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英文原文
In the foregoing chapter we had David conquering, yea, more than a conqueror. In this chapter we have Saul conquered and worse than a captive. Providence ordered it that both these things should be doing just at the same time. The very same day; perhaps, that David was triumphing over the Amalekites, were the Philistines triumphing over Saul. One is set over against the other, that men may see what comes of trusting in God and what comes of forsaking him. We left Saul ready to engage the Philistines, with a shaking hand and an aching heart, having had his doom read him from hell, which he would not regard when it was read him from heaven. Let us now see what becomes of him. Here is, I. His army routed, 1Sa 31:1. II. His three sons slain, 1Sa 31:2. III. Himself wounded (1Sa 31:3), and slain by his own hand, 1Sa 31:4. The death of his armour-bearer (1Sa 31:5) and all his men, 1Sa 31:6. IV. His country possessed by the Philistines, 1Sa 31:7. His camp plundered, and his dead body deserted, 1Sa 31:8. His fall triumphed in, 1Sa 31:9. His body publicly exposed (1Sa 31:10) and with difficulty rescued by the men of Jabesh-Gilead, 1Sa 31:11-13. Thus fell the man that was rejected of God.
1-7
The Death of Saul (1055 BC)
掃羅之死（主前 1055 年）
¹ 非利士人與以色列人打仗；以色列人在非利士人面前逃跑，在基利波山有被殺撲倒的。
² 非利士人緊追掃羅和他的兒子；非利士人殺了掃羅的兒子約拿單、亞比拿達、麥基舒亞。
³ 戰勢轉而猛烈攻擊掃羅，弓箭手射中了他；他被弓箭手射得甚傷。
⁴ 掃羅對拿兵器的人說：「你拔出刀來，將我刺透，恐怕這些未受割禮的人來刺透我，凌辱我。」拿兵器的人不肯，因為他甚懼怕。掃羅就自己拔出刀來，伏在刀上。
⁵ 拿兵器的人見掃羅已死，他也伏在自己的刀上，與掃羅同死。
⁶ 這樣，掃羅和他的三個兒子，並拿兵器的人，以及一切跟隨他的人，都在那一天一同死亡。
⁷ 在山谷那邊、約但河那邊的以色列人，見以色列人逃跑，掃羅和他的兒子都死了，也就棄城逃跑；非利士人便來住在其中。
報應之日如今來到。掃羅必須為他犯罪存留的亞瑪力人的血、為他更大罪所流的祭司們的血交帳；連他要流的大衛的血，也要算在帳上。如今他敗亡的日子到了——正如大衛所預見，他下到戰陣中就滅亡了（撒上 26:10）。來看「神公義的審判」罷。
一、他看見自己的兵丁在他周圍倒下（撒上 31:1）。非利士人是否人數更多、陣地更佳、統帥更善，或有別的甚麼優勢，我們不得而知；但看來他們更為奮勇，因為是他們先發動攻勢：他們與以色列人打仗，以色列人就逃跑、倒下。最精銳的部隊也陷入混亂，許多人被殺——大概是掃羅從前用來追趕大衛的那些人。如此，那些跟從他、在他罪中有分的人，便在他敗亡之先仆倒，並與他同受災禍。
