1 Samuel 31 – Day Of Reckoning

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 7 Nov. 2021

Introduction

vs. 1-3 & 6-7) Saul’s Last Battle

vs. 4-6) Saul’s Tragic Death

vs. 8-13) Jabesh Gilead’s Last Respects to Saul

Conclusion

  1. Sanctity of Life

  1. God’s justice

1 Samuel 31 - Side-by side comparison of versionsA

Rahlf’s LXX

Brenton
(Vaticanus LXX)

Douay
(Vulgate)

KJV

NAW

MT
1 Sam 31

MTB
1 Chron 10

1 Καὶ οἱ ἀλλό­φυλοι ἐπολέμουν ἐπὶ Ισραηλ, καὶ ἔφυγον οἱ ἄνδρες Ισραηλ ἐκ προσ­ώπου τῶν ἀλλο­φύλων, καὶ πίπτ­ουσιν τραυματίαι ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Γελβουε.

1 And the Phil­istines fought with Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and they fall down wounded in the mountain in Gelbue.

1 And the Phil­istines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Phil­istines, and fell down slain in mount Gelboe.

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

1 Meanwhile the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from the Philistine front and fell wounded upon Mount Gilboa.

1 וּפְלִשְׁתִּים נִלְחָמִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּנֻסוּ אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִפְּנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּפְּלוּ חֲלָלִיםD בְּהַר הַגִּלְבֹּעַ:

א וּפְלִשְׁתִּים נִלְחֲמוּ בְיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּנָסx אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִפְּנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּפְּלוּ חֲלָלִים בְּהַר xגִּלְבֹּעַ.

2 καὶ συνάπτου­σινE ἀλλόφυλοι τῷ Σαουλ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τύπτουσιν ἀλλό­φυλοι τὸν Ιωναθαν καὶ τὸν Αμιναδαβ καὶ τὸν Μελχισα υἱοὺς Σαουλ.

2 And the Philistines press closely on Saul and his sons, and the Philistines smite Jonathan, and Aminadab, and Melchisa son of Saul.

2 And the Philistines fell upon Saul, and upon his sons, and they slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchisua, the sons of Saul.

2 And the Phil­istines followed hard uponF Saul and [upon] his sons; and the Philis­tines slewG Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi­shua, Saul's sons.

2 Presently, the Philistines engaged Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinidab and Melki-shua, Saul’s sons.

2 וַיַּדְבְּקוּH פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶת- שָׁאוּל וְאֶת- בָּנָיו וַיַּכּוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶת- יְהוֹנָתָן וְאֶת- אֲבִינָדָב וְאֶת- מַלְכִּי- שׁוּעַ בְּנֵי שָׁאוּל:

ב וַיַּדְבְּקוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אַחֲרֵי שָׁאוּל וְאַחֲרֵי בָנָיו וַיַּכּוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֶת יוֹנָתָן וְאֶת אֲבִינָדָב וְאֶת מַלְכִּי שׁוּעַ בְּנֵי שָׁאוּל.

3 καὶ βαρύνεται ὁ πόλεμος ἐπὶ Σαουλ, καὶ εὑρίσ­κουσιν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀκοντισταίI, ἄνδρες τοξόται, καὶ ἐτραυματίσθη X εἰςJ τὰ ὑποχόνδρια.

3 And the battle prevails against Saul, and the shooters with arrows, even the archers find him, and he was wounded under the ribs.

3 And the [whole] weight of the battle was turned upon Saul: and the archers overtook him, and he was grievously wounded by the archers.

3 And the battle went soreK against Saul, and the archersL hitM him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.

3 Then while the fighting was heavy {upon} Saul, the men shooting with the bow found their mark on him, and he was severely wounded by the shooters.

