1 Sam 31:1-13 · Read 7 min · think and write 15 min
After the last lesson, the LORD told Saul to go against the Amalekites, and he did not do as he was told. Samuel said to him: “you have rejected the LORD’s word, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel” (1 Sam 15:26). These events are in Samuel, Lesson 5.
“Now the LORD’s Spirit departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him” (1 Sam 16:14). His servants found David the son of Jesse to play the harp for him: “When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him” (1 Sam 16:23). Later David killed Goliath, and the women sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Sam 18:7); “Saul watched David from that day and forward” (1 Sam 18:9). These events are in David, Lessons 2 and 3. David fled, and Saul pursued him. Once Saul fell into David’s hands and David did not kill him; Saul said, “You are more righteous than I” (1 Sam 24:17) — see David, Lesson 4. Another time Saul said: “I have sinned. Return, my son David … Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly” (1 Sam 26:21), and: “You are blessed, my son David” (1 Sam 26:25).
“Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had sent away those who had familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land” (1 Sam 28:3). The Philistines gathered against Israel; “When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly” (1 Sam 28:5). “When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD didn’t answer him by dreams, by Urim, or by prophets” (1 Sam 28:6). He told his servants, “Seek for me a woman who has a familiar spirit” (1 Sam 28:7), disguised himself, and went by night to the woman at Endor (1 Sam 28:8). Among the things he heard there was this: “tomorrow you and your sons will be with me” (1 Sam 28:19). “Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth” (1 Sam 28:20).
This lesson reads what happened the next day on Mount Gilboa.
1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.
2The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.
4Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and abuse me!” But his armor bearer would not, for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.
5When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.
6So Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men that same day together.
7When 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 abandoned the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.
8On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
9They cut off his head, stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to carry the news to the house of their idols and to the people.
10They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.
11When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
12all the valiant men arose, 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 burned them there.
13They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
Gilboa. “Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa” (v. 1). “The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul” (v. 2).
That same day together. “The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him” (v. 3). “Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it” (v. 4). “So Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men that same day together” (v. 6).
The wall of Beth Shan. “On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa” (v. 8). “They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan” (v. 10).
All night. “When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men arose, 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 burned them there” (vv. 11–12). This is the Jabesh Gilead that Saul rescued in Lesson 2 (1 Sam 11:11).
Seven days. “They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days” (v. 13).
David’s lament. “David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son” (2 Sam 1:17). The song says: “Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!” (2 Sam 1:19); “Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided” (2 Sam 1:23).
Kindness to your lord. David was told, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul” (2 Sam 2:4). “David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, ‘Blessed are you by the LORD, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him’” (2 Sam 2:5).
Many years later, David “took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead” (2 Sam 21:12), and “They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father” (2 Sam 21:14).
Readers can see this: at the start of Lesson 1, Saul went out to look for the donkeys of Kish his father (1 Sam 9:3); at the last, he was buried in the tomb of Kish.
Perhaps there is someone near you whom people have mostly forgotten; or when they are mentioned, people remember only what was bad. Perhaps you are afraid of being remembered that way yourself.
This lesson does not pass a verdict on Saul’s life, nor does it say what kind of life counts as a good one. What it shows you is this: the valiant men of Jabesh “went all night” (v. 12) and brought his body back to bury it; and David said to them: “Blessed are you by the LORD, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him” (2 Sam 2:5); “Now may the LORD show loving kindness and truth to you” (2 Sam 2:6).
This week: Think of someone people have mostly forgotten, or remember only for what was bad. This week, do one small kindness for them: a phone call, a visit, or a word of greeting.
Scripture: World English Bible.