1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul's sons.
3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.
4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.
7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.
10 And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.
11 And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;
12 All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
13 And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
1 Now the Philistines H6430 fought H3898 against Israel: H3478 and the men H582 of Israel H3478 fled H5127 from before H6440 the Philistines, H6430 and fell down H5307 slain H2491 in mount H2022 Gilboa. H1533
2 And the Philistines H6430 followed hard H1692 upon Saul H7586 and upon his sons; H1121 and the Philistines H6430 slew H5221 Jonathan, H3083 and Abinadab, H41 and Malchishua, H4444 Saul's H7586 sons. H1121
3 And the battle H4421 went sore H3513 against Saul, H7586 and the archers H3384 H582 H7198 hit H4672 him; and he was sore H3966 wounded H2342 of the archers. H3384 H582 H7198
4 Then said H559 Saul H7586 unto his armourbearer, H5375 H3627 Draw H8025 thy sword, H2719 and thrust me through H1856 therewith; lest these uncircumcised H6189 come H935 and thrust me through, H1856 and abuse H5953 me. But his armourbearer H5375 H3627 would H14 not; for he was sore H3966 afraid. H3372 Therefore Saul H7586 took H3947 a sword, H2719 and fell H5307 upon it.
5 And when his armourbearer H5375 H3627 saw H7200 that Saul H7586 was dead, H4191 he fell H5307 likewise upon his sword, H2719 and died H4191 with him.
6 So Saul H7586 died, H4191 and his three H7969 sons, H1121 and his armourbearer, H5375 H3627 and all his men, H582 that same day H3117 together. H3162
7 And when the men H582 of Israel H3478 that were on the other side H5676 of the valley, H6010 and they that were on the other side H5676 Jordan, H3383 saw H7200 that the men H582 of Israel H3478 fled, H5127 and that Saul H7586 and his sons H1121 were dead, H4191 they forsook H5800 the cities, H5892 and fled; H5127 and the Philistines H6430 came H935 and dwelt H3427 in them.
8 And it came to pass on the morrow, H4283 when the Philistines H6430 came H935 to strip H6584 the slain, H2491 that they found H4672 Saul H7586 and his three H7969 sons H1121 fallen H5307 in mount H2022 Gilboa. H1533
9 And they cut off H3772 his head, H7218 and stripped off H6584 his armour, H3627 and sent H7971 into the land H776 of the Philistines H6430 round about, H5439 to publish H1319 it in the house H1004 of their idols, H6091 and among the people. H5971
10 And they put H7760 his armour H3627 in the house H1004 of Ashtaroth: H6252 H1045 and they fastened H8628 his body H1472 to the wall H2346 of Bethshan. H1052
11 And when the inhabitants H3427 of Jabeshgilead H3003 H1568 heard H8085 of that which the Philistines H6430 had done H6213 to Saul; H7586
12 All the valiant H2428 men H376 H381 arose, H6965 and went H3212 all night, H3915 and took H3947 the body H1472 of Saul H7586 and the bodies H1472 of his sons H1121 from the wall H2346 of Bethshan, H1052 and came H935 to Jabesh, H3003 and burnt H8313 them there.
13 And they took H3947 their bones, H6106 and buried H6912 them under a tree H815 at Jabesh, H3003 and fasted H6684 seven H7651 days. H3117
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.
4 Then said Saul to his armorbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
5 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.
6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armorbearer, and all his men, that same day together.
7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people.
10 And they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
11 And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
13 And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
1 And the Philistines are fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel flee from the face of the Philistines, and fall wounded in mount Gilboa,
2 and the Philistines follow Saul and his sons, and the Philistines smite Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, sons of Saul.
3 And the battle is hard against Saul, and the archers find him -- men with bow -- and he is pained greatly by the archers;
4 and Saul saith to the bearer of his weapons, `Draw thy sword, and pierce me with it, lest they come -- these uncircumcised -- and have pierced me, and rolled themselves on me;' and the bearer of his weapons hath not been willing, for he is greatly afraid, and Saul taketh the sword, and falleth upon it.
5 And the bearer of his weapons seeth that Saul `is' dead, and he falleth -- he also -- on his sword, and dieth with him;
6 and Saul dieth, and three of his sons, and the bearer of his weapons, also all his men, on that day together.
