The First Glimpse of Saul and His Subsequent Transformation

Many recent studies of Saul have understood him as a tragic figure whose story was shaped by Dtr in a way that emphasizes his failures in order to provide a backdrop for David's rise. This paper examines select elements related to Saul's character and transformation within 1 Samuel 9:1–10:16. It seeks to make the case that, even after having reshaped his sources, Dtr did not eliminate the affirmative dimensions of Saul's character, but retained them in 1 Samuel in its current form.