Now, the Philistines fought against Israel, in the Plain of Jezreel, 1
Samuel 31; AND THE MEN OF ISRAEL FLED FROM BEFORE THE PHILISTINES, AND
FELL DOWN SLAIN, wounded and killed, IN MOUNT GILBOA, where they were
trying to make their escape.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BATTLE NEAR MOUNT GILBOA... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons,
clinging to their footsteps, intending, above all, to put them out of
the way. AND THE PHILISTINES SLEW JONATHAN, AND ABINADAB, AND
MALCHI-SHUA, THE SONS OF SAUL.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he
was wounded of the archers, literally, "he trembled for the archers,"
he was seized with a sudden terror as they gradually closed in upon
him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Saul to his armor bearer, Draw thy sword and thrust me
through therewith, lest these uncircumcised, a common name for the
heathen, as not being partakers of the covenant of Jehovah, COME AND
ABUSE ME, insult him, make mockery of him as a vanquished enemy. BUT
HIS ARMOR-BEARER WOULD NOT, FO... [ Continue Reading ]
And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on
the sword and died, following the bad example of his sovereign.... [ Continue Reading ]
So Saul died, and his three sons and all his house, his near relatives
and the members of his household, died together.... [ Continue Reading ]
And 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, out in the open country, AND FLED; AND THE PHILISTINES CAME
AND DWELT IN THEM, establishing their outposts in the very midst of
the country of Israel. Thus... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip
the slain, to make the customary plunder of personal belongings, that
they found Saul and his sons fallen in Mount Gilboa.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRIUMPH OF THE PHILISTINES... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armor, and
sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings
unto their idols, to whom they attributed this victory, AND TO THE
PEOPLE.... [ Continue Reading ]
And they put his armor in the house of their gods, in the temple of
Astarte, as trophies of the great victory, AND FASTENED HIS HEAD IN
THE TEMPLE OF DAGON, their chief god, while the trunk was affixed to
the wall of Beth-shan, 1 Samuel 31:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
And when all Jabesh-gilead, the inhabitants of the city east of
Jordan, which owed so much to Saul, HEARD ALL THAT THE PHILISTINES HAD
DONE TO SAUL,... [ Continue Reading ]
they arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, from
the wall of Beth-shan, AND THE BODIES OF HIS SONS, AND BROUGHT THEM TO
JABESH, AND BURIED THEIR BONES UNDER THE OAK IN JABESH, AND FASTED
SEVEN DAYS, in token of mourning. Cf 1 Samuel 31:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the
Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, 1 Samuel
13:13, AND ALSO FOR ASKING COUNSEL OF ONE THAT HAD A FAMILIAR SPIRIT,
TO ENQUIRE OF IT, 1 Samuel 28:1;... [ Continue Reading ]
and enquired not of the Lord, namely, after sound repentance;
THEREFORE HE SLEW HIM, AND TURNED THE KINGDOM UNTO DAVID, THE SON OF
JESSE. Rejecting the Word of God is equivalent to rejecting the Lord
Himself and is followed by the same punishment. A professed Christian
who seeks the advice of the mo... [ Continue Reading ]