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“What does it mean that Saul is also among the prophets?”

The phrase in question comes up a couple of times in scripture, in 1 Samuel 10 and 19. The writer of 1 Samuel tells us that the (rhetorical) question “Is Saul also among the prophets?” became a proverb in Israel. It definitely meant something to the people of God, though not necessarily anything particularly complimentary to Saul.

Can you imagine becoming the subject of a proverb? It might not be as much fun as we think.

There are two distinct reasons Israelites came to associate King Saul with prophecy.

The First Time

The first incident was considerably less embarrassing than the last. In 1 Samuel 10, the prophet Samuel anoints a young man named Saul to be king over Israel. In the process, Samuel tells Saul, “The Lord has given you a sign that you will be king.” As part of God’s confirmation to Saul, Samuel tells him, “The Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy.”

Well, as we might expect, all the signs God gave to Saul came to pass. A group of prophets came down from the local high place playing instruments and prophesying musically. On hearing them, the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul and he too began to prophesy along with them. When the people around them saw this young man doing something remarkable that he had never done before, they were amazed, and asked incredulously, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” It seemed to them an unlikely occurrence. Nevertheless, they were convinced they were seeing the hand of God. Concerning the prophets (and Saul), a local sage observed, “And who is their father?” He meant that God was obviously at work.

The Second Time

The last time Saul prophesied, the circumstances were quite different. In 1 Samuel 19, Saul has rebelled against the word of God, has been stripped of his kingdom, and the Spirit of God has departed from him. Samuel has now anointed David to be Saul’s replacement, though Saul still occupies the throne. David has also become Saul’s son-in-law, and Saul has determined to kill him. Knowing this, David’s wife helps him escape, and he runs to Samuel in Ramah. Saul sends a group of messengers to capture him, but God intervenes, causing the messengers to prophesy. In such a state, they are disinclined to seize David.

So Saul sends more messengers, and still another group. Each time, the Spirit of God takes control of these men and prevents them from accomplishing their mission. Perplexed, Saul himself goes to Ramah, where the Spirit of the Lord seizes him. Overwhelmed, Saul strips off his own clothes and begins to prophesy at the feet of Samuel, lying naked on the ground for a night and a day. What a spectacle! The writer of Samuel adds, “Thus it is said, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’ ”

Would you rather be Saul the first time out or the second?

Flying Pigs

In the first case, Saul prophesied because God was with him; in the latter, because God was against him. In the first case, people wondered at what they saw; in the latter, people likely turned away in embarrassment from their monarch’s extended humiliation. The first prophetic experience confirmed Saul was God’s choice to rule Israel; the latter confirmed the kingdom was now lost to him forever.

When you go up against God, there’s only one possible outcome, and it’s never pretty. God is glorified in blessing men and glorified in judging them. Either way, God always comes out on top.

So then, there were two reasons Saul was associated with prophecy in the minds of his people and became the subject of a Hebrew proverb. Unfortunately, the proverb really means something like “Are you kidding me?” or “Will pigs fly?” It’s an expression of absolute disbelief in what a person’s eyes are telling them.