The Death of Saul and His Sons

1 Samuel 31:1-13

Key Verse 31:6

So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.

In this passage, we will see the death of Saul and review the life of Saul and learn the life lessons. 

(1) Saul’s Suicide: extreme painful to Saul and extremely wicked to God. (v4)

(2) Judgment of God will be fulfilled in God’s time. (v4-6)

(3) Influence of Saul’s death to the people of Israel: Leaders’ influence (v7)

(4) Lessons from Saul’s sins: for our benefits (1 Sam Ch. 16- Ch. 31) 

May God richly bless us to learn the life lessons and to trust You all the more during the life journey. 

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1. Read verses 1-6. What happens when the Philistines fight against Israel? (1,2) What happens to Saul? (3,4) What are the results of the battle? (5,6)

1-1) Read verses 1-6. 

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. 3 The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically. 4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.” But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5 When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. 6 So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.

1-2) What happens when the Philistines fight against Israel? (1,2) 

a) The Philistines fought against Israel: The word of God seemed to suggest that they initiated

 the battle.

The Philistines had attacked deep into Israeli territory (1Sam 28:4)

b) Saul’s army fled before the Philistines and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 

Israel assembled and prepared for battle at Mount Gilboa. (1Sam 28:4) 

Saul was afraid and sought a medium. (1Sam 28:5,7)  

Samuel told Saul that he and his sons would die the next day. (1Sam 28:19)

1 Samuel 31:1 is the next day.

1-3) What happens to Saul? (3,4) 

a) Saul He killed himself. (3)

He was struck by arrows and severely wounded.

He commanded his armor-bearer to kill him

When he will not, Saul kills himself.

b) OT reader’s perspective:

Saul died without showing the signs of repenting of his sins.

Saul’s judgment was announced before and it happened years later. 

God’s judgment did not happen immediately, but surely will come in His time. 

c) Suicide: Saul’s death was suicide although he was severely wounded. 

Suicide is the action of cowardice, pride and disobedience. 

Suicide comes from despair when there is no hope in life. 

d) How to prevent suicide:

To acknowledge God’s sovereign authority over our lives. Our life is not ours. God gave

 us for his purpose. God is the one who gave our life. He is the one who will decide to

 take our life away.

Fear God [Prov 1:7] vs. Fear of men

Obey God [Deut 6:24,25] vs. Disobedience to God  

Humble before God [Prov 3:34]   vs. Proud before God/people 

Trust in God [Prov 3:5]  vs. Trust himself/others/things in the world

Hope in God [Psa 42:5] vs. Hope in this world.

Repent sins: [Matt 4:17]  vs. Unrepentant heart

Resist Devil [1Pet 5:9]  vs. Let devil allow control us. 

Fight against sins even to the point of shedding blood / to death [Heb 12:4] 

1-4) What are the results of the battle? (5,6)

5 When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. 6 So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.

a) Saul’s armor-bear: afraid to kill his King and killed himself as well. 

b) Saul’s sons: The Philistines killed Saul’s three sons; Ish-Bosheth did not die.

i) Jonathan [The Lord has given] 

ii) Abinadab [My father is noble] 

iii) Malki-Shua [My King is wealth]  

iv) Ish-Bosheth [Esh-Baal: man of shame] (1Chr 8:33)

In God’s judgment, God showed grace to Ish-Bosheth (2Sam 2:8-4:12).

c) All his men died together that same day: 

the Philistine killed them all.   

2. Read verse 7-10. What happens after the Israelites see the Israelite army fleeing? (7) What do Philistines do when they find Saul’s dead body? (8-10)

2-1) Read verse 7-10. 

7 When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them. 8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.

2-2) What happens after the Israelites see the Israelite army fleeing? (7) 

a) They abandoned their towns and fled. (v7a) 

They were terrified because the Philistines overpowered the Israel. 

b) Effect of Saul’s death:

When the leader (King Saul) was dead, it spread panic among God’s people. 

Saul’s sin, hardened rebellion, and eventual destruction, affected the entire nation of Israel.

c) NT reader’s perspective: Importance of Church leaders: 

Leaders are influential.

