Acts 13:21

KJV

And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

KJV (with Strong's)

And afterward {G2547} they desired {G154} a king {G935}: and {G2532} God {G2316} gave {G1325} unto them {G846} Saul {G4549} the son {G5207} of Cis {G2797}, a man {G435} of {G1537} the tribe {G5443} of Benjamin {G958}, by the space of forty {G5062} years {G2094}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Sha’ul Ben-Kish, a man from the tribe of Binyamin. After forty years,

Berean Standard Bible

Then the people asked for a king, and God gave them forty years under Saul son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin.

American Standard Version

And afterward they asked for a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for the space of forty years.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Acts 13:21, part of Paul's expansive sermon in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia, succinctly recounts a pivotal moment in Israel's history: the people's demand for a monarch and God's subsequent provision of Saul as their first king. This verse highlights the transition from a period ruled by judges to the establishment of the monarchy, setting the stage for Paul's broader theological argument concerning God's faithfulness and the ultimate arrival of the promised Messiah through the lineage of David.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within Paul's first recorded sermon in the book of Acts, delivered to a mixed audience of Jews and God-fearing Gentiles in Antioch of Pisidia. Paul's rhetorical strategy is to meticulously trace the history of Israel from the Exodus through the period of the Judges, leading up to the anointing of Saul, then David, and ultimately, the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ. Acts 13:21 serves as a crucial bridge, transitioning from the era of God raising up judges to the people's desire for a human king, a request that marked a significant shift in Israel's national identity and governance. Paul's concise summary here demonstrates his deep understanding of the Old Testament narrative, particularly the books of Samuel, which detail these events more extensively.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Following their settlement in the Promised Land, Israel was governed by a series of judges, charismatic leaders raised by God to deliver them from oppression and administer justice. This decentralized form of governance, however, stood in stark contrast to the monarchical systems prevalent among the surrounding nations. Over time, the Israelites, observing the stability and power associated with kingships in Philistia, Moab, and Ammon, began to desire a similar structure. This longing intensified due to the corrupt leadership of Samuel's sons, leading the elders of Israel to formally demand a king from Samuel, as recorded in [1 Samuel 8:5](/1_samuel/8-5 "Israel's Demand for a King"). While this request was, in part, a rejection of God's direct rule over them, as articulated in [1 Samuel 8:7](/1_samuel/8-7 "God's Interpretation of Israel's Request"), God, in His sovereign wisdom, acceded to their desire. Saul, from the small tribe of Benjamin, was chosen, marking the beginning of the Israelite monarchy.
* **Key Themes:** Acts 13:21 encapsulates several profound themes. Firstly, it illustrates the tension between **human desire and divine will**. Israel's request for a king stemmed from a desire to be "like all the nations," rather than trusting in God's unique provision. Secondly, it showcases **God's permissive sovereignty**. Despite the request being a form of rejection, God "gave unto them Saul," demonstrating His willingness to permit human choices, even those that deviate from His ideal, to work within His larger redemptive plan. This also highlights the theme of **divine accommodation**, where God meets His people where they are, allowing them to experience the consequences of their choices while still guiding history towards His ultimate purposes. Finally, the mention of Saul's forty-year reign, a significant biblical number often symbolizing a generation or a period of testing and transition, foreshadows the eventual failure of the human kingship model and points towards the need for a perfect, divine King.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **desired (Greek, _aitéō_):** This verb signifies a strong request, often implying a demand or an earnest plea. In this context, it highlights the active agency of the Israelites in seeking a king, rather than passively receiving one. It underscores the human initiative behind this historical shift, which, as seen in the Old Testament, was not entirely aligned with God's initial design for His people.
* **gave (Greek, _dídōmi_):** This verb denotes the act of giving or bestowing. Here, it emphasizes God's active role in providing Saul, despite the problematic nature of the people's request. It speaks to God's sovereignty and His ability to work through human choices, even those born of flawed motives, to accomplish His overarching purposes. This giving was not a reluctant concession but a deliberate, albeit permissive, act of divine provision.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And afterward they desired a king:"** This phrase marks a chronological progression in Paul's historical summary, following the period of the judges. It directly attributes the impetus for the monarchy to the people of Israel, underscoring their collective longing for a different form of leadership, one that mirrored the surrounding nations.
* **"and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis,"** This clause reveals God's response to the people's desire. Despite the underlying spiritual issues with their request, God sovereignly provided a king. "Cis" (Kish in Hebrew) identifies Saul's father, grounding the narrative in specific historical detail and connecting it directly to the Old Testament accounts.
* **"a man of the tribe of Benjamin,"** This detail specifies Saul's tribal affiliation. Benjamin was one of the smaller tribes, and Saul's lineage from it might have initially seemed humble, yet he was chosen. This detail also sets up a subtle contrast with the later king, David, who would come from the prominent tribe of Judah.
* **"by the space of forty years."** This phrase indicates the duration of Saul's reign. The forty-year period is a common biblical motif, often signifying a generation, a period of testing, or a significant epoch. It concisely summarizes a substantial period of Israelite history under their first monarch.