7 And they see -- the men of Israel, who `are' beyond the valley, and who `are' beyond the Jordan -- that the men of Israel have fled, and that Saul and his sons have died, and they forsake the cities and flee, and Philistines come in, and dwell in them.
8 And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that the Philistines come to strip the wounded, and they find Saul and his three sons fallen on mount Gilboa,
9 and they cut off his head, and strip off his weapons, and send into the land of the Philistines round about, to proclaim tidings `in' the house of their idols, and `among' the people;
10 and they place his weapons `in' the house of Ashtaroth, and his body they have fixed on the wall of Beth-Shan.
11 And they hear regarding it -- the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead -- that which the Philistines have done to Saul,
12 and all the men of valour arise, and go all the night, and take the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-Shan, and come in to Jabesh, and burn them there,
13 and they take their bones, and bury `them' under the tamarisk in Jabesh, and fast seven days.
1 And the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines smote Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.
3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers came up with him; and he was much terrified by the archers.
4 Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.
5 And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on his sword, and died with him.
6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, and all his men, that same day together.
7 And when the men of Israel that were on this side of the valley, and [they] that were on this side of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 And it came to pass the next day, that the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen on mount Gilboa.
9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent [them] into the land of the Philistines round about, to announce the glad tidings in the houses of their idols, and to the people.
10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
11 And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 all the valiant men arose and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burned them there.
13 And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.
2 The Philistines followed hard on Saul and on his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3 The battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.
4 Then said Saul to his armor bearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it.
5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.
6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, that same day together.
7 When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.
8 It happened on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
9 They cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the news to the house of their idols, and to the people.
10 They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
11 When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
13 They took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
1 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel: and the men of Israel went in flight before the Philistines, falling down wounded in Mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and they put to death Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.
3 And the fight was going badly for Saul, and the archers came across him, and he was wounded by the archers.
4 Then Saul said to the servant who had the care of his arms, Take out your sword and put it through me, before these men without circumcision come and make sport of me. But his servant, full of fear, would not do so. Then Saul took out his sword, and falling on it, put an end to himself.
5 And when his servant saw that Saul was dead, he did the same, and was united with him in death.
6 So death overtook Saul and his three sons and his servant on the same day.
7 And when the men of Israel across the valley and on the other side of Jordan saw that the army of Israel was in flight and that Saul and his sons were dead, they came out of their towns and went in flight; and the Philistines came and took them for themselves.
8 Now on the day after, when the Philistines came to take their goods from the dead, they saw Saul and his three sons dead on the earth in Mount Gilboa.
9 And cutting off his head and taking away his war-dress, they sent word into the land of the Philistines round about, to take the news to their gods and to the people.
10 His war-dress they put in the house of Astarte; and his body was fixed on the wall of Beth-shan.
11 And when the people of Jabesh-gilead had news of what the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 All the fighting men got up and, travelling all night, took Saul's body and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh and had them burned there.
13 And their bones they put in the earth under a tree in Jabesh; and for seven days they took no food.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 31
Commentary on 1 Samuel 31 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
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, 1 Samuel 31:1; what the Philistines did with his body and his armour, 1 Samuel 31:8; 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, 1 Samuel 31:11.
Now the Philistines fought against Israel,.... Being come to Jezreel where Israel pitched, 1 Samuel 29:1; they fell upon them, began the battle:
and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines; at the first onset, as it should seem:
and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa; which was near, and whither fleeing they were pursued and slain, at least great numbers of them.
And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul,.... Stuck to him, pushed him close, bore hard upon him in that part of the army where he was having a design upon his person:
and upon his sons; who were with him:
and the Philistines slew Jonathan; who is mentioned first, being the eldest son, and perhaps first slain; and this was so ordered by the providence of God, that David's way to the throne might be more clear and easy; for though Jonathan would not have opposed him himself, yet the people, fond of him, would, at least many of them, been for setting him on the throne; and though he would have refused it, knowing David was the Lord's anointed, and have made interest for him, this would have looked as if he had made him king, and not the Lord:
and Abinadab and Malchishua, Saul's sons; these also were slain; former of these is called Ishui, 1 Samuel 14:49; Ishbosheth either was not in the battle, being left at home, as unfit for war, or to take care of the kingdom; or else he fled with Abner, and others, and escaped, and who was to be a trial to David.
