1 Samuel 31:7

7 When the Israelites on the other side of the Jezreel Valley and beyond the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. So the Philistines moved in and occupied their towns.

1 Samuel 31:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 31:7

And which the men of Israel that [were] on the other side of
the valley
The valley of Jezreel; of which (See Gill on Hosea 1:5);

and [they] that [were] on the other side Jordan;
or rather "on that side"; for the phrase will bear to be rendered either way, and so may mean that side of Jordan on which the battle was fought; for as for the other side, or that beyond it, the Israelites there could not be in such fear of the Philistines, nor do we ever read of their inhabiting any cities there; though as the phrase is used of the valley, as well as of the river, it may be rendered "about the valley, [and] about Jordan" ^F7, and so describes such that dwelt near to each of them:

saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead;
that is, had information and intelligence of those facts, for it is not to be supposed they saw them with their eyes:

they forsook, the cities, and fled;
fearing they should be put to the sword, or carried captive:

and the Philistines came and dwelt them;
having nothing more to do than to come and take possession.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (Ndryh rbeb-qmeh rbeb) "circa convellem illiam--circa Jordanem", Junius & Tremellius, Picator; so Noldius, p. 295. No. 936.

1 Samuel 31:7 In-Context

5 When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he fell on his own sword and died beside the king.

6 So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.

7 When the Israelites on the other side of the Jezreel Valley and beyond the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. So the Philistines moved in and occupied their towns.

8 The next day, when the Philistines went out to strip the dead, they found the bodies of Saul and his three sons on Mount Gilboa.

9 So they cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his armor. Then they proclaimed the good news of Saul’s death in their pagan temple and to the people throughout the land of Philistia.