3 וַתִּכְבַּד הַמִּלְחָמָה אֶלN- שָׁאוּל וַיִּמְצָאֻהוּ הַמּוֹרִים אֲנָשִׁים בַּקָּשֶׁת וַיָּחֶלO מְאֹד מֵהַמּוֹרִים:

ג וַתִּכְבַּד הַמִּלְחָמָה עַל שָׁאוּל וַיִּמְצָאֻהוּ הַמּוֹרִיxxxxx בַּקָּשֶׁת וַיָּחֶל xxx מִן הַיּוֹרִים.

4 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς τὸν αἴροντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ Σπάσαι τὴν ῥομφαίαν σου καὶ ἀποκέντησόν με ἐν αὐτῇ, μὴ ἔλθω­σιν οἱ ἀπερίτμητοι οὗτοι καὶ ἀποκεντή­σωσίν με καὶ ἐμπαίξωσίνP μοι. καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύηQ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐφοβή­θη σφόδρα· καὶ ἔλαβεν Σαουλ τὴν ῥομφαίαν καὶ ἐπ­έπεσεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν.

4 And Saul said to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword and pierce me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and pierce me through, and mock me. But his armour-bearer would not, for he feared greatly: so Saul took his sword and fell upon it.

4 Then Saul said to his armour­bearer: Draw thy sword, and kill me X X: lest these uncircumcised come, and slay me, and mock at me. And his armourbearer would not: for he was [struck with exceeding] great fear. Then Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.

4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrustR me through therewith; lestS these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuseT me. But his armour­bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took aU sword, and fell upon it.

4 So Saul said to the guy who carried his gear, “Draw your sword and stab me with it; otherwise these uncircumcised men will come and stab and terrorize me.” But the guy who carried his gear would not, for he was too afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell upon it.

4 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל Vלְנֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו שְׁלֹף חַרְבְּךָ וְדָקְרֵנִיW בָהּ פֶּן- יָבוֹאוּ הָעֲרֵלִים הָאֵלֶּה וּדְקָרֻנִי וְהִתְעַלְּלוּX-בִי וְלֹא אָבָה נֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו כִּי יָרֵא מְאֹד וַיִּקַּח שָׁאוּל אֶת- הַחֶרֶב וַיִּפֹּל עָלֶיהָ:

ד וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל נֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו שְׁלֹף חַרְבְּךָ וְדָקְרֵנִי בָהּ פֶּן יָבֹאוּ הָעֲרֵלִים הָאֵלֶּה xxxxxx וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ בִי וְלֹא אָבָה נֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו כִּי יָרֵא מְאֹד וַיִּקַּח שָׁאוּל אֶת הַחֶרֶב וַיִּפֹּל עָלֶיהָ.

5 καὶ εἶδεν ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ὅτι τέθνη­κεν Σαουλ, καὶ ἐπέπεσεν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέθανεν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

5 And his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, and he fell also himself upon his sword, and died with him.

5 And when his armourbearer saw this, to wit, that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.

5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

5 And when the guy who carried his gear saw that Saul was dead, he also fell himself upon his sword and died with him.

5 וַיַּרְא נֹשֵׂא-כֵלָיו כִּי מֵת שָׁאוּל וַיִּפֹּל גַּם-הוּא עַל-חַרְבּוֹ וַיָּמָת עִמּוֹ:

ה וַיַּרְא נֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו כִּי מֵת שָׁאוּל וַיִּפֹּל גַּם הוּא עַל הַחֶרֶב וַיָּמֹת xxx.

6 καὶ ἀπέθανεν Σαουλ καὶ οἱ τρεῖς υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ X X X X ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ κατὰ τὸ αὐτόY.

6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer X X X X, in that day together.

6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men that same day together.

6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

6 And so Saul died, along with three of his sons and the guy who carried his gear and all his bodyguards together on that day.

