By asking rather than declaring, the people express their profound astonishment at Saul’s transformation. The interrogative form captures the shock of witnessing someone known for secular pursuits suddenly caught up in ecstatic prophetic worship, emphasizing the radical nature of God’s transforming work.

This question of amazement became enshrined as a proverb throughout Israel, referenced again in 1 Samuel 19:24 when Saul prophesied a second time under very different circumstances, showing the saying’s enduring cultural resonance.

This question of astonishment became proverbial precisely because it captured Israel’s shock at an utterly unexpected transformation. Saul, known for searching lost donkeys rather than seeking prophetic visions, suddenly joined the ecstatic worship of established prophets. The Hebrew construction emphasizes ‘also Saul,’ highlighting the incongruity of this specific person in this spiritual activity. By preserving this as a question rather than a mere statement of fact, the proverb maintains the ongoing wonder at God’s sovereign work. The interrogative form keeps alive the theological tension between human expectation and divine surprise. This question’s endurance as a cultural saying reflects Israel’s recognition that God’s Spirit works beyond predictable patterns, transforming the unlikely into instruments of his purpose.