1 Samuel 31:1-13
Q.1. Where did the Philistines fight Israel? How did the battle go? What happened to Saul’s sons? Under what circumstances did Saul die? – (1 Sam.31:1-6)
Gilboa was a mountain range rising in the southeast of the Jezreel Valley (also known as the Valley of Megiddo). Its highest peaks rose one thousand six hundred and twenty-nine feet above sea level (1 Sam.31:1). David had been spared from fighting his own people, and with God’s help, he gloriously defeated the Amalekites whom Saul had refused to punish. The war against the Philistines turned into a tragic event as -the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua the sons of Saul (1 Sam.31:2). Saul was badly wounded by the archers. He asked his armour bearer to kill him so the Philistines could not mock him – But his armour bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it (1 Sam.31:4). Consequently, Saul, his sons, and his army were decimated on that day (1 Sam.31:6).
Q.2. Did the rest of Israel rally? How did the Philistines treat his body? How did the men of Jabesh-gilead distinguish themselves? Where was Saul buried? – (1 Sam.31:7-13)
When the Israelites in the surrounding towns both west and east of the Jordan River saw that their army was defeated – they abandoned the cities and fled; then the Philistines came and lived in them (1 Sam.31:7). Upon finding the bodies of Saul and his sons, the Philistines cut off Saul’s head, stripped his armour, and paraded the mutilated body to their people. They stored his weapons in the temple of their god, Ashtaroth (1 Sam.31:8-10). However, valiant men from Jabesh-gilead across the Jordan River retrieved the bodies of their king and his sons and cremated the bodies (1 Sam.31:11-12). They then gave them a decent burial and fasted for seven days. Then they buried their bones under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh (1 Sam.31:12-13).