6 וַיָּמָת שָׁאוּל וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת בָּנָיו וְנֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו גַּם כָּל- אֲנָשָׁיוZ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יַחְדָּו:

ו וַיָּמָת שָׁאוּל וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת בָּנָיו xxxx xxxx וְכָל בֵּיתוֹxxxx xxxx יַחְדָּו מֵתוּ.

7 καὶ εἶδον οἱ ἄνδρες Ισραηλ οἱ ἐν τῷ πέραν τῆς κοιλάδος καὶ οἱ ἐν τῷ πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου ὅτι ἔφυγον οἱ ἄνδρες Ισραηλ καὶ ὅτι τέθνηκεν Σαουλ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ καταλείπουσιν τὰς πόλεις [αὐτ­ῶν] καὶ φεύγ­ουσιν· καὶ ἔρχον­ται οἱ ἀλλό­φυλοι καὶ κατ­οικοῦσιν ἐν αὐταῖς. --

7 And the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those beyond Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead; and they leave their cities and flee: and the Philis­tines come and dwell in them.

7 And the men of Israel, that were beyond the valley, and beyond the Jordan, seeing that the Israelites were fled, and that Saul was dead, and his sons, X forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philis­tines came and dwelt there.

7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other sideAA Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsookAB the cities, and fled; and the Phi­lis­tines came and dwelt in them.

7 Now, when the men of Israel who were across the valley and who were across the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned {their} cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and took up residence in them.

7 וַיִּרְאוּ אַנְשֵׁי- יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר- בְּעֵבֶר הָעֵמֶק וַאֲשֶׁר בְּעֵבֶרAC הַיַּרְדֵּן כִּי-נָסוּ אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכִי-מֵתוּ שָׁאוּל וּבָנָיו וַיַּעַזְבוּ אֶת-הֶעָרִיםAD וַיָּנֻסוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בָּהֶן: ס

ז וַיִּרְאוּ כָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בָּxxx xעֵמֶק xxxx xxxx xxxxx כִּי נָסוּ xxxxx xxxx וְכִי מֵתוּ שָׁאוּל וּבָנָיו וַיַּעַזְבוּ xx עָרֵיהֶם וַיָּנֻסוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בָּהֶם.

8 καὶ ἐγενήθη τῇ ἐπαύριον καὶ ἔρχονται οἱ ἀλλό­φυλοι ἐκδιδύσκειν τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ εὑρίσκουσιν τὸν Σαουλ καὶ τοὺς τρεῖς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ πεπτωκότας ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη Γελβουε.

8 And it came to pass on the morrow that the Philistines come to strip the dead, and they find Saul and his three sons fallen on the mountain[s] of Gelbue.

8 And on the morrow X the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons lying in mount Gelboe.

8 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.

8 Then it happened on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip down their victims, that they found Saul and three of his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

8 וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת וַיָּבֹאוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לְפַשֵּׁט אֶת- הַחֲלָלִים וַיִּמְצְאוּ אֶת-שָׁאוּל וְאֶת- שְׁלֹשֶׁת בָּנָיו נֹפְלִים בְּהַר הַגִּלְבֹּעַ:

ח וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת וַיָּבֹאוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לְפַשֵּׁט אֶת הַחֲלָלִים וַיִּמְצְאוּ אֶת שָׁאוּל וְאֶת xxxx בָּנָיו נֹפְלִים בְּהַר xגִּלְבֹּעַ.

9 καὶ ἀποστρέφ­ουσιν αὐτὸνAE καὶ ἐξέδυσαν τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτὰ εἰς γῆν ἀλλο­φύλων κύκλῳ εὐαγγελίζ­οντες τοῖς Χ Χ εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν καὶ τῷ λαῷ [αὐτῶν]AF·

9 And they turned him, and stripped off his armour, and sent it into the land of the Philis­tines, sending round glad tidings to Χ Χ their idols and to the people.

9 And they cut off [Saul's] head, and stripped him of his armour, and sent into the land of the Phil­istines round about, to publish it in the temples of their idols and among [their] people.

