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In 1 Samuel, we read that God changed or gave Saul a new heart when he was anointed as the first king of Israel. It's a strange phrase that brings to mind the kind of thing we would expect in the new Kingdom age--empowered by the spirit of Jesus. The phrase has stuck in my mind, and I wanted to see if there were any other references to God changing or giving someone a new heart in the Hebrew Bible or New Testament.

The search

1 Samuel 10:9 (LEB), "Just as he turned his shoulder to depart from Samuel, God changed his heart" or more literally, "gave for him another heart"

The variants all stay pretty close together:

  • HCSB - God gave him another heart
  • NIV - God changed Saul’s heart
  • ESV - God gave him another heart

The search term new heart only kicks up a few relevant hits--all from Ezekiel, probably in a broad chiasm:

  • Ezekiel 11:19 "I will give to them one heart and a new spirit"1
  • Ezekiel 18:31 "make for yourselves a new heart and new spirit"
  • Ezekiel 36:26 "I will give a new heart to you, and a new spirit"

Interesting that it says to make one for yourself sandwiched between two promises from God to give a new heart and spirit--though not immediately relevant.

The search term another heart only has the 1 Samuel 10 hit that is relevant.

The search term changed heart has one additional hit:

  • Exodus 14:5 - after the Israelites fled Egypt, "the heart of Pharaoh was changed" saying "what have we done" before they pursued them. We could dive into the plagues where Pharaoh's heart was hardened (by himself and also by God), but that is a different topic. In this instance, it's in the passive form--no one is attributed with the action, and I'm looking for anywhere else where God changes or gives someone a new heart in a positive sense.

A notable mention would also include Jeremiah 31:33, though not explicitly changing the heart but writing on it: "I will put my law in their inward parts and on their hearts I will write it, and I will be to them God, and they themselves will be to me people."

For such a significant theological concept, it is surprising that there are not more hits, and for such a strange and significant action, I'm shocked there aren't any direct parallels or allusions.

Commentaries

One of my favorites is Hamilton's Handbook on the Historical Books, but he doesn't have much to say about the new heart problem. He does note that Saul is the only Old Testament king who is called a prophet (v. 11b), and the only one who is said to prophesy (v. 11a).

Two things happen to Saul. First, God gives him another heart (v. 9), and then, as the spirit of God possesses him, Saul begins to engage in prophetic ecstasy (v. 10). One fundamental difference stands between these two. The heart change (v. 9) is permanent. “Saul puts off the Old Adam and becomes a new person” (Fokkelman 1993: 418). The ecstatic prophesying is temporary: “When his prophetic frenzy had ended, he went home” (v. 13). The form of the Hebrew verb used here (literally, “to experience prophetic ecstasy”) describes what happens physically and emotionally to an individual when seized by the irresistable spirit of God.
Saul is the only Old Testament king who is called a prophet (v. 11b), and the only one who is said to prophesy (v. 11a).2

Joyce Baldwin is a bit older, but her commentary has usually given me some nugget of insight. Unfortunately, she doesn't have much to say about the new heart problem either, other than to note that it is not a salvation issue, as Saul will later fall into disobedience.

Saul was all set to be obedient, and as he left Samuel God gave him another heart (lit. ‘turned to him’; cf. v. 6). A change took place in him because God was at work in him.3

Lastly, I found a (slightly) more recent commentary from Tyndale in my library, and it has a bit more to say about the new heart problem. I do like the distinction between a new heart in the Ezekiel sense vs equipping for a specific role sense.

As Saul left Samuel, God produced a change in Saul’s heart. Exactly what is meant by this expression is not further indicated. That it is not to be understood in soteriological terms of spiritual regeneration seems clear because of Saul’s later persistence in willful disobedience to the Lord. In this context, it would appear to be a reference to the Lord’s equipping Saul with the necessary disposition of mind and will to assume the responsibilities of kingship. 4

Unfortunately the Talmud is silent on this passage (from what I can find).

Conclusion

It is a bit surprising that there are not more references to God changing or giving someone a new heart in the Old Testament, especially in a positive sense. The only other direct reference is in Exodus 14:5, where Pharaoh's heart is changed (presumably hardened) after the Israelites flee Egypt. The other references to a new heart are in Ezekiel, where God promises to give a new heart and spirit to His people, but these are future promises rather than immediate actions. Until I find something else, it seems that this is a unique instance where God changes Saul's heart to prepare him for his role as king, equipping him with the necessary disposition of mind and will to assume the responsibilities of kingship--even though he will later reject that role through disobedience.

This one is going to keep bothering me until I find something else, but for now, that's all I've got.

  1. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Lexham English Bible ↩

  2. Victor P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Historical Books (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001), 236. ↩

  3. Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 8, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 98. ↩

  4. J. Robert Vannoy, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: 1-2 Samuel, vol. 4 (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 95. ↩