1 Samuel 31:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.

NIV: So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.

NASB: So Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day together.

CSB: So on that day, Saul died together with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men.

NLT: So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.

KJV: So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

NKJV: So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day.

God's curses on Saul followed a progression. Early in his reign, Saul gave a burnt offering instead of waiting for Samuel. Samuel gave Saul God's message: Saul's kingdom would not endure. At some point, Saul's descendants would lose the crown to another (1 Samuel 13:13–14). But there was hope that generations of his sons might rule after him.

Later, Saul disobeyed God's order to destroy the Amalekites, including their animals. Saul let the soldiers keep the best animals and took the king captive. Samuel rebuked him and told him God had completely rejected him. His son would not be king; the throne would go to another (1 Samuel 15:27). But there was hope that Saul would die peacefully.

That hope is gone. Saul continued to sin, even using a medium to call Samuel back from the dead. Samuel gave Saul a final warning: "the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines" (1 Samuel 28:19, ESV). Now the prophecy happens exactly. Saul and three of his sons are killed, along with his armor-bearer and "all his men," perhaps meaning all fighting for Israel in Saul's vicinity. Israel is thoroughly defeated.

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.

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.

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.