CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

31:1
Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell slain on
Mount Gilboa.
The Philistines had attacked deep into Israeli territory (1 Sa!el "#$%&' and Sa!l(s ary asse)led and
prepared *or )attle at +o!nt ,il)oa (1 Sa!el "#$%&- .eca!se o* his deep re)ellion a/ainst the 0ord' Sa!l
1as not ready *or )attle$ 2hen Sa!l sa1 the ary o* the Philistines' he 1as a*raid' and his heart tre)led
/reatly (1 Sa!el "#$3&-
Gilboa 1as the location o* the Israeli ary cap (1 Sa!el "#$%&' so the )attle has t!rned so )adly *or Israel
that they are in *!ll retreat' )ein/ easily killed- They retreated )ack to their o1n cap- They tried to take
ad4anta/e o* the hei/hts o* +o!nt ,il)oa' attepted to rally' )!t 1ere de*eated- 2hile the ary 1as
retreatin/' at least part o* it' Sa!l and his sons and a contin/ent o* the ary reain to *i/ht- Sa!l(s sons died
*irst- Sa!l is like the roantici5ed 4ersion o* C!ster(s 0ast Stand' alone pierced 1ith arro1s-
and many fell slain They *ell alon/ a )attle line-
2hile the )attles ra/e in o!r chapter' 6a4id is *i/htin/ the Aalekites- Sa!l loses the )attle7 6a4id 1ins-
Sa!l dies7 6a4id li4es- ,od is /lori*ied in chapter 897 ,od isn(t entioned in o!r chapter-
In sli/htly a))re4iated *or' chapter 81 is repeated in 1 Chronicles 19$1-1"-
2
he Philistines !ressed hard after "aul and his sons, and they #illed his sons $onathan, %binadab and
Mal#i&"hua.
Their death 1as tra/ic' yet iportant in ,od(s plan- In takin/ the lo/ical heirs to Sa!l(s throne' ,od cleared
the 1ay *or 6a4id to )ecoe the ne:t kin/ o* Israel- 2e kno1 that i* ;onathan had s!r4i4ed' he 1o!ld ha4e
/ladly yielded the throne to 6a4id (1 Sa!el 1#$1-%&- .!t the sae co!ld not )e said o* Sa!l(s other sons'
%binadab < Mal#i&"hua mal&#i&shoo' All 1e kno1 a)o!t the is that they died in the )attle 1ith their
*ather- They died an honora)le death in )attle-
Sa!l(s sons died )y association 1ith their *ather- I* yo! han/ o!t 1ith a )elie4er o!t o* the 2ill o* ,od' )ad
thin/s are /oin/ to happen to hi and to yo!- +any soldiers died )eca!se o* Sa!l- All Israel s!**ered- 2e
kno1 ;onathan had doctrine and sho!ld ha4e !sed that doctrine to /o o4er to 6a4id(s side- ;onathan(s loyalty
sho!ld ha4e )een to doctrine rather than his *ather-
Sa!l had one ore son- Ish-)o=-sheth 1as a)o!t %9 years old and 1e don(t kno1 1hy he isn(t entioned-
+ay)e he *led 1ith A)ner' or ay)e he didn(t /o into )attle- +ay)e Sa!l 1as a*raid all his sons to die in
)attle and 1anted to lea4e an heir to the throne- I* he 1as thinkin/ that' he 1as de*yin/ 6a4id and the 0ord
to the )itter end- Is)osheth 1as proclaied kin/ o4er Israel )y A)ner' the captain o* Sa!l=s ary- Ish)osheth
rei/ned o4er Israel " years' )!t ;!dah proclaied 6a4id its kin/- The conse>!ence 1as 1ar-
3
he fighting grew fier(e around "aul, and when the ar(hers o)ertoo# him, they wounded him
(riti(ally.
1
The eney concentrated on killin/ Sa!l- There i/ht ha4e )een a special !nit o* archers 1hose ?o) 1as to
