I Samuel 31
ืฉืืืื ืืณ ืคืจืง ืืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืจืืฉืื ืื | Book: I Samuel | Chapter: 31 of 31 | Day: 76 of 742
Date: April 28, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
The final chapter of I Samuel is a masterpiece of restraint and tragic dignity. In just thirteen verses, the narrator recounts the catastrophe at Mount Gilboa โ the rout of the Israelite army, the death of Jonathan and his brothers Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the mortal wounding of Saul by Philistine archers, and the kingโs desperate final act of falling on his own sword. The text moves with terrible efficiency, each sentence tightening the noose of inevitability. There is no speech from God, no prophetic commentary, no theological editorializing โ only the bare facts of a kingdomโs collapse. Radak observes that the battle described here fulfills Samuelโs prophecy in chapter 28, when the dead prophet told Saul at En-dor that โtomorrow you and your sons will be with meโ (ืืืจ ืืชื ืืื ืื ืขืื). The fulfillment is exact and merciless.
Saulโs death scene is framed with a dignity that the narrative grants to few characters. His request to his armor-bearer โ โdraw your sword and run me through, so that the uncircumcised may not run me through and make sport of meโ (ืฉืืฃ ืืจืื ืืืงืจื ื ืื ืคื ืืืืื ืืขืจืืื ืืืื ืืืงืจื ื ืืืชืขืืื ืื) โ reveals a man still concerned with the honor of Israelโs king, even at the moment of his own annihilation. Rashi explains that Saul feared the Philistines would torture him alive, a concern validated by what they eventually do to his corpse. The armor-bearerโs refusal, motivated by awe (ืื ืืจื ืืื), echoes the reverence that David himself showed in refusing twice to strike โthe Lordโs anointed.โ Metzudat David notes that even in death, Saul retains enough authority that his servant cannot bring himself to raise a hand against him. The kingโs final act โ grasping the sword and falling upon it โ is one of the most stark and solitary moments in all of Tanakh: no companion, no comfort, no divine word, only the cold metal and the silence of Gilboa.
The Philistine desecration that follows underscores the totality of Israelโs humiliation. They behead Saul, strip his armor, and send trophies throughout their territory to proclaim victory in the temples of their idols. The impaling of the royal bodies on the wall of Beth-shan is the ultimate degradation โ a public display meant to demonstrate that the God of Israel could not protect His own king. Radak draws attention to the placement of Saulโs armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, reading this as the Philistinesโ theological counterclaim: their gods had triumphed over Israelโs God. The parallel account in I Chronicles 10:10 adds that Saulโs head was fastened in the temple of Dagon, distributing the spoils of victory among multiple deities. The narrator records all of this without comment, letting the horror speak for itself.
Yet the chapter does not end in desecration. The men of Jabesh-gilead, learning what the Philistines had done, march through the night to recover the bodies from Beth-shanโs wall. This act of loyalty is one of the most poignant moments in the entire book, because it reaches back to the very beginning of Saulโs reign. In chapter 11, Saulโs first act as king was to rally all Israel to rescue Jabesh-gilead from the Ammonite threat of Nahash. Now, at the end of everything, it is Jabesh-gilead alone that remembers. Their โstalwartsโ (ืื ืืืฉ ืืื) risk their lives in a nighttime march through Philistine-controlled territory, retrieve the bodies, burn them, bury the bones under the tamarisk tree, and fast for seven days. Metzudat David explains the burning as necessary because the bodies had already begun to decompose after hanging on the wall. The seven-day fast is a mark of genuine mourning โ the same period that Joseph observed for Jacob. In a book that has chronicled Saulโs slow disintegration, his estrangement from God, his pursuit of David, and his descent into the cave of En-dor, this final gesture of gratitude from a grateful city restores something essential to Saulโs memory: he was, at his best, a deliverer of Israel.
The structure of I Samuelโs ending is profoundly deliberate. The book began with Israel broken and leaderless, oppressed by the Philistines, crying out for a king. It ends with Israel broken and leaderless once more, the Philistines triumphant, the king and his heirs dead on the mountain. Yet the reader knows what the characters within the narrative do not yet fully grasp: David, anointed by Samuel in chapter 16, mourned by Jonathan, hunted across the wilderness, is waiting in the wings. The closing of I Samuel is not merely a conclusion but a hinge โ a turning point between the failed experiment of Saulโs kingship and the rise of the Davidic dynasty that will reshape Israelโs history forever. The men of Jabesh-gilead, burying their king under a tree, perform the last rites not only for Saul but for an entire era.
