223 Saul’s Demise thereof ; and she brought it before Saul, and before his servants ; and they ate . Then they rose up ; and went away that night” ( vs . 24 – 25 ) . In view of the economy of description typical of biblical dramatic narratives, the scene is of surprising length . The attentive reader must wonder why the narrator provides such an extensive account in the last scene of this episode . What is the purpose of describing Saul’s tenacious refusal to eat, the persistent persuasion used by the woman with the assistance of the servants, her haste to slaughter her only fat - ted calf, her preparations, and the eventual enjoyment of a good meal served by the woman before the guests return to the Israelite camp . What is the nature and significance of Saul’s fast ? What lies behind the different views of eating taken by the two sides ? Why does the author toil to present such a detailed but insignificant description embedded in such a dramatic context of Saul’s last night ? These q...
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