Lesson 86

1 Samuel 9–15

Introduction

After the Israelites insisted upon having a king to rule them, the Lord revealed to Samuel that Saul was to be king. Samuel anointed Saul as the earthly leader of Israel. When threatened by a Philistine attack, Saul disobeyed the Lord by offering a sacrifice instead of waiting for Samuel to do it. Saul again disobeyed the Lord by not fulfilling His command to destroy the Amalekites and all of their animals, and the Lord rejected Saul as the king of Israel.

Suggestions for Teaching

Encourage daily scripture study

Encourage students to set aside time every day for personal study of the Old Testament. You can help them account for their daily study by providing an appropriate tracking system (see the reading charts in the appendix of this manual). Give students regular opportunities to share what they are learning and feeling during their personal scripture study. Take care not to embarrass or discourage students who struggle to study the scriptures on their own.

1 Samuel 9

The Lord leads Saul to Samuel

Invite students to imagine that they are making an important decision and need some direction.

• To what or whom would you go for advice? Why?

Invite students as they study 1 Samuel 9 to look for truths that can help them when they need direction.

Invite a student to read 1 Samuel 9:1–2 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for characteristics of a man named Saul.

• What were some of Saul’s characteristics?

Summarize 1 Samuel 9:3–5 by explaining that the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father were lost, and he sent Saul and a servant to look for them. After they searched without success, Saul suggested they return home to his father. Invite a student to read 1 Samuel 9:6 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how the servant responded to Saul’s suggestion.

• What did Saul’s servant suggest?

Invite a student to read 1 Samuel 9:9 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for the titles by which this “man of God” was known in the time of Saul.

• How did the people refer to this man of God?

Explain that the word seer means a person who sees. A seer is a man of God who can see or know of things in the past, present, or future that others may not perceive (see Mosiah 8:13–17).

Summarize 1 Samuel 9:7–17 by explaining that as Saul and his servant went to find Samuel, Samuel met them. The Lord had already revealed to Samuel that Saul should be the king of Israel.

Invite a student to read 1 Samuel 9:18–21 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Samuel told Saul.

• What did Samuel tell Saul about his father’s donkeys? What can Samuel’s instruction teach us about the power of seers? (You may want to point out that Samuel’s instruction regarding the donkeys was likely given to strengthen Saul’s faith in preparation for the call to be king.)

• What did Samuel tell Saul about the will of the Lord for him? (You may need to explain that when Samuel said “all the desire of Israel” was on Saul [1 Samuel 9:20], he was saying that Saul was the man the Lord had chosen to fulfill Israel’s desire to have a king.)

Remind students that Saul’s servant had said that Samuel would show them the “way that [they] should go” (1 Samuel 9:6).

• How had Samuel shown them the way that they should go?

• What principle can we identify from Saul’s experience regarding seeking the Lord’s direction through His prophets and seers? (Students may identify a variety of principles, but be sure to emphasize that if we seek the Lord’s direction through His prophets and seers, they will show us the way we should go.)

Help students understand this principle by asking the following questions:

• Whom do we sustain as prophets and seers in our day? (Members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.)

• What are some ways we can seek direction from the Lord through His prophets and seers in our day?

• When have you received direction from the Lord through a prophet?

Invite students to ponder current and future situations in which they might need direction. Encourage them to write in their study journals what they can do now to prepare to seek the Lord’s direction through His chosen prophets.

Summarize 1 Samuel 9:22–27 by explaining that Samuel honored and instructed Saul at a feast.

1 Samuel 10–12

Samuel anoints Saul king of Israel and exhorts the Israelites to follow the Lord

Invite a student to read the following summary of 1 Samuel 10–12:

Samuel anointed Saul to be king by applying oil to his head. The Lord “gave [Saul] another heart,” which means that Saul was spiritually reborn (1 Samuel 10:9; see also footnote a). Sometime after Saul’s appointment as king of Israel, the Ammonites threatened to attack some Israelites living east of the Jordan River. Saul, being led by the Spirit, rallied the Israelites to battle and successfully defeated the Ammonites. Samuel then gathered the people and confirmed Saul as their king before the Lord. Samuel testified that the Lord was Israel’s true leader and warned the Israelites that if they did not obey the Lord, they would be destroyed.