ืคืจืง ืืดื ยท Chapter 31
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึผืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดึืื ื ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝืึฐืึธืึดึฃืื ืึผึฐืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึทืึผึธื ึปึืกืึผ ืึทื ึฐืฉืึตึคื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตืึ ืึดืคึผึฐื ึตึฃื ืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดึืื ืึทืึผึดืคึผึฐืึฅืึผ ืึฒืึธืึดึืื ืึผึฐืึทึฅืจ ืึทืึผึดืึฐืึผึนึฝืขึทื
English:
aCf. 1 Chron. 10, which reproduces this chapter with minor variations. The Philistines attacked Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and [many] fell on Mount Gilboa.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึทืึฐืึผึฐืงึฃืึผ ืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดึืื ืึถืชึพืฉืึธืึืึผื ืึฐืึถืชึพืึผึธื ึธึืื ืึทืึผึทืึผึฃืึผ ืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดึืื ืึถืชึพืึฐืืึนื ึธืชึธึงื ืึฐืึถืชึพืึฒืึดืื ึธืึธึื ืึฐืึถืชึพืึทืึฐืึผึดืืฉืึืึผืขึท ืึผึฐื ึตึฅื ืฉืึธืึฝืึผืื
English:
The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, sons of Saul.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึทืชึผึดืึฐืึผึทึคื ืึทืึผึดืึฐืึธืึธืึ ืึถืึพืฉืึธืึืึผื ืึทืึผึดืึฐืฆึธืึปึฅืืึผ ืึทืึผืึนืจึดึืื ืึฒื ึธืฉืึดึฃืื ืึผึทืงึผึธึืฉืึถืช ืึทืึผึธึฅืึถื ืึฐืึนึื ืึตืึทืึผืึนืจึดึฝืืื
English:
The battle raged around Saul, and some of the archersbsome of the archers Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Lit. โthe archers, men with the bow.โ hit him, and he was severely woundedcwas severely wounded Construed as a hophal stem; cf. 1 Kings 2.34. by the archers.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึนึฃืืึถืจ ืฉืึธืืึผืึฉ ืึฐื ึนืฉืึตึจื ืึตืึธึืื ืฉืึฐืึนึฅืฃ ืึทืจึฐืึผึฐืึธึฃโื ืึฐืืืงึฐืจึตึฃื ึดื ืึธึืึผ ืคึผึถืึพืึธึ ืึ ืึนืืึผ ืึธืขึฒืจึตืึดึจืื ืึธืึตึคืึผึถื ืึผืึฐืงึธืจึปึื ึดืึ ืึฐืึดืชึฐืขึทืึผึฐืืึผึพืึดึื ืึฐืึนึคื ืึธืึธืึ ื ึนืฉืึตึฃื ืึตืึธึืื ืึผึดึฅื ืึธืจึตึื ืึฐืึนึื ืึทืึผึดืงึผึทึคื ืฉืึธืืึผืึ ืึถืชึพืึทืึถึืจึถื ืึทืึผึดืคึผึนึื ืขึธืึถึฝืืึธื
English:
Saul said to his arms-bearer, โDraw your sword and run me through, so that the uncircumcised may not run me through and make sport of me.โ But his arms-bearer, in his great awe, refused; whereupon Saul grasped the sword and fell upon it.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึทึฅืจึฐื ื ึนืฉืึตึฝืึพืึตืึธึืื ืึผึดึฃื ืึตึฃืช ืฉืึธืึืึผื ืึทืึผึดืคึผึนึฅื ืึผึทืึพืึืึผื ืขึทืึพืึทืจึฐืึผึืึน ืึทืึผึธึฅืืืช ืขึดืึผึฝืึนื
English:
When his arms-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึธึฃืืืช ืฉืึธืึกืึผื ืึผืฉืึฐืึนึฃืฉืึถืช ืึผึธื ึธืืึฉ ืึฐื ึนืฉืึตึจื ืึตืึธึืื ืึผึทึงื ืึผืืึพืึฒื ึธืฉืึธึืื ืึผึทืึผึฅืึนื ืึทืึืึผื ืึทืึฐืึผึธึฝืื
English:
Thus Saul and his three sons and his arms-bearer, as well as all his men,das well as all his men Lacking in the Septuagint; 1 Chron. 10.6 reads โand all his house.โ died together on that day.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืจึฐืึฃืึผ ืึทื ึฐืฉืึตึฝืึพืึดึ ืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึ ื ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืึผึฐืขึตึจืึถืจ ืึธืขึตึืึถืง ืึทืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจโื ืึผึฐืขึตึฃืึถืจ ืึทืึผึทืจึฐืึผึตึื ืึผึดืึพื ึธึืกืึผึ ืึทื ึฐืฉืึตึฃื ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตึื ืึฐืึดืึพืึตึืชืึผ ืฉืึธืึฃืึผื ืึผืึธื ึธึืื ืึทืึผึทืขึทืึฐืึคืึผ ืึถืชึพืึถืขึธืจึดืืึ ืึทืึผึธื ึปึืกืึผ ืึทืึผึธืึนึฃืืึผ ืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดึืื ืึทืึผึตืฉืึฐืึืึผ ืึผึธืึถึฝืืย {ืค}
