1 Samuel 31

This is the final chapter of 1 Samuel. It tells how the war between the Philistines and Israel, which began in 1 Samuel 28 and 1 Samuel 29, came to an end. The events are set at about the same time as David's attack on the Amalekites in the preceding chapter, 1 Samuel 30.

Outline

• Verses 1–6 The Philistines strike Israel, and many Israelites fall on Mount Gilboa; Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua are also killed. Saul, gravely wounded by archers, asks his armorbearer to run him through. When the armorbearer refuses, Saul falls on his own sword and dies, and the armorbearer dies with him.
• Verse 7 The Israelites on the other side of the valley and beyond the Jordan abandon their cities and flee, and the Philistines come and dwell in them.
• Verses 8–10 The next day the Philistines cut off Saul's head, strip off his armor, and send news of the victory throughout their land. They place his armor in the house of Ashtaroth and fasten his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
• Verses 11–13 The valiant men of Jabesh-gilead travel all night and retrieve the bodies of Saul and his sons. At Jabesh they burn the bodies, bury the bones under the tamarisk tree, and fast seven days.

Key Verses

• 1 Samuel 31:4 "lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me" — Saul's last words. They show that he chose death to avoid being abused by the Gentiles.
• 1 Samuel 31:6 "So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together." — This verse summarizes how the reign of Israel's first king ended in a single day.
• 1 Samuel 31:13 "And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days." — The book closes with the loyalty of the men of Jabesh, whom Saul had once delivered.

People and Places

• Saul: the first king of Israel.
• Jonathan: Saul's eldest son and David's friend.
• Abinadab and Malchishua: sons of Saul. This Abinadab is distinct from Abinadab the son of Jesse and from the Abinadab in whose house the ark of the covenant was kept.
• The armorbearer: the attendant who carried Saul's weapons and accompanied him.
• Mount Gilboa: a mountain southeast of the Jezreel Valley and the site of the battle.
• Beth-shan: a city in the Jordan Valley, where the Philistines hung Saul's body on the city wall.
• The house of Ashtaroth: a shrine dedicated to the Canaanite goddess Ashtaroth.
• Jabesh-gilead: a city east of the Jordan River, which Saul had rescued from the Ammonites in 1 Samuel 11.

Points for Reflection

• A different account of Saul's death: In 2 Samuel 1, a young Amalekite tells David that he killed Saul. Many commentators regard this claim as a lie told in hope of a reward. Some interpreters harmonize the two accounts by suggesting that Saul was still breathing after falling on his sword.
• The parallel account in Chronicles: 1 Chronicles 10 reports the same event and states that Saul's head was fastened in the temple of Dagon. It also explains that Saul died because he transgressed against the LORD and consulted a medium (1 Chronicles 10:13–14). First Samuel 31 itself contains no such assessment.
• Saul's suicide: This passage is frequently cited in discussions of suicide in Christian ethics. The text, however, neither commends nor condemns Saul's action; it simply records what happened.
• The burning of the bodies: Burning corpses was not a common burial practice in Israel, and interpretations of the reason therefore differ. Some hold that the bodies had been mutilated, while others suggest that the purpose was to prevent further desecration. David later moved these bones to the tomb of Kish in the land of Benjamin (2 Samuel 21).
• The statement that "all his men" died: Verse 6 says that all of Saul's men died, yet Saul's son Ish-bosheth survived and became king in 2 Samuel 2.
• Connection to the New Testament: In his sermon in Acts 13, Paul summarizes this history, saying that God gave Israel Saul as king, then removed him and raised up David (Acts 13:21–22).

In the Korean Church

In sermons on obedience and disobedience, Saul's death is often cited as the closing scene of his life. The actions of the men of Jabesh are preached as an example of remembering grace received.