David: God's own heart Chapter 2 King Saul- First flaw

 

Saul's first flaw

In 1 Samuel 10:15–16, we read:

> 15 Saul’s uncle asked, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.”
16 Saul replied, “He assured us that the donkeys had been found.” But Saul did not mention what Samuel had said about the kingship.

As I read through Saul’s story, I couldn't help but notice how his flaws are subtly revealed from the very beginning. This brief exchange caught my attention. Why would the author include this detail? Was it intentional to highlight something deeper about Saul's character?

The answer, I believe, is yes.

This moment reveals what I would call a case of “partial reporting.” Saul withholds a crucial detail from his uncle—the prophetic declaration of his kingship. Why? What was his motivation? Was it humility, fear, uncertainty? Or something else entirely?

To me, this suggests Saul wasn’t fully convinced or confident about the royal calling God had placed on his life. If he truly embraced his divine appointment, wouldn’t he have shared the news with joy, excitement, or at least some sense of purpose?

After all, he wasn’t just appointed by a prophet—he was chosen by God to be the first king over Israel. Such a divine calling should stir confidence, gratitude, and even celebration.

But instead of transparency, Saul chose silence. He kept the matter to himself, even from a close family member. If not to share the full prophecy, couldn’t he at least have hinted at what was revealed? A simple gesture or a word might have led his uncle to bless him, encourage him, or praise God for what was coming.

Saul’s first flaw, in my view, wasn’t just silence—it was a lack of openness and transparency. In hiding the truth from his own family, he demonstrated uncertainty, passivity, and possibly fear—all of which foreshadow deeper issues that would later unravel his reign.

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