Kish (father of Saul)
기스 (사울의 아버지)
Named at 1 Samuel 9:1: “Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.” At 9:2 he has a son whose name is Saul, and at 9:3 the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, are lost, and Kish says to Saul his son, “Now take one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys.” At 10:11 and 10:21 Saul is called the son of Kish. Acts 13:21 names him in Paul’s words in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia, as the father of Saul: “Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.” The verse names him only to say whose son Saul was.
Direct relationships 4
Open in the full graphCollected relationship evidence
Source-backed narrative relations; not independent historical verification. Legacy dates and coordinates are outside this review.
Collection & rightsSource evidence (11)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- 1CH 8:33–40, engwebp
33Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
34The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal. Merib-baal became the father of Micah.
35The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.
36Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah. Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza.
37Moza became the father of Binea. Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.
38Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.
39The sons of Eshek his brother: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third.
40The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons, and grandsons, one hundred fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.
- 1CH 9:39–44, engwebp
39Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
40The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal. Merib-baal became the father of Micah.
41The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.
42Ahaz became the father of Jarah. Jarah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza.
43Moza became the father of Binea, Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.
44Azel had six sons, whose names are Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.
- 1CH 12:1–7, engwebp
1Now these are those who came to David to Ziklag while he was a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish. They were among the mighty men, his helpers in war.
2They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow. They were of Saul’s relatives of the tribe of Benjamin.
3The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite;
4Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader of the thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite;
5Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite;
6Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;
7and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
- 1CH 26:20–28, engwebp
20Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of God’s house and over the treasures of the dedicated things.
21The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of the fathers’ households belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli.
22The sons of Jehieli: Zetham, and Joel his brother, over the treasures of the LORD’s house.
23Of the Amramites, of the Izharites, of the Hebronites, of the Uzzielites:
24Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler over the treasuries.
25His brothers: of Eliezer, Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomoth his son.
26This Shelomoth and his brothers were over all the treasuries of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the heads of the fathers’ households, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the army, had dedicated.
27They dedicated some of the plunder won in battles to repair the LORD’s house.
28All that Samuel the seer, Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated, whoever had dedicated anything, it was under the hand of Shelomoth and of his brothers.
- 1SA 9:1–2, engwebp
1Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
2He had a son whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
- 1SA 9:3–5, engwebp
3The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, “Now take one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys.”
4He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they weren’t there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn’t find them.
5When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come! Let’s return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys and be anxious for us.”
- 1SA 10:9–13, engwebp
9It was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those signs happened that day.
10When they came there to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came mightily on him, and he prophesied among them.
11When all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said to one another, “What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
12One from the same place answered, “Who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
13When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.
- 1SA 10:20–24, engwebp
20So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen.
21He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families and the family of the Matrites was chosen. Then Saul the son of Kish was chosen; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.
22Therefore they asked of the LORD further, “Is there yet a man to come here?” The LORD answered, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”
23They ran and got him there. When he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.
24Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” All the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
- 1SA 14:49–51, engwebp
49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.
50The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.
51Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
- 2SA 21:10–14, engwebp
10Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water poured on them from the sky. She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night.
11David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.
12So David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them in the day that the Philistines killed Saul in Gilboa;
13and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son. They also gathered the bones of those who were hanged.
14They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father; and they performed all that the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer for the land.
- ACT 13:14–41, engwebp
14But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.
15After the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”
16Paul stood up, and gesturing with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.
17The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it.
18For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.
19When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance for about four hundred fifty years.
20After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
21Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
22When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
23From this man’s offspring, God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise,
24before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel.
25As John was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
26“Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.
27For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.
28Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
29When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
30But God raised him from the dead,
31and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people.
32We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,
33that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’
34“Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’
35Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’
36For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, was laid with his fathers, and saw decay.
37But he whom God raised up saw no decay.
38Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins;
39and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:
41‘Behold, you scoffers! Wonder and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.’”
AI-assisted, human review pending, 2026-09-26
Machine comparison on 2026-10-07: the wording raised none of the 3 rules against the passages this entry cites. No person has read it.
Unresolved interpretation: Kish and Shimei of Esther 2:5
- 1 Samuel 9:1–2 says, “Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. He had a son whose name was Saul”.
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- 1SA 9:1–2, engwebp
1Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
2He had a son whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
- 1SA 9:1–2, engwebp
- 2 Samuel 16:5 says, “When King David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of Saul’s house came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera.”
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- 2SA 16:5–14, engwebp
5When King David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of Saul’s house came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out and cursed as he came.
6He cast stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
7Shimei said when he cursed, “Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and wicked fellow!
8The LORD has returned on you all the blood of Saul’s house, in whose place you have reigned! The LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! Behold, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!”
9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head.”
10The king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”
11David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has invited him.
12It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me good for the cursing of me today.”
13So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and threw dust.
14The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary; and he refreshed himself there.
- 2SA 16:5–14, engwebp
- Esther 2:5 says, “There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite”. The Korean Revised Version makes Mordecai the Benjamite (저는 베냐민 자손이니) and gives the line from Kish down (기스의 증손이요 시므이의 손자요 야일의 아들이라).
