John Gill Commentary 1 Samuel 31:9

"And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people." — 1 Samuel 31:9 (ASV)

And they cut off his head
And fastened it in the temple of Dagon, (1 Chronicles 10:10); perhaps that which was at Ashdod, one of the principalities of the Philistines, (1 Samuel 5:1 1 Samuel 5:2);

and stripped off his armour ;
or vessels ^F8, his clothes as well as his armour, and what he had about him; as for his crown on his head, and the bracelet on his arm, the Amalekite took them before the Philistines came, (2 Samuel 1:10) ;

and sent into the land of the Philistines round about :
not his head and his armour, for they were placed in the temple of their idols; unless we can suppose these were first carried about for show, and as proofs of the victory: but rather messengers, who were sent express with the news,

to publish [it in] the house of their idols, and among the people ;
that so they might be glad and rejoice, and give praise to their idols, to whom they ascribed the success they had.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F8: (wylk ta) "vasa ejus", Munster, Montanus.