Worthy.Bible » STRONG » 1 Samuel » Chapter 31 » Verse 11

1 Samuel 31:11 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

11 And when the inhabitants H3427 of Jabeshgilead H3003 H1568 heard H8085 of that which the Philistines H6430 had done H6213 to Saul; H7586

Cross Reference

1 Samuel 11:1-11 STRONG

Then Nahash H5176 the Ammonite H5984 came up, H5927 and encamped H2583 against Jabeshgilead: H3003 H1568 and all the men H582 of Jabesh H3003 said H559 unto Nahash, H5176 Make H3772 a covenant H1285 with us, and we will serve H5647 thee. And Nahash H5176 the Ammonite H5984 answered H559 them, On this H2063 condition will I make H3772 a covenant with you, that I may thrust out H5365 all your right H3225 eyes, H5869 and lay H7760 it for a reproach H2781 upon all Israel. H3478 And the elders H2205 of Jabesh H3003 said H559 unto him, Give us seven H7651 days' H3117 respite, H7503 that we may send H7971 messengers H4397 unto all the coasts H1366 of Israel: H3478 and then, if there be no man to save H3467 us, we will come out H3318 to thee. Then came H935 the messengers H4397 to Gibeah H1390 of Saul, H7586 and told H1696 the tidings H1697 in the ears H241 of the people: H5971 and all the people H5971 lifted up H5375 their voices, H6963 and wept. H1058 And, behold, Saul H7586 came H935 after H310 the herd H1241 out of the field; H7704 and Saul H7586 said, H559 What aileth the people H5971 that they weep? H1058 And they told H5608 him the tidings H1697 of the men H582 of Jabesh. H3003 And the Spirit H7307 of God H430 came H6743 upon Saul H7586 when he heard H8085 those tidings, H1697 and his anger H639 was kindled H2734 greatly. H3966 And he took H3947 a yoke H6776 of oxen, H1241 and hewed them in pieces, H5408 and sent H7971 them throughout all the coasts H1366 of Israel H3478 by the hands H3027 of messengers, H4397 saying, H559 Whosoever cometh not forth H3318 after H310 Saul H7586 and after H310 Samuel, H8050 so shall it be done H6213 unto his oxen. H1241 And the fear H6343 of the LORD H3068 fell H5307 on the people, H5971 and they came out H3318 with one H259 consent. H376 And when he numbered H6485 them in Bezek, H966 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were three H7969 hundred H3967 thousand, H505 and the men H376 of Judah H3063 thirty H7970 thousand. H505 And they said H559 unto the messengers H4397 that came, H935 Thus shall ye say H559 unto the men H376 of Jabeshgilead, H3003 H1568 To morrow, H4279 by that time the sun H8121 be hot, H2527 ye shall have help. H8668 And the messengers H4397 came H935 and shewed H5046 it to the men H582 of Jabesh; H3003 and they were glad. H8055 Therefore the men H582 of Jabesh H3003 said, H559 To morrow H4279 we will come out H3318 unto you, and ye shall do H6213 with us all that seemeth H5869 good H2896 unto you. And it was so on the morrow, H4283 that Saul H7586 put H7760 the people H5971 in three H7969 companies; H7218 and they came H935 into the midst H8432 of the host H4264 in the morning H1242 watch, H821 and slew H5221 the Ammonites H5983 until the heat H2527 of the day: H3117 and it came to pass, that they which remained H7604 were scattered, H6327 so that two H8147 of them were not left H7604 together. H3162

Commentary on 1 Samuel 31 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 31

1Sa 31:1-7. Saul Having Lost His Army at Gilboa, and His Sons Being Slain, He and His Armor-bearer Kill Themselves.

1. Now the Philistines fought against Israel—In a regular engagement, in which the two armies met (1Sa 28:1-4), the Israelites were forced to give way, being annoyed by the arrows of the enemy, which, destroying them at a distance before they came to close combat, threw them into panic and disorder. Taking advantage of the heights of Mount Gilboa, [the Israelites] attempted to rally, but in vain. Saul and his sons fought like heroes; but the onset of the Philistines being at length mainly directed against the quarter where they were, Jonathan and two brothers, Abinadab or Ishui (1Sa 14:49) and Melchishua, overpowered by numbers, were killed on the spot.

3-5. the battle went sore against Saul, &c.—He seems to have bravely maintained his ground for some time longer; but exhausted with fatigue and loss of blood, and dreading that if he fell alive into the enemy's hands, they would insolently maltreat him (Jos 8:29; 10:24; Jud 8:21), he requested his armor bearer to despatch him. However, that officer refused to do so. Saul then falling on the point of his sword killed himself; and the armor bearer, who, according to Jewish writers, was Doeg, following the example of his master, put an end to his life also. They died by one and the same sword—the very weapon with which they had massacred the Lord's servants at Nob.

6. So Saul died—(see on 1Ch 10:13; Ho 13:11).

and his three sons—The influence of a directing Providence is evidently to be traced in permitting the death of Saul's three eldest and most energetic sons, particularly that of Jonathan, for whom, had he survived his father, a strong party would undoubtedly have risen and thus obstructed the path of David to the throne.

and all his men, that same day together—his servants or bodyguard (1Ch 10:6).

7. the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley—probably the valley of Jezreel—the largest and southernmost of the valleys that run between Little Hermon and the ridges of the Gilboa range direct into the Jordan valley. It was very natural for the people in the towns and villages there to take fright and flee, for had they waited the arrival of the victors, they must, according to the war usages of the time, have been deprived either of their liberty or their lives.

1Sa 31:8-10. The Philistines Triumph over Their Dead Bodies.

8, 9. on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen—On discovering the corpses of the slaughtered princes on the battlefield, the enemy reserved them for special indignities. They consecrated the armor of the king and his sons to the temple of Ashtaroth fastened their bodies on the temple of Shen, while they fixed the royal heads ignominiously in the temple of Dagon (1Ch 10:10); thus dividing the glory among their several deities.

10. to the wall—(2Sa 21:12)—"the street" of Beth-shan. The street was called from the temple which stood in it. And they had to go along it to the wall of the city (see Jos 17:11).

1Sa 31:11-13. The Men of Jabesh-gilead Recover the Bodies and Bury Them at Jabesh.

11-13. the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done—Mindful of the important and timely services Saul had rendered them, they gratefully and heroically resolved not to suffer such indignities to be inflicted on the remains of the royal family.

12. valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons—Considering that Beth-shan is an hour and a half's distance, and by a narrow upland passage, to the west of the Jordan (the whole being a journey from Jabesh-gilead of about ten miles), they must have made all haste to travel thither to carry off the headless bodies and return to their own side of the Jordan in the course of a single night.

burnt them—This was not a Hebrew custom. It was probably resorted to on this occasion to prevent all risk of the Beth-shanites coming to disinter the royal remains for further insult.