I Chronicles 10: The Tragic End of Saul's Reign
Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi–shua, the sons of Saul.
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.
Then 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.
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.
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, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
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.
And 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.
And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.
And when all Jabesh–gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
They 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.
So 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;
And enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.
I Chronicles 10 serves as a stark and sobering account of King Saul's demise. While Saul's reign spanned forty-two years and twenty-four chapters in 1 Samuel (1 Samuel 13:1, 1 Samuel 8-31), the chronicler condenses it into a mere fourteen verses. This brevity underscores a critical question: Why does Saul warrant so little attention from God's perspective? The answer lies in Saul's unfaithfulness to the Lord.
The Price of Unfaithfulness (I Chronicles 10:1-14)
I Chronicles 10:13-14 explicitly states the reason for Saul's downfall: "Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD because he did not keep the LORD’s word. He even consulted a medium for guidance, but he did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David." This passage highlights two key aspects of Saul's disobedience. First, he disregarded God's direct commands. Second, instead of seeking God's wisdom and guidance, he turned to forbidden sources like mediums. This act of consulting a medium was a blatant rejection of God's authority and provision.
Saul's life was marked by a pattern of disobedience. He became impatient while waiting for Samuel and presumptuously offered a burnt offering himself, violating God's law (1 Samuel 13:9-14). He made a rash vow that almost cost his son Jonathan his life (1 Samuel 14:24-45). Despite being Israel's most formidable warrior (1 Samuel 9:1-2), Saul passively allowed the Philistine Goliath to blaspheme God for forty days (1 Samuel 17). After David courageously defeated Goliath and vindicated God's name, Saul harbored jealousy and hatred towards David (1 Samuel 18:7-9). Furthermore, Saul's partial obedience regarding the Amalekites ultimately cost him the kingdom (see commentary on 1 Samuel 15).
A Kingdom Agenda vs. a Selfish Agenda
The narrative of Saul's tragic end (I Chronicles 10:3-9) offers a profound lesson for us. It vividly illustrates the stark contrast between living for a kingdom agenda and pursuing a selfish, personal agenda. Saul's life was characterized by prioritizing convenience and personal desires over God's Word and priorities. He consistently chose the path of least resistance, even if it meant compromising his integrity and disobeying God's commands.
Saul's story serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of unwavering faithfulness and obedience to God. It underscores the dangers of prioritizing personal desires over God's will and seeking guidance from sources other than Him. May we learn from Saul's mistakes and strive to live lives that are fully devoted to God and His kingdom agenda.
Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi–shua, the sons of Saul.
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.
Then 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.
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.
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, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
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.
And 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.
And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.
And when all Jabesh–gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
They 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.
So 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;
And enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.
I Chronicles 10 serves as a stark and sobering account of King Saul's demise. While Saul's reign spanned forty-two years and twenty-four chapters in 1 Samuel (1 Samuel 13:1, 1 Samuel 8-31), the chronicler condenses it into a mere fourteen verses. This brevity underscores a critical question: Why does Saul warrant so little attention from God's perspective? The answer lies in Saul's unfaithfulness to the Lord.
The Price of Unfaithfulness (I Chronicles 10:1-14)
I Chronicles 10:13-14 explicitly states the reason for Saul's downfall: "Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD because he did not keep the LORD’s word. He even consulted a medium for guidance, but he did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David." This passage highlights two key aspects of Saul's disobedience. First, he disregarded God's direct commands. Second, instead of seeking God's wisdom and guidance, he turned to forbidden sources like mediums. This act of consulting a medium was a blatant rejection of God's authority and provision.
Saul's life was marked by a pattern of disobedience. He became impatient while waiting for Samuel and presumptuously offered a burnt offering himself, violating God's law (1 Samuel 13:9-14). He made a rash vow that almost cost his son Jonathan his life (1 Samuel 14:24-45). Despite being Israel's most formidable warrior (1 Samuel 9:1-2), Saul passively allowed the Philistine Goliath to blaspheme God for forty days (1 Samuel 17). After David courageously defeated Goliath and vindicated God's name, Saul harbored jealousy and hatred towards David (1 Samuel 18:7-9). Furthermore, Saul's partial obedience regarding the Amalekites ultimately cost him the kingdom (see commentary on 1 Samuel 15).
A Kingdom Agenda vs. a Selfish Agenda
The narrative of Saul's tragic end (I Chronicles 10:3-9) offers a profound lesson for us. It vividly illustrates the stark contrast between living for a kingdom agenda and pursuing a selfish, personal agenda. Saul's life was characterized by prioritizing convenience and personal desires over God's Word and priorities. He consistently chose the path of least resistance, even if it meant compromising his integrity and disobeying God's commands.
Saul's story serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of unwavering faithfulness and obedience to God. It underscores the dangers of prioritizing personal desires over God's will and seeking guidance from sources other than Him. May we learn from Saul's mistakes and strive to live lives that are fully devoted to God and His kingdom agenda.