CHAPTER 10

(1056 B.C.)

THE DEATH OF SAUL AND HIS SONS

¹Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down killed in Mount Gilboa. (The Holy Spirit, in the last ten Verses of the Ninth Chapter, recites the pedigree of King Saul, and then, in Chapter 10, repeats the circumstances of that monarchs death, which thus presents an introduction to the kingdom of David.)

²And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. (These were the ones who accompanied him into the battle. There were other sons who stayed at home, and did not die. The Holy Spirit places Jonathans name first. Of all of these, Jonathan was the only one who was godly, at least that is known.)

³And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.

⁴Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. (He committed suicide! He started so well, and concluded so poorly. He failed to defeat the enemies within, which were self-will, jealousy, and pride; therefore, the enemy without, the Philistines, ultimately defeated him. This should be a lesson to us!)

⁵And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.

⁶So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.

⁷And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. (That which the Lord gave to Israel is now occupied by the Philistines. It is the same with us presently. Satan desires to inhabit that which God has given us; therefore, the battle ever rages, with the enemy trying to mar our inheritance.)

⁸And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in Mount Gilboa. (The evidence is obvious that Satan wants the last drop of blood. There can be no compromise with the evil one. We destroy him or he destroys us.)

⁹And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people. (It was customary to take the heads of conquered kings and make sport with them in the houses of the gods, and in the cities of their own people. But this was a tragedy, because these were Gods people who were being so maltreated.)

¹⁰And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon (thereby giving their gods credit for this victory).

¹¹And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,

¹²They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days. (I Sam., Chpt. 31 records the fact of Sauls death. I Chron., Chpt. 10 records the reason. Men could see the outward historic event, but only the Spirit of God could reveal the cause of this event. The next Verse tells us the cause.)

¹³So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the Word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;

¹⁴And enquired not of the LORD: therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. (In fact, Saul did enquire of the Lord [I Sam. 28:6]; however, it was an enquiry with no thought in mind of truly repenting. Had Saul truly repented at that time, the Lord definitely would have heard him and helped him. But man seems determined to insist upon his stubbornness and rebellion, even to his own death.)