NTs demand a higher standard for elders [church leaders] (1 Tim 3:2-7)

Blameless before the world and God’s people (1 Tim 3:2, Titus 1:6).

d) The Philistine army occupied territory on the other side of the Jordan. (v7b)

2-3) What do Philistines do when they find Saul’s dead body? (8-10)

a) They cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his armor. (v8,9a)

b) They sent messengers to proclaim the news in the temple and among people. (v9b)

Saul’s death was used to glorify their gods and to mock the living God 

c) They put Saul’s armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths. (v10a)

They considered Saul’s armor as a victory trophy. 

d) They fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. (v10b)

They gave the ultimate insult to Saul.

Hanging the decapitated corpse on the wall was considered a humiliation

3. Read verses 11-13. What do the people of Jabesh Gilead do when they hear what the Philistines had done to Saul? (11-13a) How do they show their sorrow? (13b) What can we learn from the life of Saul?

3-1) Read verses 11-13.

11 When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their valiant men journeyed through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. 13 Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

3-2) What do the people of Jabesh Gilead do when they hear what the Philistines had done to Saul? (11-13a) 

a) All the valiant [courageous, brave, steadfast] men arose: 

The men of Jabesh Gilead took down the bodies of Saul and his sons 

from their place of humiliation and gave them a proper burial.

b) About 40 years ago, Saul delivered their city from the Ammonites. (1Sam 11:1-11)

They remembered the kindness God showed them through Saul and repaid it. 

Compared to Saul who did not remember God’s grace upon him these men of Jabesh

Gilead gives us hope because it shows that there are people who remember God’s grace.

David rightly thanked these valiant men. for their kindness to the memory of Saul, and

 Saul’s sons (2 Sam 2:4-7).

3-3) How do they show their sorrow? (13b) 

They fasted seven days.

3-4) What can we learn from the life of Saul?

5 distinguished events were recorded in the 1 Samuel Ch.16 through Ch. 31. 

a) Unauthorized offering (1Sam 13:8,9) 

b) Failure to destroy Amalekites (1Sam 15:9)

c) Jealousy over David (1 Sam 18:9)

d) Consulting a medium (1Sam 28:7,8)

e) Suicide (1Sam 31:4) 

Ultimately, death of Saul was act of God’s judgment because he was unfaithful to the Lord. [1 Chr 10:13-14]

Events	Causes	Things to learn from it
1. Unauthorized offering  (1Sam 13:8,9)  2. Failure to Destroy Amalekites (1Sam 15:9)	Fear of people	Fear God [Prov 1:7]
	Trusting himself/people	Trust God [Prov 3:5]
	Proud of himself	Humble before God [1Pet 5:6]
	Superficial worship	True worship [Jn 4:23]
	Disobedience	Obey God [Acts 5:29]
	Spiritual Ignorance	Know God’s will [heart] [Rom 12:2]
3. Jealousy over David (1 Sam 18:9)	Lack of thankfulness to God	Be thankful to God [1Thess 5:18]
	Lack of faith  in Sovereignty of God	Believe God’s sovereignty  [Psa 103:19]
	Hatred toward God/people	Love God/others [Mk 12:30,31]
4. Consulting a medium (1Sam 28:7,8)	No repentance of sins	Repent of sins [1Jn 1:9]
	No faith in God	Trust in God [Psa 20:7]
5. Suicide (1Sam 31:4)	Disobedience to God’s law	Obey His ways [Deut 6:24,25]
	Proud of himself	Humility before God [Prov 3:34]
	Sinfulness in heart	Repent of sins always [Matt 4:17]
	Lack of hope	True Hope in God [Psa 42:5]

In Conclusion, 

Although Saul was chosen as a king by God, because of his sins (disobedience), God judged him according to what he had done.  If we ignore our sins, then God will ignore us. If we repent of our sins before Him, God will forgive us through the blood of Jesus and restore us children of God. (1Jn 1:9) May God help us to learn the life lessons from the life of Saul so that we can fully trust the Lord, love him, serve him and worship him alone. 

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