1 Chronicles 10:14

_AND INQUIRED NOT OF THE LORD: THEREFORE HE SLEW HIM, AND TURNED THE KINGDOM UNTO DAVID THE SON OF JESSE._ And inquired not of the Lord. He had done so in form (1 Samuel 28:6), but not in the spirit of a humble penitent, nor with the believing confidence of a sincere worshipper. His inquiry was in fact, a mere mockery, and his total want of all right religious impressions was manifested by his rushing from God to a wretched impostor in the service of the Devil....

Verse 1 Chronicles 10:14. _INQUIRED NOT OF THE LORD_] On these two last verses the Targum speaks thus: "And Saul died for the transgression by which he transgressed against the WORD of the Lord, and because he did not keep the commandment of the Lord when he warred against the house of Amalek; and because he consulted Pythons, and sought oracular answers from them. Neither did he ask counsel from before the Lord by Urim and Thummim, for he had slain the priests that were in Nob; therefore the Lord slew him, and transferred the kingdom to David the son of Jesse." A LITERARY friend furnishes the following remarks:- "The sacred writer, in the first book of Samuel, 1 Samuel 31:11-9, and...

EXPOSITION It is evident that the compiler of the Chronicles intended its history proper to begin substantially with the reign of David. Strictly, however, it opens with the last mournful chapter of the career of Saul and his sons, or of three out of the four (1 Chronicles 9:39) of them. The mention of Saul had been prepared for by the short preamble of his pedigree and family; and, in like manner, the way is paved for the introduction of the reign add deeds of David by the brief and affecting narration of the end of his predecessor on the throne. The last chapter of the First Book of Samuel occupies itself with the same subject and covers the same ground. Our present chapter compared with that is sufficient to convince us that both were drawn from some common source or sources. It is not possible to suppose that the writer of Chronicles merely copied from the Book o

AND INQUIRED NOT OF THE LORD,.... For though he did inquire in some sense in an external, careless, and hypocritical manner, yet not done seriously, sincerely, and heartily, nor with constancy; it was accounted as if he inquired not at all, 1 Samuel 28:6 the Targum adds another reason of his death, because he killed the priests of Nob; but that is not in the text: THEREFORE HE SLEW HIM; or suffered him to be slain: AND TURNED THE KINGDOM UNTO DAVID THE SON OF JESSE; translated the kingdom of Israel out of Saul's family, upon his death, into Jesse's, even unto David; for the sake of which observation this short account is given of the last end of Saul....

II. THE OVERTHROW AND END OF SAUL CHAPTER 10 _ 1. The overthrow and death of Saul (1 Chronicles 10:1)_ 2. The burial of Saul and his sons (1 Chronicles 10:8) 3. The cause of Saul's failure (1 Chronicles 10:13) 1 Samuel 31 contains the same record of Saul's miserable end and trial. The writer of Chronicles uses the departure of Saul to introduce the history of the king after God's own heart, why God had dealt with Saul in judgment, and that the kingdom was turned unto David, the son of Jesse. The fatal battle between the Philistines and Israel took place in Mount Gilboa.

PART II (1 Chronicles 10-29). THE REIGN OF DAVID. 1 Chronicles 10:1. The Death of Saul (see notes on 1 Samuel 31:1). 1 Chronicles 10:10. the house of their gods: altered purposely by the Chronicler instead of the house of Ashtaroth in 1 Samuel 31:10 (LXX Ashtoreth). HIS HEAD IN THE HOUSE OF DAGON: 1 Samuel 31:10 his body to the wall of Beth-Shan. 1 Chronicles 10:12. buried: accord

HE: i.e. Jehovah.. Chronicles gives the esoteric cause.. Samuel gives the exoteric event, which men could see. See App-56....

There are several variations between the text given here and the text of 1 Sam., which are noticed as they occur in the following notes. 1. _in mount Gilboa_ In the campaign of Gilboa the Philistines shewed new and skilful strategy. Instead of at once marching eastward up the ravines which lead into Judah and Benjamin in which there was no room for their chariots (2 Samuel 1:6) to manœuvre they first marched northward along the sea-coast and then turned eastward just before reaching Mount Carmel. This movement brought them into the great fertile plain watered by the Kishon, ground over which chariots could act with decisive effect. At the N.E. end of the plain rose the heights of Gilboa. When Saul and his Benjamites advanced to meet the Philistines, the latter succeeded in interposing themselves between the Israelite army and its base in Benjamin an easy achievement for an enemy who by...

AND ENQUIRED NOT OF THE LORD— This seems to contradict what is said 1 Samuel 28:6. But the Jews and others reconcile the two passages by saying, that as he did not _persevere_ to inquire of God, nor inquire at all with a truly religious and faithful spirit, but went to a witch, it was just the same as if he had not inquired at all. "He whose heart is perfect with God," says a learned Jew, "lifts up his eyes to him and fixes them on him, hoping in him, though he do not presently hear or grant his request; and perseveres in his hopes, setting a resolution to wait upon him. But so did not Saul, who was remiss and negligent, saying in the pride of his heart, If the Lord will not answer me, I will consult a familiar spirit." The Vulgate renders the words in this place, _and put not his trust in the Lord._ REFLECTIONS.—1st, For the account of Saul's death, see...

II. THE HISTORY OF KING DAVID (1 Chronicles 10:1 to 1 Chronicles 29:30) 1. THE OVERTHROW OF SAUL (1 Chronicles 10:1-14) TEXT 1 Chronicles 10:1. Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa. 2. And the Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him, and he was distressed by reason of the archers. 4. Then said Saul unto his ar