二、他看見自己的兒子在他眼前仆倒。得勝的非利士人向以色列王和在他周圍的人逼得最緊。他的三個兒子大概就在他身旁，三人都當著他的面被殺——這使他大感憂傷（因他們乃是他家的指望），又使他大感恐懼，因他們如今是他本人的護衛；他不能不斷定接下來便輪到自己。他眾子的名字記在撒上 31:2；我們痛心地發現約拿單也在其中——那位智慧、勇敢、善良的人，他作大衛的朋友正如掃羅作大衛的仇敵一樣，卻與其餘的人一同仆倒。對父親的責任不容許他留在家中，也不容許兩軍交鋒之時退去；而護理如此安排，使他與他家共有的命運同受，雖他從未牽涉在那罪中——可見以利法那句話（伯 4:7）「無辜者有誰滅亡呢？」在此並不成立，因為這裏就有一位。這事當怎麼說呢？1. 神要藉此使掃羅在臨終之時苦惱達到極點，也要使他全家當受的審判徹底執行。這家既要傾覆，屬這家的約拿單也必與之同傾。2. 神要藉此使大衛通往王冠的道路更加清晰通暢。因為雖然約拿單本人樂意把自己一切的名分和權益都讓給大衛（我們沒有理由作別的猜疑），但百姓中必有許多人會借他的名來維持掃羅家的勢力，或至少歸向大衛會很遲緩。伊施波設——此時因不適於出戰而留在家中，因此得以逃脫——尚且有那麼多擁護者；何況約拿單呢？他是百姓的寵兒，從未失去他們的歡心。那些急於要一個「像列國一樣」的王的人，必定熱心於正統的血脈，尤其當這血脈能把王冠戴在約拿單這樣的頭上之時。這會使大衛很為難；倘若約拿單能說服自己把一切勢力都帶到大衛一邊，那時人就要說是約拿單立他作王的，而榮耀卻當完全歸给神。「這是耶和華所作的。」因此約拿單之死雖然對大衛是極大的痛苦，卻因使他記起自己的脆弱，又使他能順利登基，反成了對他的益處。3. 神要藉此向我們顯明，善人與惡人之別是在來世分出，不是在今世。「凡事都是一樣臨到眾人。」我們不能憑人死的方式來斷定他屬靈和永遠的光景，因為「義人和惡人所遭遇的都是一樣」。
三、他自己被非利士人重傷，繼而被自己的手所殺。弓箭手射中了他（撒上 31:3），使他既不能戰、又不能逃，因此必落入他們手中無疑。為要使他更為悽慘，毀滅逐步臨到，他死時還能感覺到自己在死。他如今落到這般絕境：1. 他情願死在自己僕人手中，也不願死在非利士人手中，恐怕他們像當日苦待參孫那樣苦待他。可憐的人！他覺得自己正在死，所念念不忘的，竟只是保護自己的身體免落非利士人之手，而不是鄭重把自己的靈魂交回那賜靈的神手裏（傳 12:7）。他怎樣活，也怎樣死——驕傲多疑，作了自己和周圍所有人的恐怖。真正明白事理的人，與其計較死時境況如何，倒不如計較死後如何。那些「心裏苦楚、切望死卻不臨到」（伯 3:20,21）的人，實在處境可悲；尤其是那些像猶大一樣、對神的憐憫絕望、為要逃避裏面的地獄而縱身跳入前面的地獄的人。2. 既求不到這恩，他便成了自己的劊子手，以為藉此可免羞辱，其實卻是犯了大罪，並且使自己的名字永遠帶上「自殺者」的污名。約拿單從非利士人手中受了致命傷，英勇地接受戰爭的命運，死得光榮；掃羅卻死得像愚頑人死、像懦夫死——驕傲的愚頑人、卑怯的懦夫——他死得既沒有對神的敬畏，也沒有對神的盼望，既沒有人的理智，也沒有以色列人的信仰，更談不上君王的尊嚴或軍人的堅毅。我們都當禱告：「主啊，不叫我們陷入試探」——特別是這試探。他的拿兵器的人不肯刺他，這拒絕是對的；因為任何人的僕人都不該作主人任何情慾或忿怒的奴隸。理由是「他甚懼怕」——不是怕死，因為他自己隨即就自願奔向死；而是因為對王、對自己的主人懷著極深的敬畏，不能勝過這敬畏去傷他；又或許他恐怕自己顫抖的手只刺了一半，反倒叫他受更大的苦楚。
四、那不肯殺他的拿兵器的人，卻不肯不與他同死，「也伏在自己的刀上」（撒上 31:5）。這是掃羅之死的一個加重之處：因自己自殺的惡行榜樣，他使自己僕人也犯了同樣的惡，「在自己的罪孽中並非獨自滅亡」。猶太人說掃羅的拿兵器的人就是多益——他因殺祭司而被升到這尊位；若是這樣，他的「強暴必歸到自己的頭上」，實在公義。大衛早曾論到他說，神必「將你毀滅永遠」（詩 52:5）。
五、因掃羅全軍潰敗，全地大亂；鄰近城邑的居民（或讀作「約但河那邊」的居民）棄城而逃，非利士人一時佔據了那些城，直到以色列中局勢穩定下來（撒上 31:7）。掃羅因自己的罪惡，竟使本國落到這般悽慘的地步；若不是興起大衛來修補破口，全地本可能長久留在未受割禮之人的手中。請看，他們為了棄絕神和撒母耳而求立的那位王，到底成了怎樣的一個王。恐怕他們自己和他一樣，仍舊行惡，因此「他們和 他們的王都必滅亡」，正如先知早先論他們所預言的（撒上 12:25）。日後何西阿也曾提及此事（何 13:10,11）：「你曾說『賜我一個王和首領罷』——你的拯救者，你那些城的，如今在哪裏呢？我在怒氣中將王賜你，又在烈怒中將王廢去」——意即：他無論生死都作你的禍患；你不能再期待別的。」
英文原文
The Death of Saul (1055 BC)
¹ Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
² And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchi-shua, Saul's sons.
