1 Chronicles 10 Footnotes

10:1 The Chronicler began with the final days of Saul’s life. Why? Because from the Chronicler’s point of view, Saul was simply an introduction to the ideal king, David. As Israel’s first king, Saul cannot be ignored, but his reign was a disaster politically and spiritually for Israel—a condition that David spent a good part of his reign trying to correct. The Chronicler’s source here was 1Sm 31, and he copied it nearly word for word.

10:4 “Uncircumcised men” referred to the Philistines.

10:13 Here is a clear statement of the Chronicler’s view of history. Saul’s death was the consequence of a failure of faith and a lack of obedience to God’s law. He consulted a medium (1Sm 28:8-25), an act which was forbidden in Dt 18:9-13.