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- EST 2:5–7, engwebp
5There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
6who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
- EST 2:5–7, engwebp
1 Samuel 9:1–2 names Kish, a man of Benjamin, the son of Abiel and the father of Saul, and 2 Samuel 16:5 names Shimei, the son of Gera, a man of the family of Saul’s house. Esther 2:5 names Jair, Shimei and Kish in the line of Mordecai: WEB makes Shimei the son of Kish, and the Korean Revised Version makes Mordecai of the children of Benjamin, the great-grandson of Kish and the grandson of Shimei. The names are the same, and 1 Samuel 9:1 and Esther 2:5 both name Benjamin, but the text gives the line of Esther 2:5 no further than Kish, and does not say whether the Kish and Shimei of Esther 2:5 are Kish the father of Saul and Shimei the son of Gera. This collection records the Kish and Shimei of Esther 2:5 apart, and does not decide whether they are the same men.
Unresolved interpretation: Ner and Kish of 1 Chronicles 8:33 and 9:39
- 1 Chronicles 8:33 says, “Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul.” 9:35–36 says, “Jeiel the father of Gibeon, whose wife’s name was Maacah, lived in Gibeon. His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,”; and 9:39, “Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul.”
Source evidence (3)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- 1CH 8:33–40, engwebp
33Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
34The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal. Merib-baal became the father of Micah.
35The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.
36Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah. Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza.
37Moza became the father of Binea. Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.
38Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.
39The sons of Eshek his brother: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third.
40The sons of Ulam were mighty men of valor, archers, and had many sons, and grandsons, one hundred fifty. All these were of the sons of Benjamin.
- 1CH 9:35–38, engwebp
35Jeiel the father of Gibeon, whose wife’s name was Maacah, lived in Gibeon.
36His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,
37Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.
38Mikloth became the father of Shimeam. They also lived with their relatives in Jerusalem, near their relatives.
- 1CH 9:39–44, engwebp
39Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
40The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal. Merib-baal became the father of Micah.
41The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.
42Ahaz became the father of Jarah. Jarah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza.
43Moza became the father of Binea, Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.
44Azel had six sons, whose names are Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.
- 1CH 8:33–40, engwebp
- 1 Samuel 9:1 says, “Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel”, and 14:51, “Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.”
Source evidence (2)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- 1SA 9:1–2, engwebp
1Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
2He had a son whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
- 1SA 14:49–51, engwebp
49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.
50The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.
51Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
- 1SA 9:1–2, engwebp
1 Chronicles 8:33 and 9:39 say that Ner became the father of Kish and Kish the father of Saul, and 9:35–36 name Kish and Ner among the sons of Jeiel the father of Gibeon. 1 Samuel 9:1 names Kish the son of Abiel, and 14:51 says, “Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.” The text does not say whether the Ner of 1 Chronicles is Ner the father of Abner, whether the Kish and Ner of 9:36 are the Ner and Kish of 9:39, or how the fathers it gives Kish stand together. This collection holds the Kish who became the father of Saul as one entry (9:39), holds Abiel as the father of Kish and of Ner by 1 Samuel 9:1 and 14:51, and records the Ner of 1 Chronicles as a name of its lists, linked to no entry, with no relation written between Ner and Kish. It decides nothing.
All 4 relationships: AI-assisted, human review pending
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Kish (father of Saul) — Father of — Saul (son of Kish)
Evidence: 1 Chronicles 8:33–40, 1 Chronicles 9:39–44, 1 Chronicles 12:1–7, 1 Chronicles 26:20–28, 1 Samuel 9:1–2, 1 Samuel 14:49–51, 2 Samuel 21:10–14, Acts 13:14–41
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Abiel — Father of — Kish (father of Saul)
Evidence: 1 Samuel 9:1–2
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Took part in (2) — Kish, a man of Benjamin, and his son Saul, Saul goes with a servant to look for the lost donkeys of Kish
A relationship with an event rests on the passages the event cites: each event’s page has them.
Verses tagged with this entry
Names in the World English Bible text that carry this entry’s tag. They are carried over from the tags on the Korean Revised Version, which are matched by name inside chapters that already have collected evidence, and a verse where the English says “he” carries none. All await human review. They are a separate list from the source passages above. An empty list does not mean the entry is absent from the text.
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, “Now take one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys.”
When all who knew him before saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said to one another, “What is this that has come to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”
He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by their families and the family of the Matrites was chosen. Then Saul the son of Kish was chosen; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.
Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father; and they performed all that the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer for the land.
Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
Now these are those who came to David to Ziklag while he was a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish. They were among the mighty men, his helpers in war.
All that Samuel the seer, Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated, whoever had dedicated anything, it was under the hand of Shelomoth and of his brothers.
Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
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[Bibliadatum entry report] Entry: Kish (father of Saul) (person-kish) Address: https://bibliadatum.org/en/wiki/person/kish Current wording: Named at 1 Samuel 9:1: “Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.” At 9:2 he has a son whose name is Saul, and at 9:3 the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, are lost, and Kish says to Saul his son, “Now take one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys.” At 10:11 and 10:21 Saul is called the son of Kish. Acts 13:21 names him in Paul’s words in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia, as the father of Saul: “Afterward they asked for a king, and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.” The verse names him only to say whose son Saul was. Cited evidence: 1CH 8:33–40, engwebp / 1CH 9:39–44, engwebp / 1CH 12:1–7, engwebp / 1CH 26:20–28, engwebp / 1SA 9:1–2, engwebp / 1SA 9:3–5, engwebp / 1SA 10:9–13, engwebp / 1SA 10:20–24, engwebp (and 3 more of 11) Review state: ai-assisted / human-review-pending What looks wrong: (not written yet) --- This collection records what the text says and does not settle interpretation. A report about a reading that divides opinion may be registered as an unresolved issue rather than corrected.