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1 Chronicles 10

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The Death of King Saul 1–7

1
Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. ​
2
And the Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. ​
3
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was distressed by reason of the archers.
4
Then said Saul unto his armor-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armor-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it. ​
5
And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died.
6
So Saul died, and his three sons; and all his house died together.
7
And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

The Philistines Desecrate Saul's Body 8–10

8
And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
9
And they stripped him, and took his head, and his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto their idols, and to the people.
10
And they put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon. ​

Jabesh-gilead Buries the Bodies 11–12

11
And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
12
all the valiant men arose, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days. ​

The Chronicler's Theological Summary 13–14

13
So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against Jehovah, because of the word of Jehovah, which he kept not; and also for that he asked counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire thereby, ​
14
and inquired not of Jehovah: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Chronicles 10

Verse 1

mount Gilboa — The verse repeats 1 Sam 31:1 in the same words. Saul had gathered all Israel and pitched in Gilboa (1 Sam 28:4), with the Philistines at Shunem. 'Slain' is chalal, pierced. David later cried, 'Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew' (2 Sam 1:21).

Verse 2

Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua — Three of the four sons named in 8:33 fall here. Eshbaal, the fourth, is not among them, and reappears as Ishbosheth in 2 Sam 2:8. 'Followed hard' is dabaq, to cling. Jonathan had made a covenant with David (1 Sam 18:3), who wrote, 'I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan' (2 Sam 1:26).

Verse 4

these uncircumcised — Arel, the word David used of Goliath, 'this uncircumcised Philistine' (1 Sam 17:26). Saul fears that they will 'abuse' him (alal). Abimelech asked his armourbearer for the same thing, 'Draw thy sword, and slay me' (Judg 9:54). The armourbearer here 'would not; for he was sore afraid'.

Verse 10

the temple of Dagon — The armour went to 'the house of their gods' and the head to Dagon's temple; the parallel in 1 Sam 31:10 names the house of Ashtaroth and says the body was fastened to the wall of Bethshan. Dagon was the god before whose image the ark was set at Ashdod, where he fell on his face (1 Sam 5:2–4).

Verse 12

all the valiant men — The men of Jabesh were those Nahash the Ammonite besieged (1 Sam 11:1) and Saul delivered (1 Sam 11:11, 13). Chayil, 'valiant', is a word for strength in war. David sent them word, 'Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul' (2 Sam 2:5).

Verse 13

died for his transgression — Maal is a breach of faith, here with its verb, 'which he committed', from the same root. 'The word of the LORD, which he kept not' recalls 1 Sam 13:13, 'thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD', and 1 Sam 15:23. The familiar spirit (ob) was forbidden in Lev 19:31; Saul went to the woman at Endor (1 Sam 28:7).

Verse 14

enquired not of the LORD — Darash, to seek out, a different word from the 'asking counsel' (sha'al) of v.13. Saul's own name, Shaul, comes from sha'al. 'Turned' the kingdom is sabab, to turn round, as in 12:23, 'to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD'; Samuel had said as much (1 Sam 13:14).