1 Chronicles 10

King James Version

Full text for 1 Chronicles Chapter 10

1¶ Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

2And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

3And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.

4Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

5And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.

6So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.

7And when all the men of Israel that [were] in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

8¶ And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa.

9And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people.

10And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.

11And when all Jabeshgilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,

12They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

13So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, [even] against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking [counsel] of [one that had] a familiar spirit, to enquire [of it];

14And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The Philistines fought against Israel on Mount Gilboa, resulting in a decisive defeat for Israel and the deaths of King Saul and his three sons. Saul, wounded by archers, fell upon his own sword to avoid capture, and his armourbearer followed suit. The chronicler attributes Saul's demise to his unfaithfulness to the LORD, specifically his failure to keep God's word and his consultation with a familiar spirit.

Medium Summary

The chapter details the battle on Mount Gilboa where the Philistines routed Israel, leading to the deaths of King Saul, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. Severely wounded, Saul commanded his armourbearer to kill him, but upon refusal, he took his own life by falling on his sword, an act mirrored by his armourbearer. The Philistines later desecrated Saul's body, displaying his head and armour in their pagan temples. However, valiant men from Jabesh-gilead retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons, burying them honorably. The text concludes by stating Saul died for his transgression against the LORD, having not kept His word and having sought counsel from a familiar spirit instead of the LORD, leading to the transfer of the kingdom to David.

Long Summary

The narrative commences with the Philistines engaging Israel in battle, leading to a rout on Mount Gilboa where many Israelites were slain. The Philistines pursued King Saul and his sons, resulting in the deaths of Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. Saul, gravely wounded by the archers, desperately asked his armourbearer to thrust him through, lest the uncircumcised abuse him. When his armourbearer refused out of fear, Saul took his own sword and fell upon it, dying by his own hand. Witnessing this, the armourbearer likewise fell upon his sword and died, sealing the fate of Saul, his sons, and his household. Upon seeing the defeat, the Israelites in the valley abandoned their cities, which the Philistines subsequently occupied. The following day, the Philistines, while stripping the slain, discovered the bodies of Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa. They then desecrated Saul's body, taking his head and armour, and sent tidings throughout their land to their idols and people. Saul's armour was placed in the house of their gods, and his head was fastened in the temple of Dagon. However, upon hearing of these events, valiant men from Jabesh-gilead journeyed to retrieve the bodies of Saul and his sons. They brought them back to Jabesh, buried their bones under an oak, and observed a seven-day fast. The chapter explicitly states that Saul died for his transgression against the LORD, specifically for not keeping the word of the LORD and for seeking counsel from a familiar spirit rather than enquiring of the LORD. This disobedience led the LORD to slay him and transfer the kingdom to David, the son of Jesse.

Core Concepts

  • Battle of GilboaThis was the decisive battle where the Philistines defeated Israel, leading to a significant rout and the death of King Saul and his sons. It marked a critical turning point in Israel's early monarchy.
  • Saul's SuicideKing Saul, severely wounded by archers and fearing capture and abuse by the Philistines, chose to fall upon his own sword. This desperate act highlights the dire circumstances of his defeat.
  • Philistine DesecrationAfter the battle, the Philistines stripped Saul's body, took his head and armour, and displayed them in the temple of Dagon and the house of their gods. This act was intended to humiliate Israel and glorify their pagan deities.
  • Jabesh-gilead's LoyaltyValiant men from Jabesh-gilead, remembering Saul's past deliverance of their city, courageously retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons for proper burial. Their actions demonstrate a profound loyalty and respect for their fallen king.
  • Saul's TransgressionThe chapter explicitly attributes Saul's death to his unfaithfulness to the LORD, specifically for not keeping God's word and for consulting a familiar spirit. This theological explanation underscores the divine judgment against his disobedience.
  • Divine Judgment and SuccessionSaul's death is presented as a direct consequence of his sin, leading to the transfer of the kingdom from his lineage to David. This emphasizes God's sovereignty in establishing and removing kings based on their obedience.