9 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.

9 So they cut off his head and stripped off his weapons, and they sent around the circuit of the land of the Phil­istines to herald the news {before} their idols and their people.

9 וַיִּכְרְתוּ אֶת- רֹאשׁוֹAG וַיַּפְשִׁיטוּ אֶת-כֵּלָיו וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ בְאֶרֶץ-פְּלִשְׁתִּים סָבִיבAH לְבַשֵּׂרAI בֵּית עֲצַבֵּיהֶם וְאֶת-הָעָם:

ט  xxxxx וַיַּפְשִׁיטֻהוּ וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ וְאֶת כֵּלָיו וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ בְאֶרֶץ פְלִשְׁתִּים סָבִיב לְבַשֵּׂר אֶתxxx עֲצַבֵּיהֶם וְאֶת הָעָם.

10 καὶ ἀνέθηκαν τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ ἈσταρτεῖονAJ καὶ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ κατέπηξαν ἐν τῷ τείχει Βαιθσαν.

10 And they set up his armour at the temple of Astarte, and they fastened his body on the wall of Baethsam.

10 And they put his armour in the temple of Astaroth, but his body they hung on the wall of Bethsan.

10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

10 And they put his weapons in the temple of Astaroth, and they impaled his body on the wall of Beth Shan.

10 וַיָּשִׂמוּ אֶת- כֵּלָיו בֵּית עַשְׁתָּרוֹת וְאֶת-גְּוִיָּתוֹ תָּקְעוּ בְּחוֹמַת בֵּית שָׁןAK:

י  וַיָּשִׂימוּ אֶת כֵּלָיו בֵּית אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וְאֶת גֻּלְגָּלְתּוֹAL תָקְעוּ xxxxx בֵּית דָּגוֹןAM.

11 καὶ ἀκούουσιν X X οἱ κατοικ­οῦντες Ιαβις τῆς Γαλααδίτιδος ἃ ἐποίησαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι τῷ Σαουλ.

11 And the inhabitants of Jabis Galaad hear X X what the Philistines did to Saul.

11 Now when the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad had heard X X [all] that the Philistines had done to Saul,

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

11 Now, when the residents of Jabesh Gilead heard {} what the Philistines had done to Saul,

11 וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֵלָיוAN יֹשְׁבֵי יָבֵישׁ גִּלְעָדAO אֵת אֲשֶׁרAP-עָשׂוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לְשָׁאוּל:

יא וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ כֹּל xxxx יָבֵישׁ גִּלְעָד אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לְשָׁאוּל.

12 καὶ ἀνέστησαν πᾶς ἀνὴρ δυνάμ­εωςAQ καὶ ἐπορεύ­θησαν ὅλην τὴν νύκτα καὶ ἔλαβον τὸ σῶμα Σαουλ καὶ τὸ σῶμα [Ιωναθαν] τοῦ υἱοῦX αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τείχους Βαιθ­σαν καὶ φέρουσιν [αὐτοὺς] εἰς Ιαβις καὶ κατα­καίουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ.

12 And they rose up, [even] every man of might, and marched all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodyX of [Jona­than] his sonX from the wall of Baethsam; and they bring [them] to Jabis, and burn them there.

12 All the [most] valiant men arose, and walked all the night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Bethsan: and they came to Jabes [Galaad], and burnt them there.

12 All the valiant men arose, and wentAR 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.

12 all the militia men got up and walked all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan, and they came to Jabesh and burnt them there.

