1 Samuel 31

The Israelites are smitten of the Philisties v. 1. & c. Also Saul’s sons are slain, 2. Saul is wounded, 3. He falleth upon his own sword 4. So doth likewise his armour bearer, 5. Saul dieth, his three sons, his armour-bearer, and his people perish, 6. The rest flee, for saking the cities, 7. The Philistines cut off Saul’s head, 8. And they put his Armour in the house of Astareth, and hang his body on the wall at Bethsan, 10. Those of Jabes take down the bodies of Saul, and his sons, and burn them, 12. And bury their bones, 13.

1. The Philistines then fought against Israel, [Here the Pen-man of this Book returneth to the History, which he had ;left in the 29. chapter To relate in the interim what David had done the mean while against the Amalekites, who in his absence had plundered and burnt Ziklag. This chapter agreeth almost word for word with 1 Chronicles 10] and the men of Israel fled before the face of Philistines, and fell (down) smitten. [Heb. Properly thrust through] on mount Jilboa,

2. And the Philistines close upon Saul, and his sons, and the Philistines smote Jonathan, and Abinadab, [1 Sam. 14 49.] He is called Ischai] and Malchi-Sua, Saul’s sons.

3. And the battle grew heavy against Saul , and the archers hit him, [Heb. Found him] and he was sore afraid of the archers. [oth. He was sore wounded of the archers.[

4. Then said Saul to his armour-bearer: Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest peradventure those uncircumcised come, and thrust me through, and make a laughing-stock of me: [viz. When having taken me captive, they should offer meal shame and disgrace, and at last put me to a shameful and ignominious death. The Philistines being not able to get Saul alive, offered great abuse and disgrace to his dead body, Below v. 10.] but his armour-bearer would not, for he was sore afraid: then Saul took the sword, and fell upon it. [i.e. he stabbed himself: so also v. 5.]

5. When his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead: then he also fell upon his sword, and died with him.

6. Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, and all his men that same day together. [Understand the greatest part of his Courtiers, and of his household, as also the generality or major part of the camp, though of both sorts some escaped. Compare 1 Chronicles 10. On vers. 6.]

7. When the men of Israel that were on this side of the valley, [understand here the valley, or the low grounds of the Jizreel] and that were on this side of Jordan, saw that the men of Israel were fled, and that Saul et his sons were dead: then they forsook the cities, and they fled: then came the Philistines, and dwelt in them. [see above chapter 27. 6.]

8. Now it came to pass the next day [viz. After the battle] when the Philistines came to plunder that slain, then they found Saul and his three sons, lying on mount Gilboa.

9. And they cut off his head, and they stripped off his armour, and they sent them [viz. Sauls head and armour] into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish [viz. Their victory] in the house of their Idols. [The Hebrew word signifieth properly griefs, pains, and terrors. Thus are the Idols called, because they cause God to punish the Worshippers thereof with sorrow, pain, and terror] and among the people.

10. And they put his armour in the house of Asthareth. [See Judges 2:13. In the annotate.] and they fastened his body to the wall, [viz. In the street which was by the city wall, as may be gathered from 2 Sam. 21. 12.] at Beth-Sam. [oth. Called Beth-Sean, Joshua 17:11. & Judges 1:27. This city lay in the tribe of Manasseh, Joshua 17:11. Which at this time was possessed by the Philistines.]

11. When the inhabitants of Jabes in Gilead heard thereof, what the Philistines had done to Saul:

12. Then all the warlike men gat up, and went all night, and they took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the walk at Beth-san, and they came to Jabes, and burnt them there. [Forasmuch as these bodies had been certain days unburied, and had hung in the Sun, without all doubt they were become putrified and stinking, so that they could not be kept or preserved with Balsams, therefore they burnt the flesh, and buried the bones.]

13. And they took their bones, and buried them under the tree [See 1 Chronicles 10:12.] at Jabes: and they fasted seven days. [Understand daily until the evening. See 1 Chronicles 10. On v. 12. Thus testifying their grief for Saul and his sons.]