1 Samuel 31:11

11 When the people of Jabesh in Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

1 Samuel 31:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 31:11

And the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead
Who lived on the other side Jordan, about eight miles from Bethshan, according to Fuller ^F16:

heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;
not only that they had got the victory over him, and routed his army, but had abused his body, and hung it up by way of reproach and ignominy; which they could not bear to hear of, remembering with gratitude the kindness he had shown to them, in delivering them out of the hands of Nahash the Ammonite, ( 1 Samuel 11:1-13 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Pisgah-Sight of Palestine, b. 2. ch. 2. p. 82.

1 Samuel 31:11 In-Context

9 They cut off Saul's head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers with them throughout Philistia to tell the good news to their idols and to their people.

10 Then they put his weapons in the temple of the goddess Astarte, and they nailed his body to the wall of the city of Beth Shan.

11 When the people of Jabesh in Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

12 the bravest men started out and marched all night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall, brought them back to Jabesh, and burned them there.

13 Then they took the bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in town, and fasted for seven days.