Saul is Gone… All Hail the King

Let us go back a little - Saul had gathered to fight the Philistines. He tried to talk to God but God was not answering Saul .

Saul was afraid so he sought out a medium to do one thing… call on Samuel.

God chose to allow Samuel to communicate from beyond the grave and give Saul an answer.

1 Samuel 28:19 CSB

19 The Lord will also hand Israel over to the Philistines along with you. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me, and the Lord will hand Israel’s army over to the Philistines.”

In other words - Israel will lose the coming battle and Saul and his sons will be dead by the end of it.

1 Samuel 31 CSB

1 The Philistines fought against Israel, and Israel’s men fled from them and were killed on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. 3 When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers found him and severely wounded him. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him. 6 So on that day, Saul died together with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men.

The Philistine’s attack was successful - Israel tried to flee and were killed.

They did not want to stop at merely a victory but wanted to make it one for the ages… so they went after Saul and his sons.

In their pursuit the Philistine archers launched a barrage and mortally wounded Saul.

Saul knew about the potential treatment of mortally wounded enemies not to mention a king. The could be mutilation or removal of (pardon the bluntness) genitalia and decapitation.

Saul obviously would want to avoid the extra suffering - it is interesting - so many times Saul refused to listen to God through Samuel but now after violating the Torah once again and speaking to the dead prophet Samuel, Saul has finally heard the words of the Lord… he knows he will die.

Saul asked his armor-bearer to kill him so he wouldn’t have to suffer torture at the hands of the enemy.

The armor-bearer refused to kill the king because he was “terrified” possibly because he feared the consequences of harming the Lord’s anointed.

Saul then took his own sword and fell on it - seeing this his armor-bearer fell on his sword as well - either as a show of solidarity or fear for the people would think he had something to do with it.

Samuel’s haunting words, less than 24 hours old, were resoundingly echoed in verse 6, “Saul died together with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men. “

1 Samuel 31 CSB

7 When the men of Israel on the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordan saw that Israel’s men had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them. 8 The next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off Saul’s head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news in the temples of their idols and among the people. 10 Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and hung his body on the wall of Beth-shan.

The Israelites living in the Jezreel valley as well as those in the Transjordan territory of Manasseh heard of the crushing defeat.

Military protection was gone, any possible survivors were running and the king along with his designated successors had been slaughtered - this cause some concern to say the least.

The people abandoned their towns and fled leaving them open.

The Philistines came and occupied the abandoned towns, no doubt looting them.

Part of the looting involved returning the next day to the battle field to strip the dead of their possessions as well.

The fact that the royal bodies were left on the field of battle goes to illustrate the magnitude of the Israelite defeat. You typically would not leave the “dignitaries” out for the enemy to do things to the corpse.

They took Saul’s head - the head is symbolic of power and authority - Saul’s authority and power have been severed.

They took Saul’s armor - armor would have symbolic of wealth as well as protection - the armor was given to the temple of the Ashtoreths as an offering or thank you for giving the Philistines the victory.

Saul and his sons bodies were stripped naked and hung on the town wall - this would shame the deceased and afford no honor for their death by being naked and unburied.

The Philistines also went around the country bragging about their victory and worshipping their false gods.

1 Samuel 31 CSB

11 When the residents of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their brave men set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there. 13 Afterward, they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

While most of Israel was in shock and overcome with fear the people of Jabesh-gilead had a different reaction the treatment of the royal family.

The text is not clear how many “brave men” set out but I would guess the number was not more than 10-20.

Their trip was not easy - they had to go about 15 miles and cross the Jordan River all at night.

They successfully retrieved the bodies of the royal family and returned home - instead of burial they burned the corpses - possible reasons: if caught with the bodies it would be bad for them, the bodies were past the normal preparation for burial time, and most likely it was to protect the bodies from being dug and and displayed again.

The bones were buried under the tamarisk tree where Saul used to hold court.

A fast to mourn the loss took place for 7 days.

2 Samuel 1 CSB

1 After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed at Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head came from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David asked him, “Where have you come from?” He replied to him, “I’ve escaped from the Israelite camp.” 4 “What was the outcome? Tell me,” David asked him. “The troops fled from the battle,” he answered. “Many of the troops have fallen and are dead. Also, Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”

The story of Saul and David have been told simultaneously and now Saul, the first king of Israel, is dead.

While Saul was fighting the Philistines, David was out defeating the Amalekites - the irony is that if Saul had not run off David, David would have been there fighting with Saul and most likely would have won the battle because David walked with the Lord.

David and his men are back home in Ziklag and are probably busy putting things back together after the Amalekites burned the city.

On the third day a rough looking man showed up - you can tell by the description that it was not easy for him in battle or in his journey to find David (torn clothes and dust on his head[he was dirty]).

As the man fell before David, David’s first words were to inquire where he was from - once finding out he had come from the battle David wanted to know how it ended.

The news was important to David because no matter which side prevailed it would involve people who played key roles in David’s life.

