Cis
## Biblical Identity and Family Cis is the Greek transliteration (Κείς, Keis) of the Hebrew name Kish (קִישׁ). He is identified in the New Testament as the father of Saul (also called Paul in Acts 13:21), who became the first king of Israel. In the Old Testament narrative, Kish is described as a wealthy and influential Benjamite from Gibeah, "a man of standing" (1 Samuel 9:1). He was the son of Abiel and father of Saul and several other children, including Abinadab, Malki-Shua, and Jonathan (1 Samuel 14:49-51).
## Role in Saul's Rise to Kingship The story of Kish sets the stage for Saul's anointing. According to 1 Samuel 9, Saul's search for his father's lost donkeys led him to the prophet Samuel, whom God had already instructed to anoint Saul as king over Israel. This seemingly mundane domestic task—helping his father recover lost livestock—became the divinely orchestrated pathway to the throne. Kish's status as a respected Benjamite provided the social context from which Israel's first monarch could emerge.
## New Testament Reference The sole biblical use of the name "Cis" occurs in Acts 13:21, within the apostle Paul's sermon at Pisidian Antioch. Paul (whose Hebrew name was also Saul) recounts Israel's history, stating: "Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Cis, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years." This reference serves to anchor Saul's kingship within the broader salvation history that Paul is explaining, which culminates in Jesus as David's greater descendant.
## Historical and Cultural Context As a Benjamite landowner, Kish would have belonged to one of the smaller tribes of Israel, one still recovering from the near-annihilation described in Judges 19-21. His wealth, indicated by his ownership of donkeys and servants (1 Samuel 9:3), suggests he was part of the emerging agrarian aristocracy in the pre-monarchic period. The transition from judges to kings occurred during a time of Philistine pressure and internal tribal disunity, making the choice of a king from a smaller tribe potentially more acceptable to the broader tribal coalition.
## Legacy and Significance Though Cis/Kish himself plays a minor narrative role, his significance lies in his paternal relationship to Saul. He represents the ordinary family origins from which Israel's monarchy unexpectedly arose. His mention in Acts 13 connects the Old Testament narrative directly to the New Testament proclamation, showing how the early church understood Israel's history as preparation for the coming of Christ. The failure of Saul's dynasty (beginning with Kish's son) ultimately highlights God's faithfulness in establishing the Davidic line, from which Jesus would come.
Biblical Context
The name Cis appears only once in Scripture, in Acts 13:21, within Paul's historical summary of Israel's monarchy. The Hebrew equivalent, Kish, appears primarily in 1 Samuel 9-14, which details Saul's family background and rise to kingship. He is mentioned in genealogies in 1 Chronicles 8:33 and 9:39. Kish plays a narrative role as the father whose lost livestock providentially leads Saul to Samuel for anointing.
Theological Significance
Cis/Kish represents God's sovereign work through ordinary family structures and mundane circumstances to accomplish His purposes. The choice of a king from Kish's household demonstrates that God often selects unlikely candidates from humble origins to lead His people. Furthermore, the mention of Cis in Acts 13 shows how the New Testament authors saw Israel's history—including its failed monarchy beginning with Saul—as part of the unfolding story that finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the true and perfect king from David's line.
Historical Background
Extra-biblical sources provide no direct evidence about Kish, but archaeological and historical studies of the late Iron Age I period (approximately 11th century BCE) confirm the social structure implied in the biblical text. This was a time of emerging social stratification in the central hill country of Canaan, with wealthy landowners controlling agricultural resources. The tribe of Benjamin occupied a strategic but vulnerable position between the northern and southern Israelite tribes, which may explain why a Benjamite was chosen as a compromise candidate for kingship.