1 Chronicles10
New International Version
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa.
2 The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua.
3 The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him.
4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.” But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
5 When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died.
6 So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together.
7 When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.
8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
9 They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news among their idols and their people.
10 They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon.
11 When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 all their valiant men went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.
13 Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance,
14 and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.
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1 Chronicles 10Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 1 Chronicles 10. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The death of Saul. (1-14).
vv1-14
The design chiefly in view in these books of the Chronicles, appears to be to preserve the records of the house of David. Therefore the writer repeats not the history of Saul's reign, but only of his death, by which a way was made for David to the throne. And from the ruin of Saul, we may learn, 1. That the sin of sinners will certainly find them out, sooner or later; Saul died for his transgression. 2. That no man's greatness can exempt him from the judgments of God. 3. Disobedience is a killing thing. Saul died for not keeping the word of the Lord. May be delivered from unbelief, impatience, and despair. By waiting on the Lord we shall obtain a kingdom that cannot be moved.
Key Words
פְּלִשְׁתִּי: a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth
לָחַם: to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle (as destruction)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
נוּס: to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver)
פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
נָפַל: to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)
חָלָל: pierced (especially to death); figuratively, polluted
הַר: a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
גִּלְבֹּעַ: Gilboa, a mountain of Palestine
Cross References
1 Chronicles 10The direct parallel narrative of the battle of Gilboa, almost word-for-word identical.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The historical account of Saul consulting the medium at Endor, which prompted his judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Saul's disobedience in sparing Agag and the Amalekite spoil, referenced as his fatal transgression.
Supported by JFB
The Mosaic prohibition against consulting mediums and familiar spirits which Saul violated.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Shows Saul inquired of God superficially, but not in spirit, leading to silence and judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Fulfillment of Samuel's prophecy that God had torn the kingdom from Saul to give it to David.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Clarifies that the Philistines fastened Saul's headless body to the wall of Beth-shan.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explains Jabesh-gilead's gratitude to Saul, whom he had rescued from Nahash the Ammonite.
Historical precedent of Abimelech ordering his armor-bearer to kill him to avoid disgrace.
The turning of Saul's kingdom to David according to the word of the Lord.