12 וַיָּקוּמוּ כָּל- אִישׁ חַיִל וַיֵּלְכוּ כָל-הַלַּיְלָה וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת-גְּוִיַּת שָׁאוּל וְאֵת גְּוִיֹּת בָּנָיו מֵחוֹמַת בֵּית שָׁן וַיָּבֹאוּ יָבֵשָׁה וַיִּשְׂרְפוּ אֹתָם שָׁם:

יב וַיָּקוּמוּ כָּל אִישׁ חַיִל xxxx xx xxxxx וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת גּוּפַת שָׁאוּל וְאֵת גּוּפֹת בָּנָיו xxxxx xxx xx וַיְבִיאוּם יָבֵישָׁה xxxxxx xxx xx

13 καὶ λαμβάνουσιν τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτῶν καὶ θάπτουσιν ὑπὸ τὴν ἄρουρανAS τὴν Ιαβις καὶ νηστεύου­σιν ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας.

13 And they take their bones, and bury them in the field that is in Jabis, and fast seven days.

13 And they took their bones, and buried them in the wood of Jabes: and fasted seven days.

13 And they took their bones, and buried them under a treeAT at Jabesh, and fas­ted seven days.

13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

13 וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת- עַצְמֹתֵיהֶם וַיִּקְבְּרוּ תַחַת-הָאֶשֶׁל בְּיָבֵשָׁה וַיָּצֻמוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים: פ

xxxxx וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֶת עַצְמוֹתֵיהֶם תַּחַת הָאֵלָה בְּיָבֵשׁ וַיָּצוּמוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים.


1although it didn’t pass into Jewish tradition until 1516 AD. (Goldman, Intro)

2See footnote AD for more detail.

3Although Gill cites the Targums, Arabic, and Syriac traditions which say he was not wounded but rather just “afraid.”

4There is some question whether Ishvi was another name for Malchishua, or another name for Ishbosheth, but the number of sons is not disputed.

5Gill traced it to Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 77. B.

6The Hebrew language has one word for “murder” and a different word for “kill,” and the word in the 10 Commandments is “murder,” leaving open the legitimate function of civil government to put to death criminals duly convicted.

7“Josephus (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 14. sect. 7) denies he killed himself; that though he attempted it, his sword would not pierce through him, and that he was killed by the Amalekite, and that that was a true account he gave to David in the following chapter; though it seems rather to be a lie, to curry favour with David, and that Saul did destroy himself… Saul was dead By his own hands, and not by the hands of the Amalekite, which the armour bearer would scarcely have suffered...” ~John Gill

8Willet was in agreement with me when he wrote his commentary. Henry refused to conjecture. The rest didn’t go there.

9“a particular reproach to Saul, who was taller by the head than other men (which perhaps he was wont to boast of), but was now shorter by the head.” ~Matthew Henry

10Willett suggested that the body was displayed in the temple of Ashtoreth and the head in the temple of Dagon in Beth Shan. Goldman suggested that the head and armor were displayed in the temple of Astarte in Ashkelton. Jamieson suggested that the armor went to the temple of Ashtaroth, the bodies to the temple of Shen, and the heads to the temple of Dagon, “thus dividing the glory among their several deities.” K&D similarly wrote, “sent... heads and weapons as trophies into the land of the Philistines (to which McCarter and Driver agreed but to which Jameison and Tsumura objecting, saying that what was “sent” was “messengers” not body parts)... deposited their weapons... in the Astarte-houses. But the [headless] corpses they fastened to the town-wall of Beth-shean…”

11Beth Shan is known to have been occupied by the Egyptians (from whom it got this name “house of the sun”) and by the Philistines in earlier history, but if it were under Philistine control at this time, one would expect it to have been mentioned as a headquarters for this Philistine campaign, and since it isn’t, the impression the reader gets is that it was not under Philistine control immediately before this battle.

12This is the estimation of the BibleWorks Map software. Gill estimated at 16 miles round trip, Jamieson at 20 miles, and Goldman at 40. Jamieson estimated it would take an hour and a half travel time each way.

13Willett’s explanation (following Kimchi and later adopted by Gill and by K&D) for burning the flesh off the bones was because the flesh was decaying and because the Philistines would be less likely to mess with the bones (the latter of which was Jamieson’s and Tsumura’s explanation). I didn’t find these to be as convincing.