1 Samuel 13–14

Saul disobeys the Lord and offers a burnt offering

Summarize 1 Samuel 13:1–5 by explaining that a group of Israelite soldiers under the command of Saul’s son Jonathan attacked a group of Philistine soldiers stationed in Israelite territory. In response, the Philistines gathered a great army to fight the Israelites.

Invite a student to read 1 Samuel 13:6–8 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how some Israelites responded when the Philistine army advanced.

• How did some Israelites respond when they saw the Philistine army?

Help students understand 1 Samuel 13:8 by explaining that the prophet Samuel had previously told Saul to go to Gilgal and wait seven days for Samuel to come and offer sacrifices to the Lord (see 1 Samuel 10:8). This sacrifice would be a way to seek the Lord’s blessings before the Israelite army went into battle. It was important for Saul to wait for Samuel because Saul did not hold the priesthood and therefore was not authorized to perform the sacrifice.

Invite a student to read 1 Samuel 13:9 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Saul did in these critical circumstances.

• What did Saul do? Why do you think he did this?

Invite a student to read 1 Samuel 13:10–12 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how Saul justified his actions to Samuel.

• What reasons did Saul give to try to justify his disobedience to the Lord’s commandments?

Write the following phrase on the board: Even though we may try to justify our disobedience to the Lord’s commandments, …

Invite a student to read 1 Samuel 13:13–14 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for a consequence of Saul’s disobedience.

• What was the consequence of Saul’s disobedience? (He would lose the honor of having the kingship continue through his posterity.)

• How would you complete the statement on the board using what you have learned from Saul’s experience? (Write students’ responses on the board. The following is one way to complete the statement: Even though we may try to justify our disobedience to the Lord’s commandments, He will hold us accountable and we will receive the consequences of our choices.)

• How might understanding this truth help someone overcome the temptation to try to justify disobeying the Lord’s commandments?

Point out that the reason Saul disobeyed the Lord and performed the sacrifices himself was because he felt pressure to do something because of the situation he was in (the Philistines were coming, and his people were beginning to scatter [see 1 Samuel 13:1–11]).

• What kinds of pressures do you feel in your life?

• What can you do to avoid allowing these pressures to influence you to disobey God’s commandments?

Summarize 1 Samuel 13:15–14:52 by explaining that Samuel left Saul, and the Philistines sent raiding troops to destroy the land and torment the Israelites. In a misguided effort to get help from the Lord, Saul forbade his soldiers from eating during a battle with the Philistines. Saul’s son Jonathan was unaware of this command and ate some honey while pursuing the Philistines. Later in the day, when Saul did not receive revelation about whether his army should attack the Philistines, he concluded that the Lord did not answer because someone in the army had sinned and broken the fast. He swore an oath that whoever had eaten would be put to death. When he learned that Jonathan had eaten some honey, Saul said Jonathan must die. The people defended Jonathan and rescued him from death.

1 Samuel 15

The Lord rejects Saul as king because of his disobedience

Write the following statement on the board: Because I (keep this commandment), it is okay if I (do not keep this commandment).

Explain that sometimes we might be tempted to try to justify our disobedience to some commandments because we are obedient to others. Invite students to give examples of how someone might fill in the blanks of the statement on the board. (It may help to give students an example such as “Because I pray and read my scriptures daily, it is okay if I do not attend my church meetings.”)

Invite students to look for truths in 1 Samuel 15 that can help them overcome the temptation to try to justify disobedience in this way.

Explain that 1 Samuel 15 records that the Lord commanded Saul to destroy all the Amalekites and their livestock (see verse 3). The Amalekites were a murderous people and were enemies of the Lord (see Deuteronomy 25:17–19).

Invite a student to read 1 Samuel 15:7–9 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how Saul responded to the Lord’s command.

• How would you describe Saul’s obedience to the Lord’s command to destroy all the Amalekites and their livestock?

Summarize 1 Samuel 15:10–12 by explaining that the Lord told Samuel that Saul had turned back from following Him and had disobeyed His commandments. Samuel was grieved and visited Saul.

Divide students into small groups. Provide each group with a copy of the following handout, and invite students to complete the handout in their groups.

Saul’s Disobedience

Read 1 Samuel 15:13–24, and answer the following questions:

• What did Saul say he had done? (See verse 13.)

