1 Paralipomenon x.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 1. Now. Septuagint, “and.” (Haydock) — This has no connexion with what goes before. (Calmet) — This history is given more at large, 1 Kings xxxi., and 2 Kings i. (Menochius)
Ver. 3. Reached: literally, “found.” (Haydock) — Hebrew, or “attacked him, and he feared the archers. He was not, at least, mortally wounded, when he took the desperate resolution to destroy himself, through fear and consternation. (Calmet) Yet the original will admit the sense of the Vulgate and Saul might have received some wounds. Septuagint, “Archers found him with bows, and in labours, and he laboured on account of (or to avoid) the bows.” (Haydock)
Ver. 4. Fear and reverence for his master, (Calmet) as well as concern for his own safety. (Haydock)
Ver. 6. Fell. Hebrew, “died.” (Calmet) — But, though the house of Saul was fallen from its former glory, on this fatal day, when so many of his courtiers perished; yet he left Isboseth to bewail his fate, (Haydock) and some others who were not of age to go to battle. (Calmet)
Ver. 9. To be. Hebrew, “to carry tidings to their idols, (sorrows) and to the people.” They exposed the spoils in the temples, and gave thanks to their idols for the victory.
Ver. 10. Head, while his body was hung on the walls of Bethsan, 1 Kings xxxi. 10. (Calmet) — The temple of Dagon was contiguous to the wall. (Du Hamel)
Ver. 12. Oak, well known at Jabes. Elsewhere the word is translated, the grove. (Calmet)
Ver. 13. For. Septuagint, “in his iniquities.” (Haydock) — See 1 Kings xiii. 9., and xv. 23. Saul offered sacrifice unlawfully, and spared some of the Amalecites. (Worthington)
Bible Text & Cross-references:
Saul is slain for his sins: he is buried by the men of Jabes.
1 Now *the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down wounded in Mount Gelboe.
2 *And the Philistines drew near, pursuing after Saul and his sons, and they killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchisua, the sons of Saul.
3 And the battle grew hard against Saul, and the archers reached him, and wounded him with arrows.
4 And Saul said to his armour-bearer: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest these uncircumcised come, and mock me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was struck with fear: so Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
5 And when his armour-bearer saw it, to wit, that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword, and died.
6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house fell together.
7 And when the men of Israel, that dwelt in the plains, saw this, they fled: and Saul and his sons being dead, they forsook their cities, and were scattered up and down: and the Philistines came, and dwelt in them.
8 And the next day, the Philistines taking away the spoils of them that were slain, found Saul and his sons lying on Mount Gelboe.
9 And when they had stripped him, and cut off his head, and taken away his armour, they sent it into their land, to be carried about, and shewed in the temples of the idols, and to the people.
10 And his armour they dedicated in the temple of their god, and his head they fastened up in the temple of Dagon.
11 And when the men of Jabes Galaad had heard this, to wit, all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 All the valiant men of them arose, and took the bodies of Saul and of his sons, and brought them to Jabes, and buried their bones under the oak that was in Jabes, and they fasted seven days.
13 So Saul died for his iniquities, because he transgressed the *commandment of the Lord, which he had commanded, and kept it not: **and moreover consulted also a witch,
14 And trusted not in the Lord: therefore he slew him, and transferred his kingdom to David, the son of Isai.
____________________
*
1: 1 Kings xxxi. 1.
2: Year of the World 2949, Year before Christ 1055.
13: Exodus xvii. 14.; 1 Kings xv. 3. — ** 1 Kings xxviii. 8.