1 Samuel 31:9
ESV
So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people.
NIV
They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people.
NASB
They cut off his head and stripped off his weapons, and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to bring the good news to the house of their idols and to the people.
CSB
They cut off Saul’s head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news in the temples of their idols and among the people.
NLT
So they cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his armor. Then they proclaimed the good news of Saul’s death in their pagan temple and to the people throughout the land of Philistia.
KJV
And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.
NKJV
And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent word throughout the land of the Philistines, to proclaim it in the temple of their idols and among the people.
What does 1 Samuel 31:9 mean?
Saul knew the Israelites couldn't beat the combined armies of the Philistines (1 Samuel 28:5). And he knew he and his sons would not survive the battle (1 Samuel 28:19). When Philistine archers pierced him with their arrows, he ordered his armor-bearer to finish him off. His loyal servant refused to kill his king, so Saul fell on his sword (1 Samuel 31:3–4).By taking his own life in the battle, Saul has avoided the torture and humiliation often carried out against defeated kings. But his body will still be desecrated in celebration of the Philistine victory over the Israelites. The Philistines who find Saul's corpse cut off his head and strip off his royal armor. Both will serve as proof of Saul's death and trophies of the Philistine victory.
Nearly all wars in the ancient Near East were thought of as holy wars. The ultimate battle was understood to take place between the gods of one nation and the gods of the other. The celebration that begins when the Philistines discover the slain body of King Saul is a religious one. They send the "good news" of Saul's death throughout the kingdom, including to the temples of their idols who were thought to have won the victory over the Lord of Israel.
They don't know that the God of Israel orchestrated the defeat of Saul and his army. Now, David the Goliath-slayer, who killed his "ten thousands" of Philistines (1 Samuel 18:7), will be king.