English:
And when the Israelite inhabitants on the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordaneon the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordan Meaning of Heb. uncertain. 1 Chron. 10.7 reads โin the valley.โ saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the towns and fled; the Philistines then came and occupied them.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึทึฝืึฐืึดืึ ืึดึฝืึผืืึณืจึธึืช ืึทืึผึธืึนึฃืืึผ ืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดึืื ืึฐืคึทืฉืึผึตึื ืึถืชึพืึทืึฒืึธืึดึืื ืึทึฝืึผึดืึฐืฆึฐืึคืึผ ืึถืชึพืฉืึธืืึผืึ ืึฐืึถืชึพืฉืึฐืึนึฃืฉืึถืช ืึผึธื ึธึืื ื ึนืคึฐืึดึืื ืึผึฐืึทึฅืจ ืึทืึผึดืึฐืึผึนึฝืขึทื
English:
The next day the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึทึฝืึผึดืึฐืจึฐืชืึผึ ืึถืชึพืจึนืืฉืึืึน ืึทืึผึทืคึฐืฉืึดึืืึผ ืึถืชึพืึผึตืึธึืื ืึทืึฐืฉืึทืึผึฐืึจืึผ ืึฐืึถึฝืจึถืฅึพืคึผึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝึืื ืกึธืึดึืื ืึฐืึทืฉืึผึตึืจ ืึผึตึฅืืช ืขึฒืฆึทืึผึตืืึถึื ืึฐืึถืชึพืึธืขึธึฝืื
English:
They cut off his head and stripped him of his armor, and they sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to spread the news in the temples of their idolsfin the temples of their idols Septuagint and 1 Chron. 10.9 read โamong their idols.โ and among the people.
ืคืกืืง ืืด ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึธืฉืึดึืืืึผึ ืึถืชึพืึผึตืึธึืื ืึผึตึืืช ืขึทืฉืึฐืชึผึธืจึืึนืช ืึฐืึถืชึพืึผึฐืึดืึผึธืชืึนึ ืชึผึธึฝืงึฐืขึืึผ ืึผึฐืืึนืึทึืช ืึผึตึฅืืช ืฉืึธึฝืื
English:
They placed his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they impaled his body on the wall of Beth-shan.
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืฉืึฐืึฐืขึฃืึผ ืึตืึธึืื ืึนืฉืึฐืึตึื ืึธืึตึฃืืฉื ืึผึดืึฐืขึธึื ืึตึืช ืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืขึธืฉืึฅืึผ ืคึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดึืื ืึฐืฉืึธืึฝืึผืื
English:
When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard about itโwhatgthe inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard about itโwhat Cf. 1 Chron. 10.11 โall [the inhabitants of] Jabesh-gilead heard all that.โ the Philistines had done to Saulโ
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึธืงึืึผืืึผ ืึผืืึพืึดึฃืืฉื ืึทึืึดืึฎ ืึทืึผึตืึฐืึฃืึผ ืืืึพืึทืึผึทึืึฐืึธืึ ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืึืึผ ืึถืชึพืึผึฐืึดืึผึทึฃืช ืฉืึธืึืึผื ืึฐืึตืชึ ืึผึฐืึดืึผึนึฃืช ืึผึธื ึธึืื ืึตืืึนืึทึืช ืึผึตึฃืืช ืฉืึธึื ืึทืึผึธืึนึฃืืึผ ืึธืึตึืฉืึธื ืึทืึผึดืฉืึฐืจึฐืคึฅืึผ ืึนืชึธึื ืฉืึธึฝืื
English:
the stalwarts among them set out and marched all night; they removed the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan and camehcame Cf. 1 Chron. 10.12 โbrought them.โ to Jabesh and burned them there.
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืืึผึ ืึถืชึพืขึทืฆึฐืึนึฃืชึตืืึถึื ืึทืึผึดืงึฐืึผึฐืจึฅืึผ ืชึทืึทืชึพืึธืึถึืฉืึถื ืึผึฐืึธืึตึืฉืึธื ืึทืึผึธืฆึปึืืึผ ืฉืึดืึฐืขึทึฅืช ืึธืึดึฝืืืย {ืค}
English:
Then they took the bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.
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