Contradiction with 1 Samuel 16:1
In 1 Samuel 9:18, Saul meets Samuel before becoming king, but in 1 Samuel 16:1, God instructs Samuel to anoint David as king, suggesting a shift in divine favor.
1 Samuel 16:1: And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
Contradiction with Hosea 13:11
1 Samuel 9:18 involves God facilitating a kingship for Saul, whereas Hosea 13:11 reflects God's regret over granting a king, highlighting the monarchy as a concession rather than a divine ideal.
Hosea 13:11: I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took [him] away in my wrath.
Contradiction with 1 Samuel 10:24
In 1 Samuel 9:18, Saul appears humble and unsure about becoming king, yet 1 Samuel 10:24 describes the people accepting Saul as king, indicating a contradiction in initial receptiveness and result.
1 Samuel 10:24: And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that [there is] none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king. [God...: Heb. Let the king live]
Contradiction with 1 Samuel 15:35
1 Samuel 9:18 features Saul beginning his journey to kingship, while in 1 Samuel 15:35, Samuel and God reject Saul as king, illustrating a change in divine and prophetic approval.
1 Samuel 15:35: And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Contradiction with 1 Samuel 12:12
1 Samuel 9:18 deals with Saul's rise to kingship as divinely orchestrated, contrasting with 1 Samuel 12:12, where the people's demand for a king is seen as a rejection of God as their ruler.
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.