³ And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.
⁴ Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
⁵ And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
⁶ So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.
⁷ And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
The day of recompence has now come, in which Saul must account for the blood of the Amalekites which he had sinfully spared, and that of the priests which he had more sinfully spilt; that of David too, which he would have spilt, must come into the account. Now his day has come to fall, as David foresaw, when he should descend into battle and perish, 1Sa 26:10. Come and see the righteous judgments of God.
I. He sees his soldiers fall about him, 1Sa 31:1. Whether the Philistines were more numerous, better posted, and better led on, or what other advantages they had, we are not told; but it seems they were more vigorous, for they made the onset; they fought against Israel, and the Israelites fled and fell. The best of the troops were put into disorder, and multitudes slain, probably those whom Saul had employed in pursuing David. Thus those who had followed him and served him in his sin went before him in his fall and shared with him in his plagues.
II. He sees his sons fall before him. The victorious Philistines pressed most forcibly upon the king of Israel and those about him. His three sons were next him, it is probable, and they were all three slain before his face, to his great grief (for they were the hopes of his family) and to his great terror, for they were now the guard of his person, and he could conclude no other than that his own turn would come next. His sons are named (1Sa 31:2), and it grieves us to find Jonathan among them: that wise, valiant, good man, who was as much David's friend as Saul was his enemy, yet falls with the rest. Duty to his father would not permit him to stay at home, or to retire when the armies engaged; and Providence so orders it that he falls in the common fate of his family, though he never involved himself in the guilt of it; so that the observation of Eliphaz does not hold (Job 4:7), Who ever perished being innocent? For here was one. What shall we say to it? 1. God would hereby complete the vexation of Saul in his dying moments, and the judgment that was to be executed upon his house. If the family must fall, Jonathan, that is one of it, must fall with it. 2. He would hereby make David's way to the crown the more clear and open. For, though Jonathan himself would have cheerfully resigned all his title and interest to him (we have no reason to suspect any other), yet it is very probable that many of the people would have made use of his name for the support of the house of Saul, or at least would have come in but slowly to David. If Ish-bosheth (who was now left at home as one unfit for action, and so escaped) had so many friends, what would Jonathan have had, who had been the darling of the people and had never forfeited their favour? Those that were so anxious to have a king like the nations would be zealous for the right line, especially if that threw the crown upon such a head as Jonathan's. This would have embarrassed David; and, if Jonathan could have prevailed to bring in all his interest to David, then it would have been said that Jonathan had made him king, whereas God was to have all the glory. This is the Lord's doing. So that though the death of Jonathan would be a great affliction to David, yet, by making him mindful of his own frailty, as well as by facilitating his accession to the throne, it would be an advantage to him. 3. God would hereby show us that the difference between good and bad is to be made in the other world, not in this. All things come alike to all. We cannot judge of the spiritual or eternal state of any by the manner of their death; for in that there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked.