• How did Saul try to justify the fact that he and his soldiers had been only partially obedient to the Lord’s commandment? (See verse 15.)

• How had Saul changed since he was anointed as king? (See verse 17.)

• Even after being rebuked by Samuel, what did Saul do? (See verse 21.)

• What did Samuel teach was more important than making animal sacrifices? (See verse 22.)

• What reason did Saul give for his disobedience? (See verse 24.)

• What principles can we learn from Saul’s mistake?

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After sufficient time, invite students to report what they found. As students report, help them identify the following principles: The greatest offering we can give to the Lord is our complete obedience to Him. Seeking to please others rather than the Lord can lead us to disobey His commandments. Consider writing these principles on the board.

• How does obedience to the Lord’s commandments help us become like Him?

Invite students to reflect on how the Savior is a perfect example of complete obedience to God. Testify of one or more of the principles students identified today and encourage students to act on any impressions they may have received during the lesson.

Commentary and Background Information

1 Samuel 9:6–8. Bringing a gift to Samuel

It was a custom in biblical times to bring a gift to a prophet when seeking his consultation. This was not payment for services or a bribe but a gesture of respect and courtesy to a person considered to be honorable or highly esteemed.

1 Samuel 9:9. Seer

Elder John A. Widtsoe (1872–1952) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:

“A seer is one who sees with spiritual eyes. He perceives the meaning of that which seems obscure to [unclear to or hidden from] others; therefore he is an interpreter and clarifier of eternal truth. He foresees the future from the past and the present. This he does by the power of the Lord operating through him directly, or indirectly with the aid of divine instruments such as the Urim and Thummim. In short, he is one who sees, who walks in the Lord’s light with open eyes [see Mosiah 8:15–17]” (John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, arr. G. Homer Durham, 3 vols. in 1 [1960], 258).

1 Samuel 10:1. Samuel anoints Saul

Anointing with oil was symbolic of an outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord on the person and was a way of separating or setting that person apart for a task. Anointing with oil pointed to the Savior’s Atonement and His role as ultimate King. As the Messiah or Christ, Jesus, the premortal Jehovah, is the Anointed One. Three groups of people were anointed in Old Testament times to fulfill their roles in society—prophets, priests, and kings—all in symbolic reference to the Great Prophet, Priest, and King, Jesus Christ.

Note that Samuel anointed Saul as “captain,” though he would later be called king. This title could have reminded Saul that though he would lead Israel on the earth, particularly in military affairs, the Lord was still the true King of Israel.

1 Samuel 10:6–10. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) taught the following about the change that came upon Saul after he was set apart:

“A positive change came over Saul. The setting apart turned him into another man and gave him another heart. New powers came to him at once. Those who knew him were astounded at his increased spirituality, his newly acquired wisdom and judgment and his newly attained maturity and powers, and exclaimed in amazement:

“What has happened to Saul? He is not the same! ‘What is this that has come unto the son of Kish. Is Saul also among the prophets?’ [1 Samuel 10:11].

“Who has not watched the transformation of a newly set apart person to high responsibility? Who has not seen men already great rise to new plateaus of superior attainment braced with the authority, the keys, the mantle?” (Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, Oct. 1958, 55).

1 Samuel 15:22. “To obey is better than sacrifice”

When Samuel taught Saul that “to obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22), the sacrifice Samuel referred to was animal sacrifice and other sacrificial offerings made to the Lord as part of the law of Moses. Samuel was not saying that offering sacrifices was not a correct practice. Offering sacrifices was part of the Israelites’ obedience to the Lord, but these offerings were to be made with a submissive, obedient heart. The Lord requires and delights in complete obedience to Him in heart and action. When an animal was sacrificed to the Lord, the Lord delighted more in the obedience of the person making the offering than in the sacrificed animal. The animals Saul had obtained for the claimed intentions of sacrificing were obtained by his disobedience to the Lord. The Lord would not delight in these offerings if they were to be made. What’s more, the Lord had not required that such a sacrifice be made in this situation. Samuel taught Saul that complete obedience to the Lord is better than performing a singular religious practice and that complying with one religious practice did not justify disobeying the Lord’s other commandments. Saul’s decision to disobey was influenced by his desire to please others rather than the Lord because he feared the judgments of men (see Robert D. Hales, “Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 26). Saul gave in to the temptation to be popular rather than obeying the word of God.