Older Shaul

Tanakh

וַיִּ֨חַר לְשָׁא֜וּל מְאֹ֗ד וַיֵּ֤רַע בְּעֵינָיו֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָתְנ֤וּ לְדָוִד֙ רְבָב֔וֹת וְלִ֥י נָתְנ֖וּ הָאֲלָפִ֑ים וְע֥וֹד ל֖וֹ אַ֥ךְ הַמְּלוּכָֽה׃ 

"Sha’ul became exceedingly agitated, and this matter was evil in his eyes; he said [to himself]: 'They give credit to David for myriads, but to me they give credit for thousands! There yet [remains] for him only the kingdom!'" — Sh'muel Aleph (Samuel I) 18:8; 1995 Shocken Bible Everett Fox translation

Talmud, Midrash, and Commentary:

"Poor king, he has, after all, no royal tradition or inherited experience to fall back on; he does not now how kings should behave; beleaguered king, he needs a mentor to teach him what to do, what to say, when, and where." — Elie Wiesel, Saul, 75; Five Biblical Portraits with a New Introduction (2023)

Description:

I wanted to make an official portrait for Shaul HaMelech as an older king. Although Shaul's expression may seem neutral, I wanted to convey a sense of length, melancholy, and waiting.

Date Finished: 

November 2024

Tanakh

וַיִּתְחַפֵּ֣שׂ שָׁא֗וּל וַיִּלְבַּשׁ֙ בְּגָדִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ ה֗וּא וּשְׁנֵ֤י אֲנָשִׁים֙ עִמּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־הָאִשָּׁ֖ה לָ֑יְלָה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (קסומי) [קָסֳמִי־]נָ֥א לִי֙ בָּא֔וֹב וְהַ֣עֲלִי לִ֔י אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־אֹמַ֖ר אֵלָֽיִךְ׃

"Sh'aul disguised himself and clothed himself in other garments, and he went, he and two men with him, and came to the woman at night. He said: 'Now divine for me by a ghost; bring up for me the one whom I will designate to you.'" — Sh'muel Aleph (Samuel I) 28:8; 1995 Shocken Bible Everett Fox translation

Talmud, Midrash, and Commentary

"Shaul disguised himself. He changed his clothes, and similarly, 'disguise yourself [הִתְחַפֵּשׂ] and come into battle,' *II Melochim 22:30. and similarly, 'its intensity makes me change [יׅתְחַפֵּשׂ] my clothing.' *Iyov 30:18. And so did Targum Yonoson render, 'and Shaul changed.' 

They came to the woman at night. [They actually came] during the daytime, but because of their distress, it seemed to them as night. So did R. Tanchuma expound." — Rashi on Sh'muel Aleph (Samuel I) 28:8:1-2; 2001 Metsudah Tanach

Date Finished:

October 31, 2024

Description:

Here it is: the drawing that started it all. I wanted to capture the darkness of night with heavy blue palettes given how depressed Shaul appears to be within the text (he didn't eat anything that day or the night before; his heart trembled; when offered food by the Witch of Endor, he doesn't want to eat until his companions encourage him)

Tanakh

וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים נִלְחָמִ֣ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיָּנֻ֜סוּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַיִּפְּל֥וּ חֲלָלִ֖ים בְּהַ֥ר הַגִּלְבֹּֽעַ׃ 

"Now the Philistines were waging battle against Israel and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines; the slain fell on Mount Gilboa" — Sh'muel Aleph (Samuel I) 31:1; 1995 Shocken Bible Everett Fox translation

Talmud, Midrash, and Commentary

וַיְמַהֵר שָׁאוּל וַיִּפֹּל מְלֹא קוֹמָתוֹ אַרְצָה וַיִּרָא מְאֹד מִדִּבְרֵי שְׁמוּאֵל. אָמַר לוֹ אַבְנֵר וַעֲמָשָׂא מָה אָמַר לְךָ שְׁמוּאֵל, אָמַר לָהֶם אָמַר לִי לְמָחָר אַתְּ נָחֵית לִקְרָבָא וְנָצַח, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא בָּנֶיךָ מִתְמַנִּין רַבְרְבִין, נָטַל שְׁלשָׁה בָּנָיו וְיָצָא לַמִּלְחָמָה. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וְאָמַר לָהֶם בֹּאוּ וּרְאוּ בְּרִיָּה שֶׁבָּרָאתִי בְּעוֹלָמִי, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם הוֹלֵךְ לְבֵית הַמִּשְׁתֶּה אֵינוֹ מוֹלִיךְ בָּנָיו עִמּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי מַרְאִית הָעַיִן, וְזֶה יוֹצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג, וְנוֹטֵל בָּנָיו עִמּוֹ, וְשָׂמֵחַ עַל מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁפּוֹגַעַת בּוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי

"When he heard the words of Samuel, he grew frightened, as it is stated: “Saul hastened and fell his full length to the ground, and he was very frightened by the words of Samuel” (I Samuel 28:20). Avner and Amasa said to him: ‘What did Samuel say to you?’ He said to them: ‘He said to me: Tomorrow you will descend into battle and emerge victorious. Moreover, your sons will be appointed prominent officials.’ He took his three sons and went out to war. Reish Lakish said: At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He summoned the ministering angels and said to them: ‘Come and see a creation that I created in My world. The way of the world is that a man goes to a house of feasting and does not take his sons with him due to the evil eye. This person is going out to war and knows that he will be killed, and he takes his sons with him and rejoices over the attribute of justice that will strike him.’"

Date Finished: 

November 18, 2024 (Shaul), 2025 (background)

Description:

According to the midrash, Shaul had a choice to make after hearing Sh'muel's prophecy: he could either flee and survive on the battle or die and be reconciled with Sh'muel and Hashem. Shaul chose the latter, but just because he chose the latter does not mean that he will not continue to defend the nation he helped build.

The spear is known as the "king of weapons" but in terms of economy, it was the commoner of weapons for how simple and cheap yet effective it was.