1 Samuel 31

The Death of Saul

31 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them.

The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard 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 they came to Jabesh and burned them there. And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

(ESV)

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1 Samuel 31 Commentary

by Brad Boyles

Let’s do a quick recap. In desperation, Saul traveled to see a witch who brought back Samuel from the dead and predicted Saul’s death the next day. Today is the next day. Also in desperation, David joined forces with the Philistines and lived on their land so that Saul would not harm him. The Philistine commanders didn’t trust David, so they sent him home. The desperation of both men drove them to make rash decisions, however, Saul’s would cost him his life. 

The story is sad. But I think the most disappointing part of this story resides in the fact that God showed mercy on Saul by allowing him to know the future. God allowed Samuel to speak to Saul even through the dark powers of witchcraft, and yet, what did Saul do with that information? We see no indication he tried to right the wrongs of his past. We see no record of repentance. This is the final, depressing act of Saul’s life.

Saul didn’t even trust God enough to believe he would die the next day.

Think about that. God didn’t have to communicate that truth to Saul. In fact, it is surprising to me that He did. I don’t fully understand if it was actually Samuel who was summoned or just a being that resembled him, but the prophecy was correct. We read that after Saul receives that information, he fell down terrified. Had he forgotten about the stories of old when the nation would turn from their sin and God would show mercy?

Let us never forget that the grace of God extends to the darkest of sins. Even if Saul would still have died the next day, he did nothing to reconcile with God and with David. He didn’t even try. That is the most depressing part of this story.