look *or Sa!l to kill hi- 6!rin/ the Aerican Re4ol!tion colonials aied at .ritish o**icers-
The archers *o!nd their ran/e and 5eroed in on Sa!l-
they wounded him (riti(ally A n!)er o* translators ha4e @he 1as /reatly distressed on acco!nt o* the
archers-A (2.C' ,ill' ASB& Sa!l 1as a*raid the arro1s 1o!ld 1o!nd hi and th!s ca!se hi to )e capt!red-
Soe translation ha4e' @The )attle ra/ed aro!nd Sa!l' and the archers hit hi7 he 1as pierced thro!/h the
a)doen-A (Ne1 Aerican 1ith Apocrypha' C.C&
The Philistines e:celled in archery- 6a4id ordered that special trainin/ in it )e /i4en to the Israelites in !se o*
the )o1 (" Sa 1$1#&-
*
"aul said to his armor&bearer, +,raw your sword and run me through, or these un(ir(um(ised
fellows will (ome and run me through and abuse me.+
-ut his armor&bearer was terrified and would not do it; so "aul too# his own sword and fell on it.
He doesn(t 1ant to )e a)!sed as Sason 1as- He especially doesn(t 1ant to )e tort!red )y these
un(ir(um(ised fellows. The ter points o!t that they are not !nder the Co4enant 1ith the 0ord- Sa!l had
nothin/ )!t contept *or those o!tside the Co4enant' the OT Co4enant' tho!/h he sho1ed contept to the
2ord o* ,od- Sa!l orders his aror )earer to kill hi- He re*!ses- 2hyC +ay)e like 6a4id' he didn(t 1ant
to kill the 0ord(s anointed- ;e1ish a!thors say it 1as 6oe/ the Edoite' prooted to this o**ice *or slayin/
the priests-
so "aul too# his own sword and fell on it Soe translations ha4e Sa!l takin/ the s1ord' the aror )earers(
s1ord- Soe coentators s!//est that Sa!l killed hisel* 1ith 6oe/(s s1ord' the s1ord that killed the
priests o* ""$1#- 2hate4er the case' Sa!l kills hisel*-
In e4ery sense Sa!l died )y his o1n hands- He died d!e to his o1n )ad decisions- He died )eca!se he *ailed
to o)ey the 2ord o* ,od- In this 1ay' he died )y his o1n hands- 2hen Sa!l 1as in *ello1ship 1ith ,od'
Sa!l(s s1ord 1as *eared- O!t o* *ello1ship' his s1ord 1as ipotent a/ainst the eneies o* ,od- Sa!l died
)eca!se o* 1hat he did to hisel*' not 1hat the Philistines did to hi- 2e need to *ear o!r o1n s1ord ore
than the s1ord o* others- (T6 ;ake&
"aul.s "elf&Infli(ted /ounds
6iso)edience' He allo1ed A/a/ to li4e-
Arro/ance- Sa!l denied his sins-
I* this is s!icide' I think it(s *or/i4a)le- Sa!l doesn(t 1ant to )e tort!red- It(s like the death o* Sason- 2as
that s!icideC
+ost o* o!r 1o!nds are sel*-in*licted-
+ost o* the sorro1s in one(s li*e are sel*-ind!ced-
0et(s not )lae other people or Satan *or o!r tro!)les-
Thiee says Sa!l o4erstepped the so4erei/nty o* ,od-
E4en at the end' Sa!l opposed the 2ill o* ,od-
Dor at least 13 years Sa!l did thin/s his 1ay-
"
he 0nd of "aul.s 1ife
1- As sad as anythin/ is in this acco!nt' sad is the absence o* any kind o* sorro1 or repentance or cryin/ o!t
to ,od at all on Sa!l(s part- He 1as told the pre4io!s day that he 1o!ld die (1 Sa!el "#$1E&' yet he does not
see to ha4e prepared his so!l to eet ,od in any 1ay-

