Abstract:

In the history of Israeli, one of the most considerable examples in which history and mythology merged into a single body is, in no doubt, the story of the Kings Saul and David. God manifestly intervenes in the selection of both king who are successor and predecessor to each other as a king. It is likely to be the main point common to the both stories, i.e. the fact that God predetermined who will be the king. Saul, the first king of Israelis, was elected as a king by the designation of God himself due to the demand for a king from the nation. Though Saul had great achievements in wars and united the Northern and the Southern into one, he lost his authority of kingdom in consequence of a sin he had committed. Subsequently, the power was turned over to David by God. David, like his predecessor, had great achievements. Nevertheless, he was not deprived of his authority despite of three sins he had committed, and what was more, his descendants had the power till the end of the Kingdom era. The most distinctive point in the stories is that Saul was ignored and his achievements were regarded as insignificant by the tradition in a later period; whereas David was idealized and his deeds were exaggerated.

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