III. He himself is sorely wounded by the Philistines and then slain by his own hand. The archers hit him (1Sa 31:3), so that he could neither fight nor fly, and therefore must inevitably fall into their hands. Thus, to make him the more miserable, destruction comes gradually upon him, and he dies so as to feel himself die. To such an extremity was he now reduced that, 1. He was desirous to die by the hand of his own servant rather than by the hand of the Philistines, lest they should abuse him as they had abused Samson. Miserable man! He finds himself dying, and all his care is to keep his body out of the hands of the Philistines, instead of being solicitous to resign his soul into the hands of God who gave it, Ec 12:7. As he lived, so he died, proud and jealous, and a terror to himself and all about him. Those who rightly understand the matter think it of small account, in comparison, how it is with them in death, so it may but be well with them after death. Those are in a deplorable condition indeed who, being bitter in soul, long for death, but it cometh not (Job 3:20,21), especially those who, despairing of the mercy of God, like Judas, leap into a hell before them, to escape a hell within them. 2. When he could not obtain that favour he became his own executioner, thinking hereby to avoid shame, but running upon a heinous sin, and with it entailing upon his own name a mark of perpetual infamy, as felo de se—a self-murderer. Jonathan, who received his death-wound from the hand of the Philistines and bravely yielded to the fate of war, died on the bed of honour; but Saul died as a fool dieth, as a coward dieth—a proud fool, a sneaking coward; he died as a man that had neither the fear of God nor hope in God, neither the reason of a man nor the religion of an Israelite, much less the dignity of a prince or the resolution of a soldier. Let us all pray, Lord, lead us not into temptation, this temptation. His armour-bearer would not run him through, and he did well to refuse it; for no man's servant ought to be a slave to his master's lusts or passions of any kind. The reason given is that he was sorely afraid, not of death, for he himself ran wilfully upon that immediately; but, having a profound reverence for the king his master, he could not conquer that so far as to do him any hurt; or perhaps he feared lest his trembling hand should give him but half a blow, and so put him to the greater misery.
IV. His armour-bearer who refused to kill him refused not to die with him, but fell likewise upon his sword, 1Sa 31:5. This was an aggravating circumstance of the death of Saul, that, by the example of his wickedness in murdering himself, he drew in his servant to be guilty of the same wickedness, and perished not alone in his iniquity. The Jews say that Saul's armour-bearer was Doeg, whom he preferred to that dignity for killing the priests, and, if so, justly does his violent dealing return on his own head. David had foretold concerning him that God would destroy him for ever, Ps 52:5.