#### Literary Devices
Paul's concise summary in Acts 13:21 employs several literary devices. **Historical Allusion** is prominent, as the verse condenses a significant portion of Israel's history detailed in the books of Samuel, assuming the audience's familiarity with these events. This allows Paul to move swiftly through the narrative without getting bogged down in specifics, maintaining the sermon's flow. The use of **Conciseness** is evident in how forty years of Saul's reign are summarized in a single phrase, highlighting the key facts relevant to Paul's broader argument about God's historical dealings with Israel. Furthermore, there is a subtle element of **Divine Irony** or **Permissive Will** implied: the people desired a king, and God "gave" them one, but the subsequent history of Saul's reign, marked by disobedience and eventual rejection, serves as a cautionary tale, demonstrating that human desires, even when granted by God, do not always lead to ideal outcomes.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Acts 13:21 is a powerful theological statement about God's sovereignty and His interaction with human will. It illustrates that while God has a perfect will for His people, He also operates within a framework of permissive will, allowing human choices to unfold, even when those choices are rooted in a lack of faith or a desire to conform to worldly standards. The giving of Saul, despite Israel's flawed motives, demonstrates God's commitment to His covenant people, allowing them to learn through experience while still guiding history towards His ultimate redemptive purposes. This divine accommodation sets the stage for the eventual revelation of God's true king, not one chosen by human desire, but one appointed by divine decree.

* [1 Samuel 8:7](/1_samuel/8-7 "God's Interpretation of Israel's Request for a King")
* [Hosea 13:11](/hosea/13-11 "God's Giving and Taking Away of Kings")
* [Psalm 78:70-72](/psalms/78-70-72 "God's Choice of David as Shepherd-King")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Acts 13:21 serves as a profound reminder that our desires, even when seemingly logical or well-intentioned, may not always align with God's perfect plan for our lives. The Israelites desired a king "like all the nations," a seemingly practical solution to their internal and external challenges, yet it was interpreted by God as a rejection of His direct rule. This challenges us to examine the motivations behind our own desires and aspirations. Are we seeking to conform to the world's standards, or are we earnestly seeking God's unique and often counter-cultural will for us? The story of Saul's reign, though not detailed in this verse, implicitly carries the weight of its eventual failure, highlighting the dangers of leadership born from human demand rather than divine appointment, and the critical importance of obedience and humility, especially in positions of influence. We are called to trust in God's wisdom, even when His ways seem less conventional, and to remember that true flourishing comes from aligning our will with His.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life am I tempted to desire what "all the nations" desire, rather than seeking God's unique path for me?**
* **How does God's "giving" Saul, despite the people's flawed request, inform my understanding of His sovereignty and permissive will?**
* **What lessons can I draw from the story of Israel's first king about the importance of obedience and humility in leadership, whether in my home, community, or workplace?**

### FAQ

**Why did God give Israel a king if He viewed their request as a rejection of Him?**

Answer: God's decision to give Israel a king, despite His interpretation of their request as a rejection of His direct rule (as seen in [1 Samuel 8:7](/1_samuel/8-7 "God's Response to Israel's Request")), showcases His complex sovereignty and permissive will. While His ideal plan was for Israel to be a unique theocracy, directly governed by Him, He allowed their desire to unfold. This demonstrates that God often permits human choices, even those rooted in flawed motives, to teach lessons, reveal the limitations of human-centric solutions, and ultimately work towards His greater redemptive purposes. It was a concession that allowed Israel to experience the consequences of their choice, paving the way for the later introduction of a king after God's own heart, David, and ultimately the Messiah.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Acts 13:21, in its brief recounting of Saul's anointing as Israel's first king, serves as a crucial historical backdrop against which the true and ultimate King, Jesus Christ, is revealed. Saul, chosen by the people's desire and from the tribe of Benjamin, ultimately failed due to disobedience, foreshadowing the inadequacy of human leadership to truly shepherd God's people. This sets the stage for the introduction of David, Israel's second king, from whose lineage Jesus would come. Paul's sermon in Acts 13 continues to trace this lineage, establishing Jesus as the promised "Son of David" ([Acts 13:23](/acts/13-23 "Jesus, the Son of David")). Unlike Saul, who reigned for a limited "forty years" and whose kingdom was temporary, Jesus's kingdom is eternal and spiritual ([Luke 1:32-33](/luke/1-32-33 "The Eternal Kingdom of Jesus")). He is the King who perfectly embodies God's will, not one chosen by human demand, but divinely appointed and anointed. His reign is not over a physical nation in the manner of earthly kings, but over the hearts of all who believe ([John 18:36](/john/18-36 "Jesus' Kingdom Is Not of This World")). Thus, Saul's brief, flawed reign points forward to the perfect, everlasting, and righteous reign of Christ, the true King of kings and Lord of lords ([Revelation 19:16](/revelation/19-16 "Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Samuel 10:1

¶ Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured [it] upon his head, and kissed him, and said, [Is it] not because the LORD hath anointed thee [to be] captain over his inheritance?

1 Samuel 15:1

¶ Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee [to be] king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.

1 Samuel 8:5

And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

1 Samuel 9:2

And he had a son, whose name [was] Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and [there was] not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward [he was] higher than any of the people.

1 Samuel 10:21

When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.

1 Samuel 10:26

And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

1 Samuel 12:12

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God [was] your king.