3 Review(s)

The book “Reading the Fractures of Saul's Rise to the Kingship of Israel: An Exegetical Study of 1 Sam 9-11” is the fruit of a hard struggle the author had to face while handling many challenging situations. This study treats the question of the three traditions which lie behind Saul's rise to kingship in Israel as rrated in 1 Sam 9-11. The three traditions have been studied in a detailed manner with the help of both the synchronic and the diachronic methods. The author comes to the conclusion that the three traditions, which existed separately in the prophetic circles, have been incorporated by the exilic Deuteronomistic historian into the Deuteronomistic History in order to highlight the theology of leadership embedded in this biblical passage: Leadership in the form of morchy is God's gift to Israel. Taking into account the needs of people, God gives them Saul as the first king of Israel to lead them in the face of Philistine attack. Saul refuses to be a king because of his humble origin. However, God chooses such a humble person as a king and accompanies him in leading the people in a critical time. The book gives us the hope that the same God continues to raise leaders today to lead us and guide us.