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1 Chronicles 10:11 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

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11 And when all they of Jabesh-Gilead heard of all that the Philistines had done to Saul,

Cross Reference

1 Samuel 11:1-11 DARBY

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And Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh-Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. And Nahash the Ammonite said to them, On this [condition] will I treat with you, that I thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. And the elders of Jabesh said to him, Allow us seven days, and we will send messengers into all the districts of Israel; and if there be no man to deliver us, we will come out to thee. And the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told these words in the ears of the people. And all the people lifted up their voice and wept. And behold, Saul came after the oxen from the field; and Saul said, What [aileth] the people that they weep? And they related to him the words of the men of Jabesh. And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly. And he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever comes not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen! And the fear of Jehovah fell on the people, and they came out as one man. And he numbered them in Bezek, and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. And they said to the messengers that had come, Thus shall ye say to the men of Jabesh-Gilead: To-morrow ye shall have deliverance when the sun is hot. And the messengers came and informed the men of Jabesh-Gilead; and they were glad. And the men of Jabesh said, To-morrow we will come out to you, and ye may do with us according to all that is good in your sight. And it came to pass the next day that Saul set the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote Ammon until the heat of the day: and it came to pass that they who remained were scattered, and not two of them were left together.

1 Samuel 31:11-13 DARBY

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And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men arose and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burned them there. And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

2 Samuel 2:4-7 DARBY

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And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, It is the men of Jabesh-Gilead that have buried Saul. And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and said to them, Blessed be ye of Jehovah, that ye have shewn this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him! And now Jehovah shew kindness and faithfulness to you; and I also will requite you this good, because ye have done this thing. And now let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 10

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 10 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 10

The design of Ezra, in these books of the Chronicles, was to preserve the records of the house of David, which, though much sunk and lessened in a common eye by the captivity, yet grew more and more illustrious in the eyes of those that lived by faith by the nearer approach of the Son of David. And therefore he repeats, not the history of Saul's reign, but only of his death, by which way was made for David to the throne. In this chapter we have,

  • I. The fatal rout which the Philistines gave to Saul's army, and the fatal stroke which he gave himself (v. 1-7).
  • II. The Philistines' triumph therein (v. 8-10).
  • III. The respect which the men of Jabesh-Gilead showed the royal corpse (v. 11, 12).
  • IV. The reason of Saul's rejection (v. 13, 14).

1Ch 10:1-7

This account of Saul's death is the same with that which we had, 1 Sa. 31:1, etc. We need not repeat the exposition of it. Only let us observe,

  • 1. Princes sin and the people suffer for it. It was a bad time with Israel when they fled before the Philistines and fell down slain (v. 1), when they quitted their cities, and the Philistines came and dwelt in them, v. 7. We do not find that they were at this time guilty of idolatry, as they had been before, in the days of the judges, and were afterwards, in the days of the kings. Samuel had reformed them, and they were reformed: and yet they are thus given to the spoil and to the robbers. No doubt there was enough in them to deserve this judgment; but that which divine Justice had chiefly an eye to was the sin of Saul. Note, Princes and great men should in a special manner take heed of provoking God's wrath; for, if they kindle that fire, they know not how many may be consumed by it for their sakes.
  • 2. Parents sin and the children suffer for it. When the measure of Saul's iniquity was full, and his day came to fall (which David foresaw, 1 Sa. 26:10), he not only descended into battle and perished himself, but his sons (all but Ishbosheth) perished with him, and Jonathan among the rest, that gracious, generous man; for all things come alike to all. Thus was the iniquity of the fathers visited upon the children, and they fell as parts of the condemned father. Note, Those that love their seed must leave their sins, lest they perish not alone in their iniquity, but bring ruin on their families with themselves, or entail a curse upon them when they are gone.
  • 3. Sinners sin and at length suffer for it themselves, though they be long reprieved; for, although sentence be not executed speedily, it will be executed. It was so upon Saul; and the manner of his fall was such as, in various particulars, answered to his sin.
    • (1.) He had thrown a javelin more than once at David, and missed him; but the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.
    • (2.) He had commanded Doeg to slay the priests of the Lord; and now, in despair, he commands his armour-bearer to draw his sword and thrust him through.
    • (3.) He had disobeyed the command of God in not destroying the Amalekites, and his armour-bearer disobeys him in not destroying him.
    • (4.) He that was the murderer of the priests is justly left to himself to be his own murderer; and his family is cut off who cut off the city of the priests. See, and say, The Lord is righteous.

1Ch 10:8-14

Here,

  • I. From the triumph of the Philistines over the body of Saul we may learn,
    • 1. That the greater dignity men are advanced to the greater disgrace they are in danger of falling into. Saul's dead body, because he was king, was abused more than any other of the slain. Advancement makes men a mark for malice.
    • 2. That, if we give not to God the glory of our successes, even the Philistines will rise up in judgment against us and condemn us; for, when they had obtained a victory over Saul, they sent tidings to their idols-poor idols, that knew not what was done a few miles off till the tidings were brought to them, nor then either! They also put Saul's armour in the house of their gods, v. 10. Shall Dagon have so honourable a share in their triumphs and the true and living God be forgotten in ours?
  • II. From the triumph of the men of Jabesh-Gilead in the rescue of the bodies of Saul and his sons we learn that there is a respect due to the remains of the deceased, especially of deceased princes. We are not to enquire concerning the eternal state; that must be left to God: but we must treat the dead body as those who remember it has been united to an immortal soul and must be so again.
  • III. From the triumphs of divine Justice in the ruin of Saul we may learn,
    • 1. That the sin of sinners will certainly find them out, sooner or later: Saul died for his transgression.
    • 2. That no man's greatness can exempt him from the judgments of God.
    • 3. Disobedience is a killing thing. Saul died for not keeping the word of the Lord, by which he was ordered to destroy the Amalekites.
    • 4. Consulting with witches is a sin that fills the measure of iniquity as soon as any thing. Saul enquired of one that had a familiar spirit, and enquired not of the Lord, therefore he slew him, v. 13, 14. Saul slew himself, and yet it is said, God slew him. What is done by wicked hands is yet done by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. Those that abandon themselves to the devil shall be abandoned to him; so shall their doom be. It is said (1 Sa. 28:6) that Saul did enquire of the Lord and he answered him not: but here it is said, Saul did not enquire of God; for he did not till he was brought to the last extremity, and then it was too late.