1 Samuel 31:9 - Printer Friendly

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.

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.

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.

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.