Saul was the first king of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible. Hobbes refers to Saul, who, in the Book of Judges in the Old Testament, was affected by the “Spirit of God.” Hobbes maintains that such references to the “Spirit of God” in Holy Scripture are only metaphor for faith, as it is impossible for a physical body to manifest as a spirit and be poured or inspired into another.
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Saul Character Timeline in Leviathan
The timeline below shows where the character Saul appears in Leviathan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 34: Of the Signification of SPIRIT, ANGEL, and INSPIRATION in the Books of Holy Scripture
...spirit of God is also said in scripture to affect passions, as it does to Saul in the Book of Judges. “The Spirit of God came upon Saul, and his Anger...
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Chapter 40: Of the RIGHTS of the Kingdome of God, in Abraham, Moses, the High Priests, and the Kings of Judah
...to the High Priest, starting with Joshua. After Joshua, however, there was no one until Saul. The Book of Judges says: “there was in those dayes no King in Israel.”
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