Bible Commentaries

1 Chronicles 10:2. The Philistines followed hard after Saul. Here are no chronicles from Samuel to Saul’s death, about fifty years.

REFLECTIONS.

Samuel, and other prophets, had kept records of the works of the Lord; but from the entry of the genealogies of the tribes and families, till David was made king of all Israel, it would seem that no regular Dibre Haiamim or Chronicles were kept. Now in addition to what is said on Saul’s death, as referred to in the margin, we are here told expressly that he died for his sin, or prevarication in the affair of Amalek, and for consulting the witch of Endor. How instructive is the fall of this prince and his house! He walked contrary to the Lord, and the Lord walked contrary to him. He slew the priests of Nob, and the Lord denied him the counsel of the Urim in the day of trouble. Being a man of violent temper he took his own way, and the Lord left him to himself. Hence we learn that there is a sin unto death; and when that is the case, prayer is of no avail. It were however much to be wished, that commentators would not take upon them absolutely to pass upon him the final sentence of condemnation: it is better that God should keep his own seat of justice. There are many things in Saul’s case with which we are not acquainted. It is true, he fell on his sword, being first mortally wounded: and that his armourbearer would not dispatch him, for he revered him greatly. But Saul, conforming to other kings, did so merely through military prejudice, to deprive the uncircumcised of the triumph of having given him the finishing stroke. His case really differs from the wretch who commits self-murder through pride, and a disgust of life. It is no small honour that after having ceded the crown to David in the desert, he sought no more to hurt him; and that David exhorted the virgins of Israel to weep for Saul, because he clothed them in scarlet.

From his errors and fall, let men of every rank and character learn to beware of all great and grievous sins. And let them be equally aware of the sins of less notoriety in the eyes of men; for there would be no great rivers, were it not for the constant accession of the tributary streams. The sin of Saul in going to the witch of Endor was a great abomination in the sight of the Lord. It offered an insult to the throne of heaven, and therefore it is said, the Lord slew him.