1 Samuel 31:4-13

4 dixitque Saul ad armigerum suum evagina gladium tuum et percute me ne forte veniant incircumcisi isti et interficiant me inludentes mihi et noluit armiger eius fuerat enim nimio timore perterritus arripuit itaque Saul gladium et inruit super eum

5 quod cum vidisset armiger eius videlicet quod mortuus esset Saul inruit etiam ipse super gladium suum et mortuus est cum eo

6 mortuus est ergo Saul et tres filii eius et armiger illius et universi viri eius in die illa pariter

7 videntes autem viri Israhel qui erant trans vallem et trans Iordanem quod fugissent viri israhelitae et quod mortuus esset Saul et filii eius reliquerunt civitates suas et fugerunt veneruntque Philisthim et habitaverunt ibi

8 facta autem die altera venerunt Philisthim ut spoliarent interfectos et invenerunt Saul et tres filios eius iacentes in monte Gelboe

9 et praeciderunt caput Saul et expoliaverunt eum armis et miserunt in terram Philisthinorum per circuitum ut adnuntiaretur in templo idolorum et in populis

10 et posuerunt arma eius in templo Astharoth corpus vero eius suspenderunt in muro Bethsan

11 quod cum audissent habitatores Iabesgalaad quaecumque fecerant Philisthim Saul

12 surrexerunt omnes viri fortissimi et ambulaverunt tota nocte et tulerunt cadaver Saul et cadavera filiorum eius de muro Bethsan veneruntque Iabes et conbuserunt ea ibi

13 et tulerunt ossa eorum et sepelierunt in nemore Iabes et ieiunaverunt septem diebus

1 Samuel 31:4-13 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.