1 Samuel 31 - Printer Friendly

What does 1 Samuel 31 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

As with most kings of the time, Saul's entire reign has been marked by war. The first recorded was against the Ammonites who had besieged Jabesh-gilead (1 Samuel 11). His most frequent opponent was the Philistines. Now, at the end, he faces the Philistines again. He has banished his greatest warrior (1 Samuel 20:42). He has seen the Philistine army before him, and he knows the strength of his men will fail (1 Samuel 28:5). God has abandoned him (1 Samuel 28:6). And he knows he and his sons will die in the battle (1 Samuel 28:19). And yet, he shows up, leading his army in a battle they cannot win.

The description of Saul's final battle with the Philistines is brief. The massive Philistine forces (1 Samuel 28:1) attack Israel's position near Mount Gilboa. The Israelites are overwhelmed while attempting to flee up the mountain. Saul's sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua are killed, and Saul is critically wounded by Philistine archers (1 Samuel 31:1–3).

Saul realizes his time has come. But he doesn't want the Philistines to end his life. They would humiliate him. He orders his armor-bearer to kill him. Like David so many times before (1 Samuel 24:4–7; 26:11), the man refuses; he will not kill his king. So, Saul falls on his own sword, killing himself. After the king's suicide, his armor-bearer follows Saul's example. The people of Israel who live nearby, including on the east side of the Jordan River, hear the news and flee from their homes. The Philistines take the cities without a fight (1 Samuel 31:3–5).

The Philistines return to Mount Gilboa the next day to plunder the bodies. They discover the corpses of King Saul and his sons. They behead Saul's body and strip off his armor. Then they send messengers throughout the Philistine kingdom and to the temples of their gods with the good news: King Saul is dead, and the Israelites are defeated at last (1 Samuel 31:8–9).

The Philistines deliver Saul's armor as a trophy to the temple of their goddess Ashtaroth. They fasten his headless body and those of his sons to a wall in the public square at nearby Beth-shan. The people of the Israelite town Jabesh-gilead hear what the Philistines have done. They remember Saul's efforts on their behalf. Shortly after Saul had become king, the Ammonites had threatened to make them all slaves if they couldn't find a champion. Saul heard and gathered an army to fight the Ammonites and save Jabesh-gilead. The men of Jabesh-gilead return the favor. They bravely sneak into Beth-shan at night and remove the bodies. Back in Jabesh, they burn the remains of Saul and his sons and bury their bones under a tamarisk tree (1 Samuel 31:10–13).

Israel's defeat and Saul's death are God's judgment on Saul for disobedience. After the first violation, God declared Saul's descendants would not keep the throne (1 Samuel 13:8–14). After the second, that not even his son would be king (1 Samuel 15). After David killed Goliath, Saul realized God had chosen David to succeed him (1 Samuel 18:8). Despite Saul's best efforts, he couldn't kill David, and David refused to kill him.

Now, with the deaths of Saul and three of his sons, David's path to the throne is clear. David will mourn his king and his best friend, and then he will take the crown (2 Samuel 1—2; 5).

When first written, the books we now call "first" and "second Samuel" were part of a single text. They were separated to make them into more manageable volumes. First Samuel records the life of the last judge of Israel, Samuel, and the first king of Israel, Saul. Second Samuel records the reign of King David. The events of 1 Samuel 31 are also found in 1 Chronicles 10.

First Samuel 31:1–7 records King Saul's death. When he first saw the Philistine army, he became so terrified that he asked a medium to bring up the late prophet Samuel. Samuel told him he and his sons would die (1 Samuel 28:5–19). His greatest fear—that David will be king instead of Jonathan—is about to come true (1 Samuel 20:30–31; 2 Samuel 5:3). Severely wounded, Saul commits suicide rather than being killed by enemy soldiers. The fall of King Saul is also recorded in 1 Chronicles 10:1–6.

First Samuel 31:8–13 describes the desecration and rescue of King Saul's corpse. Saul has taken his own life after being wounded in battle by the Philistines. His fear that the Philistines would mistreat him will come true. However, a group of people from Jabesh, whom Saul had once rescued, will retrieve his body and the bodies of his sons who also died in battle. First Samuel was the story of the prophet Samuel, King Saul, and the rise of David. Second Samuel is the story of King David. This account is also recorded in 1 Chronicles 10:8–14.

Chapter Summary:

Philistines overwhelm the outnumbered Israelites. Soldiers kill three of Saul's sons, and archers critically wound Saul. When his armor-bearer refuses to end Saul's life, Saul commits suicide. The Philistines behead Saul's body, display his armor in a temple of their goddess, and hang his and his son's bodies on public display. The men of Jabesh-gilead retrieve the bodies and respectfully bury them.

Chapter Context:

The reign of Saul ends. Saul knows his time has come. His son will not inherit the crown (2 Samuel 15:28). The Philistine force is too great (1 Samuel 28:5). He and his sons will die today (1 Samuel 28:19). By the end of the battle, Saul and three of his sons are dead. Soon, Judah will crown David as king (2 Samuel 2:4). After a brief civil war, David will be king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5:3).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.

Accessed 11/21/2025 3:04:26 PM