"- The e4ents o* this chapter happened soe "9 years a*ter Sa!l *irst heard the anno!nceent o* ?!d/ent
a/ainst hi *ro the prophet Sa!el- Perhaps Sa!l tho!/ht that tie 1as on his side' )eca!se ,od(s
anno!nced ?!d/ent did not happen iediately- .!t tie 1as a/ainst hi' )eca!se in the "9 years since'
his heart )ecae harder a/ainst ,od-

8- At the end o* his li*e' Sa!l had )ecoe so hardened in sin that he did not want to repent- +any people p!t
o** /ettin/ ri/ht 1ith ,od !ntil a later tie' ass!in/ they 1ill still 1ant to /et ri/ht 1ith ,od then- .!t that
is a dan/ero!s' dan/ero!s ass!ption' )eca!se repentance is a /i*t *ro ,od' and i* it is here today it sho!ld
)e recei4ed today-

%- @It is a 4ery solen tho!/htF No career co!ld )e/in 1ith *airer' )ri/hter prospects than Sa!l(s had' and
none co!ld close in ore a)sol!te idni/ht o* despair7 and yet s!ch a *ate ay )e*all !s' !nless 1e 1atch'
and pray' and 1alk h!)ly 1ith o!r ,od-A (+eyer&
3- In " Sa!el 1$%-19' an Aalekite cae to 6a4id 1ith the report that Sa!l had died in )attle' and that he
had act!ally deli4ered the death-)lo1 to Sa!l- 6oes the Aalekite(s stateent contradict this passa/e 1here
it sees Sa!l killed hisel*C It ay )e that Sa!l *ell on his s1ord' and li*e still lin/ered in hi' so he asked
this Aalekite to *inish hi o**- Or it ay )e that the Aalekite siply lied' and 1as the *irst one to coe
!pon Sa!l(s dead )ody' and that he told 6a4id that he killed hi )eca!se he tho!/ht 6a4id 1o!ld )e pleased
and he 1o!ld )e re1arded7 this is y choice- E4erythin/ in the .i)le isn(t tr!e' as is this an(s lie- See 1
Chron- 19$3-
2
/hen the armor&bearer saw that "aul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him.
3
"o "aul
and his three sons and his armor&bearer and all his men died together that same day.
2hy did the aror )earer kill hisel*C Pro)a)ly )eca!se i* he li4ed he 1o!ld ha4e )een e:ec!ted *or *ail!re
to do his d!ty' 1hich 1as to protect the kin/' or he' too' doesn(t 1ant to )e capt!red and tort!red-
all his men died together All his personal )ody/!ards 1ere killed-
I think ,od 1as /racio!s to Sa!l to allo1 hi to die in )attle an not )y the hand o* 6a4id or any other 1ay-
Sa!l th!s kills hisel* *or a no)le reason' the sae reason in essence that 6a4id had /i4en earlier *or
re*!sin/ to kill Sa!l---- Sa!l dies on the )attle*ield' doin/ the ?o) he had )een anointed and elected to do--
leadin/ the ary o* Israel a/ainst her eneies- Thro!/h all the rel!ctance' *ail!re' and adness' he kept his
)ar/ain to the end' dyin/ as the ilitary kin/- (Preston' p- 8G&
@The death o* Sa!l and his sons is reiniscent o* the death o* Eli and his sons in chapter %- In )oth instances'
death and de*eat coes at the hands o* the Philistines- In )oth cases' *athers and sons die in the sae day- In
)oth de*eats' not only the leader dies' )!t any Israelites as 1ell- The Philistines( 4ictory is an indi4id!al
disaster (*or Sa!l and Eli' Sa!l(s sons' and Eli(s sons&' and a national disaster (*or Israel&-A (6e**in)a!/h&
8
4
/hen the Israelites along the )alley and those a(ross the $ordan saw that the Israelite army had fled
and that "aul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. %nd the Philistines (ame
and o((u!ied them.
The 4ictory o* the Philistines 1as so coplete that e4en those on the other side of the $ordan *led in terror
