Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. Ver. 1. _Now the Philistines fought against Israel._] As they had done, by times, all the days of Saul, whose endless turmoils - as one saith of our King John - ke... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. Ver. 2. _And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul._] Heb., Clave to him; sat close upon his skirts: fighting neither against small nor great, so much as ag... [ Continue Reading ]
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. Ver. 3. _And he was sore wounded of the archers._] Sulpitius Severus saith he was so wounded that he fell from his horse. _a_ But this he addeth of his own; for neither in the Scriptures nor yet... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. Ver. 4. _Then said Saul unto his armourbea... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him._ Ver. 5. _He fell likewise upon his sword._] By Saul's evil example, and perhaps in love to him; as loath to outlive him, whom he had held the joy of his heart, the breath of his nostrils.... [ Continue Reading ]
So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together. Ver. 6. _And all his men, that same day together,_] _i.e., _ His household servants, his bodyguard, allies, and a great part of his army; so that of him might be sung that of Virgil concerning Priamus,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when the men of Israel that [were] on the other side of the valley, and [they] that [were] on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them._ Ver. 7. _That were on the... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. Ver. 8. _And it came to pass on the morrow._] They made sure work of the victory before they fell upon the spoil: so did not Pirinninus. _See Trapp on "_... [ Continue Reading ]
And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish [it in] the house of their idols, and among the people. Ver. 9. _And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour._] They served him in like sort as their champion Goliath... [ Continue Reading ]
And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan. Ver. 10. _And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth._] That is, Of Venus, or, as some think, Juno. See Mr Selden, _"De diis Syris," - opus illud accuratissimum, eruditionisqne reconditiori... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;_ Ver. 11. _And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead._] _Memores beneficii a Saule accepti,_ they remembered what a good turn Saul had once done them, 1Sa 11:11 and hence make this bold adventure, _Perrar... [ Continue Reading ]
All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. Ver. 12. _And went all night._] To rescue his dead body, as he had marched all night to rescue them from the Ammonites. _ And bur... [ Continue Reading ]
And they took their bones, and buried [them] under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. Ver. 13. _And they took their bones._] Half calcinated. _ And buried them under a tree._] _Sub ulmo,_ some render it, under an elm: others, under a terebinth, as under a monument. _ And fasted seven days._... [ Continue Reading ]