Part 3 of 8 on Inyaneh Teshuvah. The Rabbi uses King Shaul’s reign (1020BCE -1000BCE) as an example of where Repentance fails.
Below are the texts Rabbi Labaton discusses in this class (JPS English translation).
[Book of Samuel 1, Chapter 13:1- 13:7] Saul was (20) years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel two years. Saul picked 3,000 Israelites, of whom 2,000 were with Saul in Michmas and in the hill country of Bethel, and 1,000 with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; the rest of the troops he sent back to their homes. Jonathan struck down the Philistine head in Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Saul had the ram’s horn sounded throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” When all Israel heard that Saul had struck down the Philistine head, and that Israel had incurred the wrath of the Philistines, all the people rallied to Saul at Gilgal. The Philistines, in turn, gathered to attack Israel: 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sands of the seashore. They marched up and encamped at Michmas, east of Beth-aven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble, for the troops were hard pressed, the people hid in caves, among thorns, among rocks,in tunnels, and in cisterns. Some Hebrews crossed the Jordan, to the territory of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and the rest of the people rallied to him in alarm.
[Samuel 1, Chapter 10:8] After that, you are to go down to Gilgal ahead of me, and I will come down to you to present burnt offerings and offer sacrifices of well-being. Wait seven days until I come to you and instruct you what you are to do next.
[Book of Exodus, Chapter 19:10] And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and warn them to stay pure today and tomorrow. Let them wash their clothes. Let them be ready….”.
[Samuel 1, Chapter 13:8-13:14] King Shaul waited the full 7 days that Samuel told him, but Samuel did not show up and the people began to run away. So Shaul went and told the people to bring the sacrifices. Then Samuel shows up and says “What have you done?”. Shaul replies “I saw the people leaving me and scattering; you had not come at the appointed time, and the Philistines would march down against me at Gilgal before I had entreated the Lord, so I forced myself to present the burnt offering.” Samuel answered Saul, “You acted foolishly in not keeping the commandments that the Lord your G-d laid upon you! Otherwise the Lord would have established your dynasty over Israel forever. But now, your dynasty will not endure. The Lord will seek out a man after His own heart, and Lord will appoint him ruler over his people, because you did not abide by what the Lord had commanded you.”
[Samuel 1, Chapter 15:1- 15:3] Samuel said to Shaul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over His people Israel. Therefore, listen to the Lord’s command! Thus said the Lord of Hosts: I am exacting a penalty for what Amalek did to Israel, for the assault he made upon them on the road, on their way up from Egypt. Now go, attack Amalek, and proscribe all that belongs to him. Spare no one, but kill alike men and women, infants and sucklings, oxen and sheep, camels and asses!”
[Samuel 1, Chapter 15:7- 15:9] Saul destroyed Amalek from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is close to Egypt, and he captured King Agag of Amalek alive. He proscribed all the people, putting them to the sword; but Saul and the troops spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the second-born, the lambs, and all else that was of value. They would not proscribe them; they proscribed only what was cheap and worthless.
Next class he will discuss G-d’s response to giving Shaul this second chance and how he fails to follow instructions yet again.
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