1 Chronicles 10:9

_AND WHEN ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL THAT WERE IN THE VALLEY SAW THAT THEY FLED, AND THAT SAUL AND HIS SONS WERE DEAD, THEN THEY FORSOOK THEIR CITIES, AND FLED: AND THE PHILISTINES CAME AND DWELT IN THEM._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

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

1 Samuel 31:9...

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

TOOK HIS HEAD. Figure of speech _Ellipsis_, "head [which they had cut off] and his, &c"....

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...

TO CARRY TIDINGS UNTO THEIR IDOLS— _That the tidings might be told in the temples of their idols._ Houbigant....

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

SAUL'S OVERTHROW AND DEATH This chapter is abbreviated from 1 Samuel 31:1, but supplements it by statements that Saul's head was fastened in the temple of Dagon, and by a brief explanation of the causes of his overthrow....