And the battle went sore against Saul,.... Pressed heavy upon him; he was the butt of the Philistines, they aimed at his person and life:
and the archers hit him; or "found him"F1וימצאהו "et inveserust cum", Pagninus, Montanus. ; the place where was, and directed their arrows at him:
and he was sore wounded of the archers; or rather "he was afraid" of them, as the Targum, for as yet he was not wounded; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, and is the sense Kimchi and Ben Melech give of the word: he was not afraid of death, as Abarbinel observes, he chose to die; but he was afraid he should be hit by the archers in such a way that he should not die immediately, and should be taken alive and ill used; the Philistines, especially the Cherethites, were famous for archery; See Gill on Zephaniah 2:5.
Then said Saul unto his armourbearer,.... Who, the JewsF2Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 77. B. say, was Doeg the Edomite, promoted to this office for slaying the priests:
draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; for if he was wounded, yet not mortally, and it is certain he did not so apprehend it. It is much the sword of the armourbearer should be sheathed in a battle; but perhaps he was preparing for flight, and so had put it up in its scabbard:
lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me; lest they should not dispatch him at once, but put him to a lingering and torturing death, and insult him, and mock at him, as they did Samson:
but his armourbearer would not, for he was sore afraid; to lay his hand on the king the Lord's anointed, to take away his life, being more scrupulous of doing that, if this was Doeg, than of slaying the priests of the Lord; or he might be afraid of doing this, since should he survive this action, he would be called to an account by the Israelites, and be put to death for killing the king:
therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it; or rather "the sword", the sword of his armourbearer, and so was a suicide: the Jews endeavour to excuse this fact of Saul, because he knew he should die in battle from the words of Samuel; and being pressed sore by the archers, he saw it was impossible to escape out of their hands and therefore judged it better to kill himself than to fall by the hands of the uncircumcised; but these excuses will not do. JosephusF3Antiqu. l. 6. c. 14. sect. 7. denies he killed himself; that though he attempted it, his sword would not pierce through him, and that he was killed by the Amalekite, and that that was a true account he gave to David in the following chapter; though it seems rather to be a lie, to curry favour with David, and that Saul did destroy himself.
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead,.... By his own hands, and not by the hands of the Amalekite, which the armour bearer would scarcely have suffered:
he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him; some think that Saul, and his armourbearer, died by the same sword, which was the armourbearer's; and if he was Doeg, they fell probably by the same sword with which the priests of the Lord were murdered at Nob, 1 Samuel 22:18; and it is observed by an historianF4Sucton. Vit. Caesar. c. 89. , that the murderers of Julius Caesar slew themselves with the same dagger they destroyed him.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer,.... Only with this difference, his three sons died honourably in the field of battle, but he and his armourbearer destroyed themselves. Josephus saysF5Antiqu. l. 6. c. 14. sect. 9. he reigned eighteen years in the life of Samuel, and after his death twenty two years, which make the forty years the apostle ascribes to him, Acts 13:21; EupolemusF6Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 3. p. 447. , an Heathen writer, makes him to reign twenty one years; but of the years of his reign, both before and after the death of Samuel, chronologers are not agreed, see 1 Samuel 25:1; and See Gill on Acts 13:21,
and all his men that same day together; not all the soldiers in his army; for many of them fled and escaped, and even Abner the general of the army, but his household servants, or those that were near his person, his bodyguards.
And which the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley,.... The valley of Jezreel; of which See Gill on Hosea 1:5,
and they that were on the other side Jordan; or rather "on that side"; for the phrase will bear to be rendered either way, and so may mean that side of Jordan on which the battle was fought; for as for the other side, or that beyond it, the Israelites there could not be in such fear of the Philistines, nor do we ever read of their inhabiting any cities there; though as the phrase is used of the valley, as well as of the river, it may be rendered "about the valley, and about Jordan"F7בעבר העמק־בעבר הירדן "circa convellem illiam--circa Jordanem", Junius & Tremellius, Picator; so Noldius, p. 295. No. 936. , and so describes such that dwelt near to each of them:
saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead; that is, had information and intelligence of those facts, for it is not to be supposed they saw them with their eyes:
they forsook, the cities, and fled; fearing they should be put to the sword, or carried captive:
and the Philistines came and dwelt them; having nothing more to do than to come and take possession.