14Willett (following Kimchi) suggested that the seven days was “in memorie of the seven days of truce, which sometime Nahash the king of Ammon gave them, within which time Saul came and delivered them.” Henry & Gill both noted that such fasts were traditionally only during daylight hours, with eating & drinking at night, like the Ramadan fast of the Muslims. Tsumura noted that “a ritual of seven days… is also attested in the Ugaritic funerary ritual preserved in KTU 1.161.”

15Matthew Henry quoted Prov. 11:10 “‘When the wicked perish there is shouting’ (that is, it is to be hoped a better state of things will ensue, which will be matter of joy), yet humanity obliges us to show a decent respect to dead bodies, especially those of princes.”

16cf. Revelation 18:10-24 Lament over Babylon

17Note that even though Saul killed himself, the account says that God killed him, a testimony to the mysterious relationship of human will and divine will which can be such that both man and God can be responsible at the same time.

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing 1 Samuel 31 is 4Q51Samuela, which contains fragments of vs. 1-4 and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the DSS is legible and matches the MT, the MT is colored purple. Where the DSS (or Vulgate and Syriac) support the LXX with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and, where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

B1 Chronicles 10 is so similar to 1 Samuel 31 that I added it for comparison. No DSS of 1 Chronicles are known, so this is just the MT of 1 Chron 10. I have colored synonyms in grey, added a grey x to indicate letters found in 1 Sam 31 but not 1 Chron 10, and overlined text found in 1 Chron 10 but not 1 Sam 31. Within the first 6 verses are an average of 3 textual variants per verse, but they are all so minor that there is no difference in meaning. For the most part 1 Chron 10 appears to be a slightly-condensed edition of 1 Sam 31.

CAll the English versions (including the KJV) render this same word “wounded” in v. 3, then “slain” again in v.8 (with the exception of the NIV which renders it “dead” in v.8). The root meaning of the Hebrew word is to be “pierced through,” which could result in death, but not necessarily.

Dcf. 17:52 when the same happened to the Philistines before the victorious Israelite army previously.

Ecf. Aquila’s translation into Greek a few hundred years later: ekollhqhsan (“were brought close together”)

FNASB, ESV = “overtook,” NIV = “pressed hard after”

GNASB, NIV = “killed,” ESV is closer to the central meaning of this Hebrew (and Greek) word with “struck down.”

HCf the only other instance of this verb in 1 Samuel at 1 Sam. 14:22.

ILit. “those who shoot” This root is only used in the LXX here and in 1 Sam. 20:20 & 36. Some later Greek versions used a less-obscure synonym: Aquila = roizounteV (“attackers”), Theodotian = toxotai (“archers”). At the end of this verse, the MT uses the same word, so Aq. and Theod. and Sym. (the latter of whom used the LXX word akontistwn “shooters” here) repeated at the end of the verse the same words they used here, but at the end of the verse, the LXX switched inexplicably to θποχονδρια (in the crushing-under”).

JAll the later Greek versions corrected to the MT with sfodra apo (“very from”).

Kcf. NASB (which has the most literal rendering) = “went heavily,” NIV = “grew fierce,” ESV = “pressed hard.”

LIn Hebrew & Greek, literally “the men who shoot with the bows”

MESV follows the Hebrew (& Greek) most literally with “found,” NIV = “overcame,” Goldman = “got him in range”

NDSS reads על ("upon"), and the LXX corresponds better with the DSS than the MT with επι. Multiple other Hebrew manuscripts also support the DSS, including the MT of 1 Chron. 10. The meaning is not significantly different, however.

