Ep. 84. 1 Samuel 31, 2 Samuel 1 | Saul's Death

EPISODE 84

SAUL'S DEATH: 1 SAMUEL 31, 2 SAMUEL 1

Seriously, how many people did it take to kill Saul? In 1 Samuel, an archer wounds the king, but it doesn't kill him. Saul falls upon his sword to try to hurry along his death. That doesn't end his life because an Amalekite finally puts him to death. So, I suppose the answer is three! It took three people to bring Saul to an end.

When the Philistines found the bodies of Saul and his sons, they cut off Saul's head and fixed the corpses to the wall. But the people of Jabesh-Gilead come and take the bodies down by night and give them a proper burial. You might remember the people of Jabesh-Gilead from Judges 19-21. When the Benjamites were all but eradicated by the rest of the tribes of Israel, it was the women of Jabesh-Gilead who were given to the 600 remaining Benjamite men to keep the tribe from being completely destroyed. Again, when Saul first became king, the people of Jabesh-Gilead were being threatened, roused all Israel to go to their aid. Over several hundred years, the people of Jabesh-Gilead and the people of Benjamin sustained one another. That kindness is shown here again.

See again in 2 Samuel 1, where David puts to death the Amalekite who put to death Saul, saying, "How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?" David was not going to be the one to destroy the man God had anointed as king, and neither did he condone someone else doing it on his behalf. How the Amalekite knew to bring the crown of Saul to David, the Bible does not make clear. David does not take this moment to rejoice, but instead, he weeps about the loss of the king and the loss of his close personal friend, Jonathan.

ADDITIONAL READING: Judges 19-21; 1 Samuel 11