He begins by telling David that many soldiers ran from the battle and many are dead but more importantly, Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.

2 Samuel 1 CSB

5 David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear. At that very moment the chariots and the cavalry were closing in on him. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, so I answered: I’m at your service. 8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him: I’m an Amalekite. 9 Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for I’m mortally wounded, but my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood over him and killed him because I knew that after he had fallen he couldn’t survive. I took the crown that was on his head and the armband that was on his arm, and I’ve brought them here to my lord.” 11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and all the men with him did the same. 12 They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening for those who died by the sword—for Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel.

The stranger’s claims - if true - were so serious and tragic that David refused to accept them at face value.

David asked how he knew Saul and Jonathan were dead - David was not as concerned about the loss of soliders that is not to say he wasn’t concerned but the king, God’s anointed, and his best friend being dead would directly affect him and his future.

The man’s told David that he was an eyewitness to the event and he can confirm it with three different pieces of evidence - 1. He saw Saul with his own eyes, 2. He had a conversation with the king, 3. He has items that belonged to the king as physical evidence.

The details are important - the description of Saul on his spear is credible because as we know Saul was almost never without his spear. The detail of the chariots and cavalry would further validate the account.

The man had a conversation with Saul - here he identifies himself as an Amalekite - Saul, even shot with arrows, and on his sword he still was not dead. So Saul asked him to finish him.

This man’s account does raise some questions - in 1 Sam 31 it seems as though Saul killed himself but here this Amalekite helps. What about Saul’s armor bearer? Is the fact that he refused to kill Saul and allowed this man to do it the reason he killed himself too? Is this man lying? The details of his encounter tend to lead us to believe he is being honest. Maybe he was just an opportunistic thief who robbed corpses before the Philistines could. Maybe he thought he could trade the king’s jewelry and information for a reward.

It is possible that both accounts are true - Saul could have asked his armor bearer to kill him but he refused so Saul fell on his own sword. Thinking the king was dead the armor bearer, who had failed to protect the king, killed himself. Then for some reason this man came by, possibly a man fleeing from battle, stumbled upon Saul who was still hangin on and determined not to suffer at the hands of the Philistine’s asked him to do this. The fact that the Philistines did not have the kings crown and armband gives credence to the validity of this man.

The irony of this event is that Saul lost his kingship because he failed to kill an Amalekite king; now an Amalekite that Saul had failed to eliminate would kill the Israelite king. Saul had been ordered to kill the Amalekites now Saul has ordered an Amalekite to kill him.

Regardless of how it may have happened, this is how it was reported to David and David took it as true.

When David learned that his most determined enemy was dead he did not rejoice. Instead, he and his men expressed profound grief in response of the news.

Their mourning was for all that fell during the battle and for the nation at the loss of Saul and his family.

2 Samuel 1 CSB

13 David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I’m the son of a resident alien,” he said. “I’m an Amalekite.” 14 David questioned him, “How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David summoned one of his servants and said, “Come here and kill him!” The servant struck him, and he died. 16 For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood is on your own head because your own mouth testified against you by saying, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”

David, even in his grief, kept in mind his duty to the Torah - he asked the man to verify his nationality.

The man identifies himself as a “resident alien” - an Amalekite living in Israel (more irony).

David’s next question is a heavy one - Saul was the anointed king of Israel as long as he lived so how is it that you had no fear of touching the king.

David following the Torah and getting justice for the death of the king and orders the Amalekite to be executed for his crime against God.

David makes it clear that his sentence of death is because of the man’s confession of killing the Lord’s anointed. Killing the Lord’s anointed is the same as rejecting the Lord.

It is not David who carries out the execution but he calls his servant to do it.

These events clear David of any suspicions that may have been aroused by his possession of Saul’s royal jewelry. David did not participate in the battle that killed Saul to acquire the crown and armband instead he executed the man who killed Saul.

2 Samuel 1 CSB

17 David sang the following lament for Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he ordered that the Judahites be taught The Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar: 19 The splendor of Israel lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen! 20 Do not tell it in Gath, don’t announce it in the marketplaces of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate. 21 Mountains of Gilboa, let no dew or rain be on you, or fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was defiled— the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil. 22 Jonathan’s bow never retreated, Saul’s sword never returned unstained, from the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty. 23 Saul and Jonathan, loved and delightful, they were not parted in life or in death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions. 24 Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with luxurious things, who decked your garments with gold ornaments. 25 How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. 26 I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were such a friend to me. Your love for me was more wondrous than the love of women. 27 How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of war have perished!

The book of Jashar is a piece of literature, literally entitle “the Scroll of the Righteous” and is believed to have been a work that dealt with the heroic exploits of the Israelites.

David writes a poem of song about Saul and his death and taught it to the people of Judah.

It is interesting - Saul sought to kill David but David remembers Saul fondly in his death.

Again, David had a connection with Jonathan that is deep and different than he could with a wife… let me clarify again, this is not a homosexual thing.

David end the lament with the word he began it with. “How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of war have perished.”