1 Samuel 31:13

_AND THEY TOOK THEIR BONES, AND BURIED THEM UNDER A TREE AT JABESH, AND_ And buried them under a tree at Jabesh. х_ TACHAT_ (H8478) _ HAA'ESHEL_ (H815), under the tamarisk: cf. 1 Chronicles 10:12, where the word used is _ HAA'EELAAH_ (H424), a terebinth; any strong tree. The Septuagint has: hupo teen harouran en Iabis, under the soil, ground, at Jabesh.] 'Thus do the circumstances of the Biblical narrative consist, not merely with the relative position of the places, but with the natural peculiarities of the spot' (Trail's Josephus')....

8-13 The Scripture makes no mention what became of the souls of Saul and his sons, after they were dead; but of their bodies only: secret things belong not to us. It is of little consequence by what means we die, or what is done with our dead bodies. If our souls are saved, our bodies will be raised incorruptible and glorious; but not to fear His wrath, who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell, is the extreme of folly and wickedness. How useless is the respect of fellow-creatures to those who are suffering the wrath of God! While pompous funerals, grand monuments, and he praises of men, honour the memory of the deceased, the soul may be suffering in the regions of darkness and despair! Let us seek that honour which cometh from God only....

Verse 1 Samuel 31:13. _AND FASTED SEVEN DAYS._] To testify their sincere regret for his unfortunate death, and the public calamity that had fallen upon the land. THUS ends the troublesome, and I had almost said the useless, reign of Saul. A king was chosen in opposition to the will of the Most High; and the government of God in effect rejected, to make way for this king. Saul was at first a very humble young man, and conducted himself with great propriety; but his elevation made him proud, and he soon became tyrannical in his private conduct and in his political measures. His natural temper was not good; he was peevish, fretful, and often outrageous; and these bad dispositions, unchecked by proper application to the grace of God, became every day more headstrong and dangerous. Through their violence he seems at times to have been wholly carried away

UNDER A TREE - Rather, “Under the tamarisk,” a well-known tree at Jabesh which was standing when this narrative was written. THEY FASTED SEVEN DAYS - In imitation of the mourning for Jacob (marginal reference). They would give full honor to Saul though he was fallen....

DEFEAT AND DEATH OF SAUL (1 Samuel 31:1.). EXPOSITION SAUL AND HIS SONS SLAIN (1 Samuel 31:1). 1 SAMUEL 31:1, 1 SAMUEL 31:2 THE PHILISTINES FOUGHT. Literally it is a participle present, "the Philistines are warring," as if it were a mere resumption of 1 Samuel 28:1. In the battle fou

AND THEY TOOK THEIR BONES, AND BURIED [THEM] UNDER A TREE AT JABESH,.... For though they burned the bodies, yet so as to preserve the bones; and these, together with the ashes of the parts burnt, they gathered up, and buried under a tree near this city; this tree is said to be an oak, 1 Chronicles 10:12; so Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah, was buried under an oak, Genesis 35:8. The Jews generally interred their dead under some oak, as aforementioned writer observes q; pleased perchance with the parallel, as he expresses it, that as these plants, seemingly dead in winter, have every spring an annual resurrection, so men's dry bones shall have new sap put into them at the day of judgment: AND FASTED SEVEN DAYS; not that they ate and drank nothing all that time, but they fasted ever

9. THE DEATH OF SAUL CHAPTER 31 _ 1. Saul wounded in battle (1 Samuel 31:1)_ 2. Saul a suicide (1 Samuel 31:4) 3. The victorious Philistines (1 Samuel 31:7) 4. The bodies recovered and burnt (1 Samuel 31:11) A sad ending to one of the saddest stories of the Bible. Jonathan, Abinadab and Melchi-shua, Saul's sons, fall first. Then Saul is wounded. He asks his armour bearer to make an end of his sufferings. There is no evidence whatever of his repentance and turning unto the Lord. He died as he had lived in rebellion against Jehovah. The armour-bearer refused to kill Saul; then he fell

1 SAMUEL 31. BATTLE OF GILBOA._ Cf._ p. 285, and 2 Samuel 1:6 *. 1 SAMUEL 31:1. Israel was routed, Saul's sons slain, and he himself in danger of being taken prisoner. To avoid this he fell upon his own sword. 3. HE WAS GREATLY DISTRESSED: perhaps read, with LXX, he was wounded by the archers. 1 Samuel 31:4. and thrust me through (_second occurrence) :_ omit with 1 Chronicles 10:4. What Saul fears is not mutilation after death, but being taken alive, and, like Samson, being made to provide sport for the Philistines....

The burial of Saul and his Sons 9. _they cut off his head_ The Anointed of Jehovah fares no better than the uncircumcised Goliath, now that God has forsaken him. _to publish it_ TO PUBLISH THE GOOD NEWS. Sept. εὐαγγελίζοντες. Cp. 2 Samuel 1:20. _in the house of their idols_ In the temples of their idols, which were regarded as the givers of the victory. Cp. ch. 1 Samuel 5:2. Chron. reads "to carry tidings _to their idols_....

A DIGEST OF CHAPTER 31 1 Samuel 31:1-6 _Saul's death._ Samuel had told Saul that he would die in battle. This came to pass as the armies of Israel and Philistia met in battle on Mt. Gilboa. Saul fell on his sword and killed himself. His sons were killed with him in this fatal battle. 1 Samuel 31:7-13 _Saul's burial._ The Philistines cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. They put his armor in the house of their gods the Ashtaroth. They fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. The men of Jabesh-Gilead heard that Saul's body was hanging on Beth-shan. They came by night and took the body and gave it a decent burial. LESSONS FOR LEARNING 1. _The word of God is sure._ Saul had done everything he could to try to thwart God'