)e*ore the Philistines- 2ith the Philistine ary occ!pyin/ to1ns and territory on the other side of the
$ordan' they ha4e c!t Israel in hal*' dra1in/ a line *ro 1est to east- In this territory Ish)osheth esta)lishes
his kin/do-
saw that the Israelite army had fled The sa1 the retreatin/ Israelite ary and they heard reports that Sa!l
and his sons had )een killed-
%nd the Philistines (ame and o((u!ied them They *aced no opposition *ro the cities-The Philistines
ac>!ired a lar/e area o* 4ery *ertile land- The rest o* the nation is ripe *or total con>!est )y the Philistines-
.oth Sa!l and the Israelites o* the land s!**er 6i4ine 6iscipline *or their *ail!re to o)ey the 0ord-
5
he ne6t day, when the Philistines (ame to stri! the dead, they found "aul and his three sons fallen
on Mount Gilboa.
The Philistine soldiers didn(t stop to strip the )odies !ntil the ne:t day- They 1ere 1ell-disciplined troops
1ho pressed on the )attle- The Philistines 1ho *o!nd Sa!l co!ld tell )y his aror that he 1as the kin/-
7
hey (ut off his head and stri!!ed off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the
Philistines to !ro(laim the news in the tem!le of their idols and among their !eo!le.
!ro(laim the news 2e ha4e the /ood ne1s o* ;es!s Christ7 they had the /ood ne1s o* their )aals- They
likely set !p @a 4ictory inscription in the shrine )e*ore their idols-A (C.C p ""#& The Philistines !sed Sa!l(s
death to /lori*y their /ods- The H/ood ne1sH to the Philistines 1as that their *alse /od 1as THE /od' the
4ictory o4er the ,od o* Israel-
They c!t o** Sa!l(s head and p!t it in the teple o* 6a/on' accordin/ to 1 Chronicles-
@It is indeed ironic' ho1e4er' that a )ook that )e/ins at the Hho!seIteple o* the 0OR6 at ShilohH (1$"%7 c*-
1$E7 see also coent on 1$G& ends at the Hho!seItepleH o* one or ore pa/an deities-A (E.C&
8utting 9ff of :eads
The !rder o* Nick .er/' a "J-year-old Aerican )!sinessan' )y a /ro!p o* Islaist terrorists in Ira> sent
shock 1a4es thro!/h !ch o* the 2est- 2hat has ipressed ost people is the *act that the terrorists c!t +r-
.er/=s head in the 1ay that sheep are )eheaded at the ann!al Deast o* the Sacri*ice-
.er/ is' o* co!rse' not the *irst to )e !rdered in s!ch a /r!esoe anner- Nor' alas' is he likely to )e the
last- Dor the c!ttin/ o* heads (in Ara)ic' >ata al-raas& has )een the *a4orite *or o* Islaist e:ec!tion *or
ore than 1% cent!ries-
%
In the *ao!s )attles o* early Isla' 1ith the Prophet personally in coand o* the ary o* )elie4ers' the
heads o* eney /enerals and soldiers 1ere o*ten c!t o** and p!t on sticks to )e sho1n aro!nd 4illa/es and
to1ns as a 1arnin/ to potential ad4ersaries-
In J#9' the Prophet=s *a4orite /randson' H!ssein )in Ali' had his head chopped o** in Kar)ala' central Ira>' )y
the soldiers o* the Caliph Ya5id- The se4ered head 1as p!t on a sil4er platter and sent to 6aasc!s' Ya5id=s
capital' )e*ore )ein/ sent *!rther to Cairo *or inspection )y the ,o4ernor o* E/ypt- The Caliph=s soldiers also
c!t o** the heads o* all o* H!ssein=s G1 ale copanions' incl!din/ the one-year-old )a)y )oy Ali-As/har-
Islaic history is *!ll o* chopped heads )ein/ sent aro!nd )y special deli4ery to reass!re r!lers' to terrori5e
*oes and to ipress the coon *olk- In 1#"1' the La?ar kin/ o* Persia ordered a 1eek o* cele)rations 1hen
