The Uncertain King

In this episode, Professor Goodman analyzes the rise of Saul. Before he was made king, Saul was shy; he didn't want power. But by the end of his reign, he was willing to do almost anything to keep his power. Just as the power of the Ark of the Covenant turned against the Philistines and the Israelites, so too did the power of kingship turn against Saul. His example illustrates one of Samuel's enduring themes: power changes those who possess it.