saul
n. countablen. the first king of Israel in the Bible. He is often remembered for his difficult relationship with David, who became king after him.
n. the first monarch of the United Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible. Often used in literary or theological contexts to represent a tragic figure whose authority is eventually superseded.
The story of Saul is found in the Old Testament.
In the biblical narrative, Saul eventually loses his kingdom because he fails to follow divine instructions.
Scholars often analyze the character of Saul as a tragic hero whose psychological decline mirrors the political instability of early Israelite monarchy.
From Hebrew שָׁאוּל (sha'úl, “asked for”). Doublet of Silas, which derived from Aramaic.
When used as a proper name, it is always capitalized.