1 Chronicles 10

1 Now the P'lishtim pressed their attack on Isra'el; and the men of Isra'el fled before the P'lishtim, leaving their dead on Mount Gilboa.
2 The P'lishtim pursued Sha'ul; overtook him and his sons; and the P'lishtim killed Y'honatan, Avinadav and Malkishua, the sons of Sha'ul.
3 The fighting went hard against Sha'ul; then the archers overtook and wounded him, so that he was in agony.
4 Sha'ul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through with it. Otherwise, these uncircumcised men will come and make sport of me." But his armor-bearer refused; he was too frightened. So Sha'ul took his sword and fell on it.
5 When his armor-bearer saw that Sha'ul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died.
6 Thus Sha'ul, his three sons and all his household died together.
7 When all the men of Isra'el who were in the valley saw them fleeing and that Sha'ul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled; then the P'lishtim came and lived in them.
8 The following day, when the P'lishtim came to strip the dead, they found Sha'ul and his sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa.
9 They stripped him, then took his head and his armor and sent them all over the territory of the P'lishtim to carry the news to their idols and to the people.
10 They put his armor in the temple of their gods and fastened his skull to the temple of Dagon.
11 When everyone in Yavesh-Gil'ad heard all that the P'lishtim had done to Sha'ul,
12 all their warriors set out, took away the body of Sha'ul and the bodies of his sons, brought them to Yavesh, buried their bones under the pistachio tree in Yavesh and fasted seven days.
13 So Sha'ul died for the transgression he committed against ADONAI, because of the word of ADONAI that he did not keep and because he sought the counsel of a spirit
14 instead of consulting ADONAI. Therefore ADONAI put him to death and turned the rulership over to David the son of Yishai.

1 Chronicles 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

The death of Saul.

- 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 10

This part, 1Ch 10:1-12 which gives an account of the last battle of Saul with the Philistines, and of his death and burial, is the same with 1Sa 31:1-13 see the notes there; the cause of his death follows in 1Ch 10:13.

1 Chronicles 10 Commentaries

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.