OTargums, Syriac, & Arabic versions render “afraid” instead of MT & LXX “wounded.” This would make Saul’s fear of death all the more irrational if he had not actually been wounded, as Gill, Kimchi, & Ben Melech believed was the case. Keil & Delitzsch also vouched for “alarmed” writing, “the verb חָלַל or חָלָה cannot be proved to be ever used in the sense of wounding.” Most Bible scholars, however, instead consider the root to be חיל which finds space for “wound” in its root meaning of “writhe” (cf. Prov. 26:10 which also speaks of archers “wounding” using this verb).

Pcf. Aq. enallaxousin (leap in opposition”)

Qcf. Symmachus oploforoV “armor-carrier” In v.9 he also renders “armor” as oplo instead of the LXX σκευη.

RNASB = “pierce,” NIV= “run”

SNASB = “otherwise,” NIV = “or”

TNASB = “make sport of,” ESV = “mistreat”

UAlthough the possessive pronoun “his” is not explicitly in the Greek or Hebrew text, the word “sword” has a definite article (“the”) which often serves as a possessive pronoun. This could also point there being only one sword between them.

VInstead of the abbreviated prepositional prefix, DSS uses the full stand-alone form of this preposition אל, and the LXX and Vulgate seem to support that with stand-alone prepositions. It makes no difference in meaning, though.

WThis is the same request made by the Judge Abimelek in Judges 9:54.

XDSS does not have the sureq letter ending on this verb, making the verb singular instead of the MT’s plural form, and it doesn’t have space for all the characters found in the MT of the previous word, so it too might be singular. It appears that the DSS says ודקר והתעלל ביand he will stab and desecrate me,” as though there is one particular Philistine king out to get him. It is not much different from the MT, but the LXX and Vulgate and 1 Chron. 10 support the MT with plural verbs. The only other time this verb appears in 1 Samuel is 6:6, but King Zedekiah also expresses this same fear of it in Jeremiah 38:19. This verb is used to describe what God did to Egypt during the plagues as well as to describe sexual abuse by evil men.

Ycf. synonym in Aq. omou “the same”

ZThis phrase “and all his men” was apparently not in the Hebrew manuscript which the authors of the Septuagint, Vaticanus, and even the Lucian Rescription were looking at. Curiously, the phrase is rendered “and all his house” in 1 Chron. 10, so it is clearly affirmed as God’s word, and the meaning of “all his men” is made more clear as being limited to those of his household, not every man in Israel.

AANASB = “beyond,” NIV = “across,” Gill = “on that side/around,” Junius & Tremellius, Picator = “circa

ABNASB, NIV, ESV = “abandoned”

ACMt. Gilboa commanded a view north across the Jezreel valley toward the northern tribes of Israel as well as a view East across the Jordan valley to the transjordan tribes of Israel. Those tribes may not have participated in this war, but they could see a war going on and would have taken note of the Israelite soldiers running pell-mell in their direction to get away from the Philistines who were chasing them.
Willett explained that “across” doesn’t mean “on the opposite side of” in this case, but “on the near side of”: “[T]he meaning then is, that they which were on this side Jordan, toward the Philistims, fled away: for begheber, in transitu, indifferently signifieth, on either side, this, or the other.”
K&D concurred, “עֵמֶק עֵבֶר is the country to the west of the valley of Jezreel, and הַיַּרְדֵּן עֵבֶר the country to the west of the Jordan, i.e., between Gilboa and the Jordan.”
This would explain why Jabesh on the east side of the Jordan River did not evacuate. Tsumura, in the NICOT commentary, however maintained that bavr meant “on the other side of.”

ADLXX, Vulgate, and 1 Chron 10 all add a third plural pronoun “their” to this word “cities.” The definite article which prefixes this word in the MT of 1 Sam. 31 here can also be interpreted this way, so the meaning is the same either way.

AESymmachus corrected to the MT kai ekoyan thn kefalhn autou “and they cut off his head.”

AFRahlf’s edition of the LXX includes this pronoun “their,” but the Vaticanus does not, and it is not in the MT.

