Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Samuel 31
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Samuel 31
Albert Barnes Commentary
1 Samuel 31
"And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers." — 1 Samuel 31:3 (ASV)
He was sore wounded - A better translation is, “he was very afraid” . Saul’s fear is explained in 1 Samuel 31:4.
"So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armorbearer, and all his men, that same day together." — 1 Samuel 31:6 (ASV)
All his men - This and similar expressions must not be taken too literally (Compare to 1 Chronicles 10:6). We know that Abner, Ish-bosheth, and many more survived the day of Gilboa.
"And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were beyond the 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." — 1 Samuel 31:7 (ASV)
The men on the other side of the valley - This must mean the area north of the plain of Jezreel, which would include the tribes of Naphtali, Zebulun, and probably Issachar. However, the text of 1 Chronicles 10:7 says, that were in the valley, limiting the statement to the inhabitants of the plain of Jezreel.
On the other side Jordan - This phrase most commonly means east of the Jordan, with the speaker presumed to be on the west side. But it is also used to refer to the west of the Jordan, as it is here, if the text is sound.
The Philistines ... dwelt in them - One of the principal cities, Beth-shan, immediately fell into their power (1 Samuel 31:10).
"And they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan." — 1 Samuel 31:10 (ASV)
In the house of Ashtaroth - This was undoubtedly the famous temple of Venus in Ashkelon, which Herodotus mentioned as the most ancient of all her temples. This is why Ashkelon is specifically mentioned in 2 Samuel 1:20. Placing Saul’s armor as a trophy in the temple of Ashtaroth was a counterpart to placing Goliath’s sword in the tabernacle (1 Samuel 21:9).
In 1 Chronicles 10:10, it is added that they fastened Saul’s head in the temple of Dagon, likely in either Gaza (Judges 16:21) or Ashdod (1 Samuel 5:1–3). This was perhaps in retaliation for the similar treatment of Goliath’s head (1 Samuel 17:54).
These variations seem to imply that both this narrative and the account in 1 Chronicles 10:1–14 were compiled from a common and fuller document.
"And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul," — 1 Samuel 31:11 (ASV)
When the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead heard... — See 1 Samuel 11:1–15. This is a touching and rare example of national gratitude.
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