1Ch 10:6 | KingComments | STEP | It is not the purpose of the first book of the Chronicles to present the life of Saul in detail because it contributes little to the subject of this Bible book: the house of God. The particularities of Saul’s life are given in the first book of Samuel. It is presumed that the reader knows this. In the first book of Samuel the failure of man in his responsibility is presented. Then God starts to work on the fulfillment of His counsels by giving the kingdom to David (cf. ). The man the heart of the people wanted, is set aside by God. Man according to the flesh must disappear to make room for the man according to God’s heart. Because the purpose of the chronicler is to describe David’s life, there is only one moment in Saul’s life that interests him, and that is his death. The opening words of point to the connection with the previous history of Saul, described in the first book of Samuel. The history of Saul’s death is described in almost equal terms in 1 Samuel 31 ( ). When the Philistines fight against Israel, Saul sees his men fleeing and being killed. He sees that his end is approaching. Yet there is no crying to God. The only thing he still wants is to prevent falling alive into the hands of the Philistines. He will have known from the life of Samson what that means ( ). Saul calls the Philistines “uncircumcised”. But even though Saul has been circumcised outwardly, and thus outwardly is a member of the people of God, he is uncircumcised of the heart ( ). Circumcision is a picture of the judgment of the sinful flesh, the acknowledgment that God had to judge it in Christ ( ). Saul maintains the outer separation between him as an Israelite and the Philistines, without realizing that inwardly he himself is a Philistine. Saul asks his armor bearer to kill him, but his armor bearer is afraid to do it. Then Saul commits suicide. It is the first suicide we find in the Bible. According to Samuel’s word, Saul and his sons die in one day ( ). They fall by the hand of the enemies they had to fight and exterminate. Saul did not succeed because he himself had no inner relationship with God. That is why he is powerless in his fight against the Philistines, who for the same reason are supreme. Three of Saul’s sons died with him, including Jonathan. David’s heroes have chosen David’s side when he is still rejected. Jonathan is not among them. He gave everything to David, except his shoes, so to speak (cf. ). He thought he could serve David by staying with his father Saul. At the critical moment, when it is clear that David must flee, he does not follow him, but returns to the city ( ). The chronicler passes by a fourth son of Saul, Ish-bosheth, who was made king by Abner instead of his father Saul. Because Ish-bosheth was made king totally without God’s will, he does not count. This is why the chronicler says of “Saul” that he “died with his three sons, and all [those] of his house died together” ( ). With this the house of Saul has reached the end of its existence and the way is free to introduce David.

‏ 1 Chronicles 10:6

Introduction

It is not the purpose of the first book of the Chronicles to present the life of Saul in detail because it contributes little to the subject of this Bible book: the house of God. The particularities of Saul’s life are given in the first book of Samuel. It is presumed that the reader knows this. In the first book of Samuel the failure of man in his responsibility is presented. Then God starts to work on the fulfillment of His counsels by giving the kingdom to David (cf. Acts 13:21-22). The man the heart of the people wanted, is set aside by God. Man according to the flesh must disappear to make room for the man according to God’s heart.

The Death of Saul and His Three Sons

Because the purpose of the chronicler is to describe David’s life, there is only one moment in Saul’s life that interests him, and that is his death. The opening words of 1Chr 10:1 point to the connection with the previous history of Saul, described in the first book of Samuel.

The history of Saul’s death is described in almost equal terms in 1 Samuel 31 (1Sam 31:1-6). When the Philistines fight against Israel, Saul sees his men fleeing and being killed. He sees that his end is approaching. Yet there is no crying to God. The only thing he still wants is to prevent falling alive into the hands of the Philistines. He will have known from the life of Samson what that means (Jdg 16:21-25).

Saul calls the Philistines “uncircumcised”. But even though Saul has been circumcised outwardly, and thus outwardly is a member of the people of God, he is uncircumcised of the heart (Rom 2:28-29). Circumcision is a picture of the judgment of the sinful flesh, the acknowledgment that God had to judge it in Christ (Col 2:11). Saul maintains the outer separation between him as an Israelite and the Philistines, without realizing that inwardly he himself is a Philistine.

Saul asks his armor bearer to kill him, but his armor bearer is afraid to do it. Then Saul commits suicide. It is the first suicide we find in the Bible. According to Samuel’s word, Saul and his sons die in one day (1Sam 28:19). They fall by the hand of the enemies they had to fight and exterminate. Saul did not succeed because he himself had no inner relationship with God. That is why he is powerless in his fight against the Philistines, who for the same reason are supreme.

Three of Saul’s sons died with him, including Jonathan. David’s heroes have chosen David’s side when he is still rejected. Jonathan is not among them. He gave everything to David, except his shoes, so to speak (cf. 1Sam 18:4). He thought he could serve David by staying with his father Saul. At the critical moment, when it is clear that David must flee, he does not follow him, but returns to the city (1Sam 20:42b).

The chronicler passes by a fourth son of Saul, Ish-bosheth, who was made king by Abner instead of his father Saul. Because Ish-bosheth was made king totally without God’s will, he does not count. This is why the chronicler says of “Saul” that he “died with his three sons, and all [those] of his house died together” (1Chr 10:6). With this the house of Saul has reached the end of its existence and the way is free to introduce David.