1 Samuel 31:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

NIV: When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

NASB: Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

CSB: When the residents of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

NLT: But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

KJV: And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;

NKJV: Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

Early in Saul's reign as king of Israel, an Ammonite army besieged the city of Jabesh-gilead. The lord told the people they had seven days to find an army to defend them. If no one came, he would gouge out their right eyes and make them his slaves. In Saul's anger, he brought together 300,000 Israelite men to go to battle. They thoroughly destroyed the Ammonites. Because of this battle, those who had doubted Saul were convinced to accept him as king (1 Samuel 11).

Sadly, Saul's disobedience to God made him ineligible to pass on the kingship to his son. God allowed the Philistines to kill his sons and wound Saul to the point that he killed himself rather than face the humiliation of capture (1 Samuel 31:1–4).

The defeat of one's enemies during this era often began with injury and continued with harsh insult. The Philistines celebrated their victory over King Saul and the Israelites by beheading Saul's corpse and fastening his body and those of his sons to a wall at a major intersection in northern Israel (1 Samuel 31:8–10). Many people groups of the time believed that an improperly buried body may not be able to cross over into the afterlife. Displaying the bodies of one's enemies was more than just a spectacle.

When the people of the city of Jabesh-gilead (1 Samuel 11:1–11) hear that Saul's remains are being treated so disrespectfully, they decide to do something about it. "All the valiant men" risk their lives to retrieve the bodies of Saul and his sons. They bring the bodies back to Jabesh and bury them with honor (1 Samuel 31:12–13). Their debt to their king is paid.

First Samuel 31:8–13 describes the desecration and rescue of King Saul's corpse. Saul has taken his own life after being wounded in battle by the Philistines. His fear that the Philistines would mistreat him will come true. However, a group of people from Jabesh, whom Saul had once rescued, will retrieve his body and the bodies of his sons who also died in battle. First Samuel was the story of the prophet Samuel, King Saul, and the rise of David. Second Samuel is the story of King David. This account is also recorded in 1 Chronicles 10:8–14.

Philistines overwhelm the outnumbered Israelites. Soldiers kill three of Saul's sons, and archers critically wound Saul. When his armor-bearer refuses to end Saul's life, Saul commits suicide. The Philistines behead Saul's body, display his armor in a temple of their goddess, and hang his and his son's bodies on public display. The men of Jabesh-gilead retrieve the bodies and respectfully bury them.

The reign of Saul ends. Saul knows his time has come. His son will not inherit the crown (2 Samuel 15:28). The Philistine force is too great (1 Samuel 28:5). He and his sons will die today (1 Samuel 28:19). By the end of the battle, Saul and three of his sons are dead. Soon, Judah will crown David as king (2 Samuel 2:4). After a brief civil war, David will be king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5:3).

First Samuel introduces the key figures who led Israel after the era of the judges. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally part of a single text, split in certain translations shortly before the birth of Christ. Some of the Bible’s most famous characters are depicted in this book. These including the prophet Samuel, Israel’s first king, Saul, her greatest king, David, and other famous names such as Goliath and Jonathan. By the end of this book, Saul has fallen; the book of 2 Samuel begins with David’s ascension to the throne.