1 Samuel 31:8-13

8 The next day, when the Philistines came to rob the dead, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa.

9 They cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. Then they spread the good news all through Philistine country in the shrines of their idols and among the people.

10 They displayed his armor in the shrine of the Ashtoreth. They nailed his corpse to the wall at Beth Shan.

11 The people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul.

12 Their valiant men sprang into action. They traveled all night, took the corpses of Saul and his three sons from the wall at Beth Shan, and carried them back to Jabesh and burned off the flesh.

13 They then buried the bones under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted in mourning for seven days.

1 Samuel 31:8-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 31

This chapter gives an account of the battle between the Philistines and the Israelites, which had been preparing for, and the issue of it; in which Saul, his three sons, and his servants, were slain, upon which his army fled, and several of his cities were taken, 1Sa 31:1-7; what the Philistines did with his body and his armour, 1Sa 31:8-10; the former of which, together with the bodies of his sons, the men of Jabeshgilead rescued, and burnt them, and buried their bones under a tree at Jabesh, expressing great sorrow and concern, 1Sa 31:11-13.