1 Samuel 31

1 Samuel 31:1

IV. SAUL’S DEATH (Chap. 31)31:1-6 Whereas David enjoyed success in battle, Saul met defeat. The Israelites were pushed back and the king’s three sons were slain. Saul himself was severely wounded by the archers. As he lay dying on Mount Gilboa, he begged his armorbearer to kill him, lest the Philistines find him alive and abuse him. But the man was . . . afraid to strike the king, so Saul took his own life, falling on . . . a sword. Shortly thereafter, his armorbearer did the same. 31:7-13 Israel now became totally demoralized, and they retreated before the invading army. When the Philistines came to strip the dead and found Saul and his three sons among the fallen, they cut off Saul’s head and sent word throughout their land. His body and the bodies of his sons were taken to Beth Shan and hung on the city’s wall. When the men of Jabesh Gilead heard of this, they marched the ten miles to recover the bodies. The remains were given a proper burial under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh. These men had not forgotten how Saul had saved them from the Ammonites in his first major battle as king (chap. 11).

Cremation was not generally practiced in Israel. Perhaps it was used here because the bodies had been so mutilated. Also, it would prevent the Philistines from the possibility of ever dishonoring the bodies still further. God’s judgment on Saul was now complete (see notes on 1 Chron. 10). Many times Saul had tried to arrange for David to be killed by the Philistines, but he himself was the one to eventually fall before them. David received the throne as appointed by God. Saul received the just recompense of his deeds, according to the justice of the Lord to which David often committed him.