And it came to pass on the morrow,.... The day after the battle, which perhaps was fought till night came on:
when the Philistines came to strip the slain; of their clothes, and take from them whatever was valuable, as their booty:
that they found Saul and his sons fallen in Mount Gilboa; to which they had betaken themselves, when the battle went against them in the valley; of which see 1 Samuel 28:4.
And they cut off his head,.... And fastened it in the temple of Dagon, 1 Chronicles 10:10; perhaps that which was at Ashdod, one of the principalities of the Philistines, 1 Samuel 5:1,
and stripped off his armour; or vesselsF8את כליו "vasa ejus", Munster, Montanus. , his clothes as well as his armour, and what he had about him; as for his crown on his head, and the bracelet on his arm, the Amalekite took them before the Philistines came, 2 Samuel 1:10,
and sent into the land of the Philistines round about: not his head and his armour, for they were placed in the temple of their idols; unless we can suppose these were first carried about for show, and as proofs of the victory: but rather messengers, who were sent express with the news:
to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people; that so they might be glad and rejoice, and give praise to their idols, to whom they ascribed the success they had.
And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth,.... A temple dedicated to their deities, called by this name; of which See Gill on Judges 2:13; Nothing was more common with the Gentiles than to place in their temples the arms they took from their enemies, as is strongly expressed by HomerF9 τευχεα συλησας, Iliad. 7. ver. 83. and VirgilF11"Multaque praeterea sacris in postibus arma", &c. Aeneid. 7. ver. 183. So Persius, Satyr. 6. ver. 45. ; and indeed the Jews did the same, as appears by the sword of Goliath being laid up in the tabernacle, 1 Samuel 21:9. Here also the HeathensF12Messal. Corvin. de August. Progen. hung up their own arms when the war was ended:
and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan; which JosephusF13Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 14.) l. 8. says is the same which in his time was called Scythopolis, from the Scythians that possessed it, before called Nysa, according to PlinyF14Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 18. Vid. Solin. Polyhistor. c. 49. : it was given to the tribe of Manasseh, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of it, so that it was always in the possession of others, Joshua 17:11; where it is called Bethshean; to the wall of the city they fastened the body of Saul with nails, as it is commonly understood; but it is more likely they hung it on a gibbet without, and near the walls of the city; so the Targum, they hung his body; or, as JosephusF15Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 14. l. 8.) , they crucified it there; and so they did also the bodies of his sons, as appears from 1 Samuel 31:12.
And the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead,.... Who lived on the other side Jordan, about eight miles from Bethshan, according to FullerF16Pisgah-Sight of Palestine, b. 2. ch. 2. p. 82. :
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.
All the valiant men arose,.... Of the city of Jabeshgilead, fired with indignation at the Philistines' ill usage of Saul and the bodies of his sons:
and went all night; not only for secrecy, but for haste:
and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh; brought them with them thither, the Philistines either having no knowledge of it, or not daring to oppose them:
and burnt them there: that is, the flesh of them, for the bones they buried, as in 1 Samuel 31:13; and this they did, contrary to the common usage of the country, which was not to burn; but this they did, that if the Philistines should come to recover them, they would not be able to do it: though the Targum is,
"they burnt over them, as they burn over their kings there;'they made a burning for them of spices over them; or of their beds, and other household goods, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe, though they prefer the other sense; see 2 Chronicles 16:14 perhaps the true reason might be, because they were putrid and infectious.
And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh,.... For though they burned the bodies, yet so as to preserve the bones; and these, together with the ashes of the parts burnt, they gathered up, and buried under a tree near this city; this tree is said to be an oak, 1 Chronicles 10:12; so Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah, was buried under an oak, Genesis 35:8. The Jews generally interred their dead under some oak, as aforementioned writer observesF17Pisgah-Sight of Palestine b. 2. ch. 2. p. 82. ; pleased perchance with the parallel, as he expresses it, that as these plants, seemingly dead in winter, have every spring an annual resurrection, so men's dry bones shall have new sap put into them at the day of judgment:
and fasted seven days; not that they ate and drank nothing all that time, but they fasted every day till evening, as the Jews used to do; so long it seems a man may live without eating, but not longer; See Gill on Exodus 24:18 and see Gill on 1 Kings 19:8; this they did, as Kimchi thinks, in memory of the seven days Nahash the Ammonite gave them for their relief, in which time Saul came and saved them, 1 Samuel 11:3.