AGThis phrase is not in 1 Chron. 10 or in the LXX (incl. Vaticanus) or the Vulgate. There are no known Dead Sea Scrolls containing this verse either in 1 Chron. or 1 Sam. for comparison. Furthermore, there is no further mention of Saul’s head as being separate from his body, but rather his body appears to have remained whole, unless, as Tsumura maintained, goyyat specifically means “headless corpse.” On the other hand, it’s hard for me to see why turning Saul’s body over (which is the reading of the LXX) would be so significant that it would be reported in this account. The context rules out translating it “interred” or “returned.”

AHcf. 1 Sam. 5, where the same was done with the captured ark, and the verbal form of this same root (“around”) is used in 5:8 & 10 to describe it being brought in a circuit to be displayed in the 5 Philistine city-states (although the tour of the ark was interrupted halfway through that tour!)

AIcf. 1 Samuel 4:17 And the herald answered saying, "Israel fled before the Philistine front, and our people experienced a massive rout, and, what's more, both of your sons – Hophni and Phinehas – died, and the ark of God was taken." (NAW)

AJAquila followed the MT spelling more closely with Astarwq, but it’s the same thing.

AKJudges 1:27 informs us that Beth Shan was one of the Canaanite towns allotted to the tribe of Manasseh, but the tribe of Manasseh never conquered it. Being so close to the battle, it is entirely possible that whoever had been living there evacuated Beth Shan like the Israelites had evacuated their cities further across the valley and that this was one of the towns immediately occupied by the victorious Philistines. Its location was strategic as a stop along a major north-south highway through the middle-east, and it was also a very fertile valley for farming.

ALThis word denotes a “skull” (cf. “Golgotha” in the NT), whereas the word in 1 Samuel 31 denotes the whole “body,” including the skeletal structure, sometimes referring to dead bodies, sometimes to the bodies of living beings. The verb is used for Laban “pitching up” a tent, Psalmists “clapping” hands in worship, Proverbial “shaking” hands to make a bargain, Ehud “stabbing” Eglon with a sword, Jael “driving” a tent peg through Sisera’s head, and Joab “thrusting” darts into Absolom, but over half of the uses of this verb are to denote “blowing” a trumpet. What is described appears to be Saul’s body impaled on a spike sticking out of the wall. If the head was still attached, it could have been the only part of the body impaled; if the head had been cut off, it could have been impaled separately from the body on the same wall, and in both cases there would be no conflict between the 1 Sam. 31 and the 1 Chron 10 account.

AMThis is the most significant variant between 1 Chron. 10 and 1 Sam 31, but the likelihood of it not being a contradiction is high because plural “gods” are mentioned in 1 Chron. 10. Dagon is the only god explicitly mentioned in 1 Chron. 10, but the temple could have been for both Dagon and Ashtoreth, or the tour circuit could have included one stop at Ashtoreth’s temple (mentioned in 1 Sam. 31) and then another stop at Dagon’s temple in Beth Shan (mentioned in 1 Chron. 10).

ANAlthough rescensions of the Greek text include this MT phrase (“to/concerning him/it”), the original Greek, Syriac and Vulgate do not include it, nor does 1 Chron. 10. (1 Chron. 10 substitutes “all” for “inhabitants of,” but means basically the same thing.)

AOJabesh Gilead was the city that Saul had delivered from the Ammonites back in chapter 11. The men of Jabesh had both their eyes because Saul rescued them from Nahash. So they naturally wanted to do something to honor their hero Saul.

APTsumura called this an “adverbial accusative” translating it “...that is, about what….”

AQcf. synonyms in later versions by Aquila = euporoV (“wealthy”) and Symmachus iscuroV (“strong”)

ARNASB = “walked,” NIV = “journeyed” The Hebrew word’s meaning is centered simply on “going.”

AScf. synonyms in later versions: Aq. = dendrwna (“tree”), S. = futon (“growing plant”), Q. druV (“dew”?).

ATNASB, NIV, ESV = “tamarisk tree”

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