be utterly "consecrated" (eradicated). According to the Book of Samuel, this omission led to the kingship anointing being taken from Saul and given to another, David , and led Samuel to cease to give Saul guidance. Saul effectively remained as king, however.

It is at this point that David , a young shepherd from the Tribe Of Judah , enters the story. David was sent for as a harp player to soothe Saul, troubled by an evil spirit after losing the anointing. Three years later when the Philistines again invaded, David came to Saul's attention when he killed the Philistine giant Goliath of Gath with a Slingshot in single combat, leading to another Philistine defeat.

Saul soon began to become jealous of David, who had managed to secure Saul's daughter Michal for his wife(for a Bride Price of 200 Philistine Foreskin s), as well as the close friendship of Saul's own son, Jonathan. Saul, however, plotted to kill his popular young rival, and David fled into the hills where he became an outlaw.

Soon after this Saul gathered the Israelites against the Philistines again, at Gilboa . Before the battle, Saul went to consult the Witch Of Endor , but was mysteriously confronted by Samuel, who told him that he would be defeated. True to his word, the Israelites were indeed defeated, and three of Saul's sons, including Jonathan, were killed. According to the Bible, Saul took his own life as the battle turned against him. He tried to stap himself with his own sword, but he survived so he asked an Amalekite to put him out of his misery.