1 Chronicles Chapter 10 — The Death of King Saul
King Saul and his sons are killed during a battle with the Philistines, leading to the transition of the kingdom of Israel to David.
1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.
2The Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was distressed by reason of the archers.
4Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.”
5When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword and died.
6So Saul died with his three sons; and all his house died together.
7When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.
8On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
9They stripped him and took his head and his armor, then sent into the land of the Philistines all around to carry the news to their idols and to the people.
10They put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.
11When all Jabesh Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
12all the valiant men arose and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
13So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the LORD’s word, which he didn’t keep, and also because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire,
14and didn’t inquire of the LORD. Therefore he killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
1 Chronicles 10:13
“So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the LORD’s word, which he didn’t keep, and also because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire,”
This verse provides the spiritual reason for the end of Saul's reign, emphasizing the importance of obedience.
1 Chronicles 10:14
“and didn’t inquire of the LORD. Therefore he killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.”
It establishes the divine authority behind the transition from Saul's dynasty to the house of David.
Chapter Summary
1 Chronicles 10 recounts the final battle of King Saul against the Philistines on Mount Gilboa. The narrative describes how the Philistines overtook the Israelite forces, resulting in the deaths of Saul's sons: Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. Badly wounded by archers and fearing capture, Saul took his own life, followed by his armor-bearer. The Philistines luego occupied abandoned Israelite cities and desecrated Saul’s body, placing his head in the house of Dagon. The valiant men of Jabesh Gilead later rescued the bodies of Saul and his sons to provide a respectful burial. The chapter concludes with a theological explanation for Saul's demise, stating he died because of his unfaithfulness to God’s word and his decision to consult a medium rather than inquiring of the Lord. This failure led to the transfer of the kingdom to David.
Frequently Asked Questions
After being severely wounded by Philistine archers on Mount Gilboa and seeing his sons killed, Saul took his own sword and fell on it to avoid being captured and abused by his enemies.
The valiant men of Jabesh Gilead rose up and took the bodies from the Philistines, brought them to Jabesh, buried their remains under an oak tree, and fasted for seven days in mourning.
The text states Saul was unfaithful to the Lord's word and sought guidance from a medium (a familiar spirit) instead of inquiring of the Lord, leading God to turn the kingdom over to David.
Study Note
The author of Chronicles uses this chapter as a narrative pivot, transitioning from long genealogies to the history of the monarchy by highlighting the spiritual causes behind political shifts.
Related Chapters
1 Samuel 31
This chapter contains a parallel historical account of the death of Saul and his sons.
1 Chronicles 11
This following chapter details David being anointed as king over all Israel.
1 Samuel 28
This chapter provides the context for Saul's consultation with a medium mentioned in the closing verses of 1 Chronicles 10.
Continue in the App
Get the full experience — immersive audio, instant explanations, highlights, notes, and reading plans.