he recei4ed the se4ered head o* a R!ssian /eneral 1ho had )een capt!red in a )attle near .ak!- In 1#%"' the
A*/hans assacred the .ritish /arrison in Ka)!l' a total o* "'999 en and their 1i4es and children'
choppin/ o** their heads and p!ttin/ the on sticks to decorate the city- (They allo1ed one an to lea4e to
report to the .ritish-&
6!rin/ the 1E#9(s' in A*/hanistan' an estiated 8'999 So4iet troops 1ere )eheaded )y the A*/hani 1arriors-
Thiee 1rites' @On this last day on earth' Sa!l contacted a deon7 no1 a*ter his death' Sa!l(s head is in a
deon *illed teple-
1;
hey !ut his armor in the tem!le of the %shtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of -eth "han.
Archeolo/ists )elie4e they ha4e disco4ered this teple at .eth Shan-
They did to Sa!l as 6a4id did to ,oliath-
A teple dedicated to a /oddess and )elon/in/ to this period has )een disco4ered at .eth Shan-
and fastened his body to the wall Soe translations ha4e @they nailed his )ody to the 1all-A Soe
translations ha4e' @they h!n/ his )ody on the 1all-A (2.C' Tar/!&
11
/hen the !eo!le of $abesh Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to "aul,
12
all their )aliant
men <ourneyed through the night to -eth "han. hey too# down the bodies of "aul and his sons from
the wall of -eth "han and went to $abesh, where they burned them.
Mpon takin/ the throne' 6a4id ri/htly thanked these )aliant men *or their kindness to the eory o* Sa!l'
;onathan' and Sa!l(s other sons (" Sa!el "$%-G&-
-eth "han The Canaanites 1ere not dri4en o!t o* the city in ;osh 1G$117 ;d/ 1$"G-
2hen Israel )ecae stron/' the city 1as p!t into *orced la)or (;d/ 1$"#&-
They do!)tless 1ere in lea/!e 1ith the Philistines 1ho a*ter Israel=s de*eat on ,il)oa e:posed the )odies o*
Sa!l and his sons on the 1all o* the city -
3
$abesh Gilead The inha)itants o* ;a)esh ,ilead are reco/ni5ed *or their /ratit!de- Soe 1J years )e*ore'
Sa!l deli4ered their city *ro the Aonites (1 Sa!el 11$1-11&' and they repay the kindness ,od sho1ed
the *ro the hand o* Sa!l-The entire ary o* ;a)esh ,ilead tra4eled soe "" iles' ro!nd trip' at ni/ht'
crossed the ;ordan' and ret!rned hoe 1ith the )odies- .y the /race o* ,od they s!cceeded- They 1ere
deterined to retrie4e the )odies e4en i* they had to *i/ht the entire Philistine ary-
,od al1ays has His 4aliant en- 2hen one ser4ant passes the scene' another arises to take his place- Sa!l is
dead and ,od raises 6a4id- The ary o* Israel is ro!ted and ,od has the en o* ;a)esh ,ilead- Apparently
these 4aliant en created the )odies and )!ried the )ones- They /a4e the reains a decent )!rial-
he inhabitants of $abesh Gilead are also reco/ni5ed *or their /ratit!de- +any years )e*ore' Sa!l deli4ered
their city *ro the Aonites (1 Sa!el 11$1-11&' and they repay the kindness ,od sho1ed the *ro the
hand o* Sa!l- The sayin/ is that No ,ood 6eed ,oes Mnp!nished' )!t in tr!th soe /ood deeds are repaid in
kind-
13
hen they too# their bones and buried them under a tamaris# tree at $abesh, and they fasted se)en
days-
the tamaris# tree It sees that Sa!l spent a lot o* tie !nder s!ch a tree' (1%$"7 ""$J&-
In spite o* all that Sa!l did a/ainst 6a4id' 6a4id spoke 1ell o* Sa!l a*ter his death- 2hen 6a4id heard o*
Sa!l(s death' he did not re?oice- In *act' he o!rned and coposed a son/ in honor o* Sa!l and ;onathan
(The Song of the Bow' " Sa!el 1$11-"G&-
,a)id "!o#e /ell of "aul %fter :is ,eath

