"Saul, pr. name, indecl. I. Saul, king of Israel, Acts 13:21; II. The Apostle Paul, Acts 9:4, 17; 22:7, 13; 26:14*"
Definition and meaning
Saul, pr. name, indecl. I. Saul, king of Israel, Acts 13:21; II. The Apostle Paul, Acts 9:4, 17; 22:7, 13; 26:14*
In the original Greek the word is written: Σαούλ
Historical context
The Roman Empire provided infrastructure no previous civilization had built — roads, sea routes, a common language in Greek, and relative peace across the Mediterranean. Jewish synagogues existed in every major city, giving Paul a starting point everywhere he traveled. The early church had no buildings, no political power, no social standing — and spread faster than any movement in ancient history.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of saoul (G4549) across the King James Bible.
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
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Common questions
Strong's G4549 (saoul) is a Greek word that means: Saul, pr. name, indecl. I. Saul, king of Israel, Acts 13:21; II. The Apostle Paul, Acts 9:4, 17; 22:7, 13; 26:14* It appears 6 times in the King James Bible.
The word saoul (G4549) appears 6 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4549 is saoul, a Greek word defined as: Saul, pr. name, indecl. I. Saul, king of Israel, Acts 13:21; II. The Apostle Paul, Acts 9:4, 17; 22:7, 13; 26:14*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
saoul is a Greek word found in the New Testament.