1 Chronicles 10
The Death of Saul
1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.
2The Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was distressed by reason of the archers.
4Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.
5When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword and died.
6So Saul died with his three sons; and all his house died together.
7When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.
8On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
9They stripped him and took his head and his armor, then sent into the land of the Philistines all around to carry the news to their idols and to the people.
10They put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.
11When all Jabesh Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
12all 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.
13So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the LORD’s word, which he didn’t keep, and also because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire,
14and didn’t inquire of the LORD. Therefore he killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
1 Chronicles 10 recounts the tragic death of King Saul and his sons in battle against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa, marking the end of Saul's troubled reign. The Chronicler emphasizes that Saul's death was divine judgment for his disobedience to God's commands and his consultation with a medium rather than seeking the Lord's guidance. This chapter serves as a crucial transition, explaining why God removed Saul from the throne and transferred the kingdom to David.
Context
This chapter concludes the brief account of Saul's reign and sets the stage for David's rise to kingship, which dominates the remainder of 1 Chronicles.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-6Saul's Death in BattleIsrael's defeat by the Philistines results in the deaths of Saul and his three sons on Mount Gilboa.
- 7-10Philistine Victory and DesecrationThe Philistines occupy abandoned Israelite cities and dishonor Saul's body by displaying his armor and head in their temples.
- 11-12Honorable Burial by Jabesh GileadThe valiant men of Jabesh Gilead retrieve and properly bury the bodies of Saul and his sons.
- 13-14Divine Judgment ExplainedThe Chronicler interprets Saul's death as God's judgment for disobedience and failure to seek divine guidance.
The Death of Saul
10:1–10:14The account of Saul's death in battle against the Philistines, emphasizing that his death was divine judgment for his disobedience and failure to seek the Lord. The passage concludes with God transferring the kingdom to David.
person_contrast
While Saul appears in 74 biblical passages typically associated with royal authority and divine judgment, this account uniquely portrays him as the recipient of God's fatal judgment for consulting mediums rather than seeking the Lord.
1 Chronicles 10:1
1 Samuel 31:1lexicalNow the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain o…
1 Samuel 31:8lexicalOn the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa…
1 Samuel 4:10lexicalThe Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter; for th…
Judges 9:40lexicalAbimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many fell wounded, even to the entrance of the gate.
1 Samuel 19:8lexicalThere was war again. David went out and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter; and they fl…
1 Chronicles 10:2
1 Samuel 31:2lexicalThe Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of S…
1 Chronicles 8:33lexicalNer became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab,…
1 Chronicles 9:39lexicalNer became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab,…
1 Samuel 14:49lexicalNow the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of th…
1 Samuel 14:21lexicalNow the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before and who went up with them into the camp from all around, even they…
1 Chronicles 10:3
1 Samuel 31:3lexicalThe battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.
1 Chronicles 10:4
1 Samuel 31:4lexicalThen Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and t…
Judges 9:54lexicalThen he called hastily to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, that men not s…
Ezekiel 32:27lexicalThey will not lie with the mighty who are fallen of the uncircumcised, who have gone down to Sheol with their weapons of…
1 Samuel 28:20lexicalThen Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was terrified, because of Samuel’s words. There was no stre…
1 Samuel 31:5lexicalWhen his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.
1 Chronicles 10:5
1 Samuel 31:4lexicalThen Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and t…
1 Samuel 31:5lexicalWhen his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.
1 Chronicles 10:7
1 Samuel 31:7lexicalWhen the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men…
1 Samuel 17:19lexicalNow Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
1 Samuel 17:2lexicalSaul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array again…
1 Chronicles 10:8
1 Samuel 31:8lexicalOn the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa…
1 Samuel 31:1lexicalNow the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain o…
1 Samuel 29:3lexicalThen the princes of the Philistines said, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, “Is…
2 Samuel 21:12lexicalSo David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen…
1 Samuel 28:4lexicalThe Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem; and Saul gathered all Israel together, an…
1 Chronicles 10:9
1 Samuel 31:9lexicalThey cut off his head, stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to carry the news t…
1 Chronicles 10:11
1 Samuel 31:11lexicalWhen the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
2 Samuel 21:12lexicalSo David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen…
2 Samuel 2:5lexicalDavid sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by the LORD, that you have shown t…
2 Samuel 2:4lexicalThe men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh G…
1 Chronicles 10:12
1 Samuel 31:13lexicalThey took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
2 Samuel 21:12lexicalSo David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen…
2 Samuel 2:4lexicalThe men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh G…
2 Samuel 2:5lexicalDavid sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by the LORD, that you have shown t…
1 Samuel 31:12lexicalall the valiant men arose, went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Sh…
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