1- 6a4id called Sa!l the beauty of Israel (" Sa!el 1$1E&-

"- 6a4id 1anted no one to re?oice in Sa!l(s death (" Sa!el 1$"9&-

8- 6a4id 1anted e4eryone to o!rn' e4en the o!ntains and *ields (" Sa!el 1$"1&-

%- 6a4id praised Sa!l as a i/hty 1arrior (" Sa!el 1$""-"8&-

3- 6a4id copliented the personality and loyalty o* Sa!l (" Sa!el 1$"8&-

J- 6a4id called Israel to o!rnin/ *or the /ood Sa!l did (" Sa!el 1$"%&-
Ho1 did 6a4id keep his heart *ree *ro )itterness' and )e a)le to speak so 1ell a)o!t Sa!l 1ho had h!nted
hi *or so any yearsC

J
:ow ,a)id =e!t from -eing -itter
1 He chose to )elie4e that ,od 1as in control and !st ha4e a p!rpose e4en *or terri)le thin/s that He allo1s
to happen- Not al1ays )!t eno!/h o* the tie-

" He chose not to hold on to )itterness and h!rt- 6a4id had t1o /reat opport!nities to kill Sa!l' and @let hi
/oA each tie-

8 He chose to think the )est a)o!t Sa!l- See his praise o* Sa!l in " Sa!el 1-

% He ree)ered that ,od had *or/i4en hi- 6a4id heard the ne1s o* Sa!l(s death and san/ the @Son/ o*
the .o1A 1hen he 1as in Nikla/ (" Sa!el 1$1&- The city 1as still *illed 1ith )!rned r!))le that 1as the
indirect res!lt o* 6a4id(s )ad decisions- 6a4id had ?!st coe *ro a tie 1hen the 0ord had /racio!sly
restored 1hat had )een taken a1ay *ro hi and his en-

too# their bones and buried them under a tamaris# tree at $abesh It sees that Sa!l spent !ch o* his
tie !nder a tree- Soe o* this tie sho!ld ha4e )een spent doin/ )attle 1ith his eneies (see 1%$"7 ""$J&-
6a4id 1o!ld later di/ !p the )ones and /i4e the a decent )!rial' " Sa "1$1"-
@At )est' ho1e4er' Sa!l reains a cople: and eni/atic *i/!re' at once hero and 4illain- H2hat OR-.-P
Se1all OThe Vision of Tragedy (Ne1 Ha4en$ Yale Mni4ersity Press' 1EJ"&' p- 8"P says o* Oedipus the King
can )e said o* the tra/edy o* Kin/ Sa!l as 1ell$ HAt the end --- !ch reains to praise' !ch to )lae' and
!ch to 1onder at=H (H!phreys' p- 19"&- Perhaps the *ittest concl!sion to the story o* Sa!l' as 1ell as the
ost appropriate transition *ro 1 Sa!el to " Sa!el' is the Chronicler=s inspired coda$ HSa!l died )eca!se
he 1as !n*aith*!l to the 0OR67 he did not keep the 1ord o* the 0OR6 and e4en cons!lted a edi! *or
/!idance' and did not in>!ire o* the 0OR6- So the 0OR6 p!t hi to death and t!rned the kin/do o4er to
6a4id son o* ;esseH (1 Chronicles 19$18-1%&-
The kin/ is dead-
0on/ li4e the kin/F
G