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Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.
Verse 1. Now. Septuagint “and.” Bible.—This has no connexion with what goes before. Calmet.—This history is given more at large, 1 Kennicott. 31 and 2 Kennicott. 1. Menochius.
The Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was distressed by reason of the archers.
Verse 3. Reached: lit. “found.” Bible.—Hebrew “attacked him, and he feared the archers. He was not, at least, mortally wounded, when he took the desperate resolution to destroy himself, through fear and consternation. Calmet. Yet the original will admit the sense of the Vulg. and Saul might have received some wounds. Septuagint “Archers found him with bows, and in labours, and he laboured on account of (or to avoid) the bows.” Bible.
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.
Verse 4. Fear and reverence for his master, ( Calmet.) as well as concern for his own safety. Bible.
When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword and died.
So Saul died with his three sons; and all his house died together.
Verse 6. Fell. Hebrew “died.” Calmet.—But, though the house of Saul was fallen from its former glory, on this fatal day, when so many of his courtiers perished; yet he left Isboseth to bewail his fate, ( Bible.) and some others who were not of age to go to battle. Calmet.
When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.
On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
They stripped him and took his head and his armor, then sent into the land of the Philistines all around to carry the news to their idols and to the people.
Verse 9. To be. Hebrew “to carry tidings to their idols, (sorrows) and to the people.” They exposed the spoils in the temples, and gave thanks to their idols for the victory.
They put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.
Verse 10. Head, while his body was hung on the walls of Bethsan. 1 Kennicott. 31:10. Calmet.—The temple of Dagon was contiguous to the wall. D.
When all Jabesh Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
all the valiant men arose and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
Verse 12. Oak, well known at Jabes. Elsewhere the word is translated, the grove. Calmet.
So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the LORD’s word, which he didn’t keep, and also because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire,
Verse 13. For. Septuagint “in his iniquities.” Bible.—See 1 Kennicott. 13:9 and 15:23. Saul offered sacrifice unlawfully, and spared some of the Amalecites. Worthington.
and didn’t inquire of the LORD. Therefore he killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.