Crazy Saul? This looks at the biblical character Saul from 1 Samuel and questions his sanity throughout the text.

In 1 Samuel, Saul truly is one of the most complex characters. Chapter 8 seems to hint at the ultimate fate of the king that the people of Israel were so insistent upon getting. Faith in God's provision for Israel should have kept the people's mind at ease. Unfortunately this wasn't the case, and Israel demanded to organize itself in a manner similar to its neighboring nations. "Give us a king to govern ourselves!" the people demanded …

…tormented. He had gotten to the point where he flat out tried to kill David and again was unsuccessful. Saul was unsuccessful in trying to escape God's promise. It can be argued that anybody capable of committing suicide is mentally ill. Saul was in fact extremely mentally tormented although not incapacitated by the end of 1 Samuel. He knew that his fall was inevitable and in chapter 31, 1-13 he took his own life, accepting God's will.