1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ

2007 Edition Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 Samuel 117However, the men of Jabesh-gilead rescued Saul's corpse from further humiliation,burned it, probably because the Philistines had abused it and perhaps to preventdisease, 327 and buried the remaining bones. Jabesh-gilead lay about 13 miles eastsoutheastof Beth-shan. Saul had earlier rescued Jabesh-gilead from the Ammonites (ch.11). Some of its inhabitants may have been Saul's blood relatives. 328 The tamarisk treeunder which the people buried Saul was very different from a royal tomb, but that kind oftree was a symbol of life since it was an evergreen. The writer may have wanted us toremember that earlier Saul had played the fool under another tamarisk in Gibeah (cf.22:6). Later David honored Saul and Jonathan by digging up their bones and buryingthem more appropriately in their family tomb (2 Sam. 21:12-14). The seven-day fast alsohonored Saul but was much less than the honors granted other great leaders of Israel (cf.Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8). The writer evidently recorded all these details to show theignominy in which Saul died because he departed from the Lord.This is how the life of Israel's first king, the man after the Israelites' own heart, ended (cf.1 Chron. 10:13-14; Hos. 13:11). He was full of promise at his anointing having manynatural qualities that could have contributed to a successful reign. He also possessed theHoly Spirit's enablement after his anointing. Unfortunately he did not become a source ofblessing to Israel and the world nor did God bless him personally. Instead he became acurse to Israel, the world, and himself. He did so because he failed to acknowledgeYahweh as the true king of Israel and because he failed to view himself as Yahweh'sservant. His life teaches us that the key to blessing or cursing is one's trust and obedienceto God."At the end . . . much remains to praise, much to blame, and much towonder at." 329Note the differences between Saul's death and Jesus Christ's. Jesus was consistentlytrusting and obedient to His Father's will. He laid down His life as a sacrifice for othersrather than taking it Himself. He spent the night before His death in prayer to His Fatherwhereas Saul spent his last night with a medium. Jesus Christ blessed many through Hisdeath, even the whole human race, but Saul brought blessing to others through his deathonly because it cleared the way for someone better.Chapters 21—31 contrast the rise of David and the fall of Saul. The reason for both wasclearly the extent of their commitment to Yahweh. We can see their commitment in theirresponses to His revealed will.The writer also developed the motif of the proper response to the Lord's anointed in thispart of the book. David's respect for the priests and His seeking of God's will throughthem shows the proper attitude. Saul on the other hand slaughtered them, showing that heno longer cared about the worship of Yahweh, and sought guidance from the spiritual327 Baldwin, p. 171.328 See my comments on 11:6-11.329 R. B. Sewall, The Vision of Tragedy, p. 32.