1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 115The death of Saul ch. 31The scene shifts back to Mt. Gilboa in the North. Saul's battle with the Philistines in thischapter may have been simultaneous with David's battle against the Amalekites in theprevious one."Chapters 30 and 31 gain in poignancy and power if we regard their eventsas simultaneous. In the far south, David is anxious about his own andabout spoil, while in the far north Saul and the Israelite army perish. . . .While David smites (hikkah) ['fought,' 30:17] the Amalekites, and theyflee (nus) [30:17], the Philistines smite (hikkah) ['killed,' v. 2] Saul and hissons, and Israel flees (nus) [vv. 1, 7]." 320The account of Saul's death here differs from the one that the Amalekite messenger gaveDavid later, which the writer recorded in 2 Samuel 1. This one is quite clearly the factualone (cf. 1 Chron. 10). 321The battle of Mt Gilboa 31:1-6God had announced that Saul would deliver His people from the hand of the Philistines(9:16). However, Saul frustrated God's purpose by not following the Lord faithfully.Consequently the Philistines got the better of Saul and his soldiers (cf. Josh. 1:7-9). Thisbattle took place in 1011 B.C., the last year of Saul's reign. 322 The name of God does notappear in this chapter perhaps suggesting that He had now given up Saul to theconsequences of his apostasy (cf. Rom. 1).Jonathan, a faithful son and subject of the king, followed his father into battle. The deathof this godly man because of his father's sins seems unfair as well as tragic, but Godpermitted it. David would replace Saul on the throne. Another son of Saul, Ish-bosheth,also known as Eshbaal, must not have been present in the battle (cf. 2 Sam. 2:8, 10, 12;3:8, 14-15; 4:5, 8, 12; 1 Chron. 8:33).David had been Saul's armor-bearer before he had to flee from Saul's presence (16:21).Saul, probably fearing that the Philistines would torture and abuse him, 323 asked hisarmor-bearer to kill him, but the young man refused to do so, as David had when he hadopportunity. Why this armor-bearer feared to kill Saul is unclear. Perhaps he feared thedisgrace that would have hounded him, or even death, for slaying the king, or perhaps,like David, he feared God and so would not kill the Lord's anointed. This320 Miscall, pp. 181-82.321 See Gordon, I & II Samuel . . ., p. 202.322 Three other important battles took place nearby in the Jezreel Valley: Deborah and Barak's defeat ofSisera (Judg. 4:15; 5:21), Gideon's victory over the Midianites (Judg. 7), and Pharaoh Neco's killing ofKing Josiah (2 Kings 23:29).323 McCarter, p. 443.