1 Chronicles 10

1 Chronicles 10:1

II. THE DEATH OF SAUL (Chap. 10)10:1-5 A parallel account of the death of Saul and his sons is found in 1Sa_31:1-13. C. H. Spurgeon comments on verse 5: While we earnestly condemn the self-destruction, we cannot but admire the faithfulness of the armour-bearerfaithful unto death. He would not survive his master. Shall this man live and die for Saul, and shall we betray our royal master, Jesus the Lord? 10:6-10 In connection with Saul’s death, several things should be noticed. “All his house died together” (v. 6) refers only to those who fought with Saul (1Sa_31:6). Saul had other sons not slain by the Philistines (vv. 13, 14; 2Sa_2:8; 2Sa_21:1-9). But even these did not finally escape the fate that overtook their father (2Sa_21:1-8). 10:11, 12 Upon hearing the news of Saul and his sons, the valiant men of Jabesh Gilead marched all night to retrieve their bodies from the Philistines and then buried their bones and fasted seven days. Earlier Saul had saved their city from Nahash the Ammonite (1 Sam. 11); these valiant men did not forget his kindness. 10:13, 14 These verses give two reasons for Saul’s death: He did not keep the word of the LORD (see 1 Sam. 13 and 15) and he consulted a medium (see 1 Sam. 28). This brief account of Saul clears the way for the history of David, God’s choice to rule over His people Israel.