V. The country was put into such confusion by the rout of Saul's army that the inhabitants of the neighbouring cities (on that side Jordan, as it might be read) quitted them, and the Philistines, for a time, had possession of them, till things were settled in Israel (1Sa 31:7), to such a sad pass had Saul by his wickedness brought his country, which might have remained in the hands of the uncircumcised if David had not been raised up to repair the breaches of it. See what a king he proved for whom they rejected God and Samuel. They had still done wickedly (it is to be feared) as well as he, and therefore were consumed both they and their king, as the prophet had foretold concerning them, 1Sa 12:25. And to this reference is had long after. Ho 13:10,11, "Where are thy saviours in all thy cities, of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? I gave thee a king in my anger, and took him away in my wrath; that is, he was a plague to thee living and dying; thou couldst expect no other."
8-13
The Disposal of Saul's Body (1055 BC)
掃羅遺體的處置（公元前1055年）
⁸ 次日，非利士人來剝那被殺之人的衣服，看見掃羅和他的三個兒子仆倒在基利波山，
⁹ 就割了他的首級，剝了他的軍裝，打到非利士地的四方，報信與他們廟裏的偶像和眾民。
¹⁰ 又將掃羅的軍裝放在亞斯他錄廟裏，將他的屍身釘在伯珊的城牆上。
¹¹ 基列雅比的居民聽見非利士人向掃羅所行的事，
¹² 他們中間所有的勇士就起身，走了一夜，將掃羅的屍身和他兒子們的屍身從伯珊城牆上取下來，帶到雅比，在那裏用火燒了。
¹³ 將他們的骸骨葬在雅比的垂絲柳樹下，就禁食七日。
聖經沒有提及掃羅和他兒子們的靈魂死後如何（隱秘的事不屬於我們），只提到他們的身體。
I. 他們的身體如何被非利士人卑鄙地凌辱。交戰的次日，他們恢復了疲勞之後，便來剝那被殺之人的衣服，在其中發現了掃羅和他三個兒子的屍體（1Sa 31:8）。掃羅的拿兵器的人也許有意效法主人自殺的榜樣來尊榮他，藉以表明自己是何等愛他；但他若多用自己的理智而少用激情，便會免去這愚蠢的表示——不僅對自己的性命是公道的，對主人也是善意的：因為他若活著，本可藉著存活下來的機會為主人作他死後別人所能作的最好的服事；他可以在夜間把主人和他兒子們的遺體運走，體面地埋葬了。但這些虛妄的人（雖然自以為聰明）對於給予和接受尊榮，竟有如此虛假而愚蠢的觀念。不但如此，看來掃羅本可不必自盡而得以逃生：因為那些使他懼怕而自殺的追兵，直到次日才來到他所在之處。但神所要毀滅的人，他必使之昏迷，徹底被自己的驚恐吞滅。見伯18:5-21等。他們既發現了掃羅的屍體（如今橫陳在染血的草地上，因身量與眾不同而被認出——正如他直立時因身材高大而與眾不同，那時他傲然俯瞰周圍的人群），便要藉此向以色列的冠冕誇勝，又以侮辱這無人保護的屍體來卑鄙地滿足那野蠻殘忍的報復之心——這屍體活著時他們尚且懼怕。1. 他們割了他的首級。他們若有意以此為割下歌利亞首級之事報仇，就當割下大衛的頭——行那事的是大衛，那時他正在他們的境內。他們的用意，一般來說，是要羞辱以色列——以色列人本指望一位受膏戴冠的頭能救他們脫離非利士人；也是特別要羞辱掃羅——他比別人高出一頭（這也許是他常自誇的），如今卻少了一頭。2. 他們剝了他的軍裝（1Sa 31:9），打發人到非利士地的四方，要將軍裝作為勝利的戰利品，陳列在他們的女神亞斯他錄的廟裏（1Sa 31:10）。代上10:10又告訴我們（此處省略），他們把掃羅的頭釘在大袞廟中。這樣，他們把勝利的榮耀，不是按當作的歸給真神的公義，而是歸給他們假神的虛構權能；他們對假神如此致敬，就使那些不將自己的成就歸功於永生神的人蒙羞。亞斯他錄——以色列曾多次追逐淫亂去事奉的偶像——如今在他們身上誇勝。3. 他們差人通告全國，並下令在他們神的廟中公開宣佈所得的勝利（1Sa 31:9），好使公眾歡喜，並向他們的神獻上感謝。大衛為此深感痛惜（撒下1:20）：不要在迦特報告。4. 他們把他的屍身和他兒子們的屍身（如1Sa 31:12所示）釘在伯珊的城牆上——那城離基利波不遠，又很近約旦河。屍體被拖到這裏，掛在鎖鏈上，任飛鳥走獸吞吃。掃羅自殺是為了避免受非利士人凌辱，卻從未有王的遺體像他這樣被凌辱；若非利士人知道他為此而自殺，也許凌辱得更甚。想要靠犯罪來保全自己尊嚴的人，必定失去尊嚴。請看大衛被興起、徹底征服他們之前不久，非利士人的驕橫達到了何等的高度。他們如今既殺了掃羅和他的兒子們，便以為以色列地永遠是他們的了，但不久就發現自己錯了。當神藉著他們成就了他全部的工作之後，他必在他們身上成就他的工作。見賽10:6-7。
II. 他們的遺體如何被雅比人英勇地救回。伯珊與基列雅比之間只隔著一條約旦河，而約旦河在那裏有渡口可涉水而過；於是那城的勇士們作了一次大膽的冒險，在夜間渡過河去，取下屍體，予以體面的埋葬（1Sa 31:11-13）。他們這樣作，是：1. 出於對以色列尊嚴的共同關切——以色列地不當因暴露任何屍體而被玷污，何況是以色列的冠冕竟被未受割禮之人如此褻瀆。2. 出於對掃羅特別的感恩之心——他初登基時，曾熱心而積極地把他們從亞捫人手中救出來（1Sa 11:1-等）。當對善行的記憶如此被保留、在急難時如此被回報，這是慷慨心靈的明證，也是對行善者的鼓勵。基列雅比人若早日差遣他們的勇士去幫助掃羅抵擋非利士人，本可為掃羅作更好的服事。但他的日子已到，注定要倒下；如今他們能為他作的，不過是為記念他而作的這一切。我們未見有人為掃羅的死舉行普遍的哀悼，如同撒母耳死時那樣（1Sa 25:1），只有雅比這些基列人在他死時向他致敬；因為：（1）他們為屍體舉行了焚燒，以為之熏香。有人如此理解焚燒之事。他們在屍體上焚燒香料（1Sa 31:12）。這樣為已故的親友——至少是他們的君王——舉行焚燒以示敬意，乃是慣例，這可從亞撒葬禮的記述中看出（代下16:14），他們為他作了極大的焚燒。或照一些人的見解，他們焚燒了肉，因為屍體已開始腐爛。（2）他們埋葬了屍體——先用焚燒使之芳香化（或者，他們若焚燒了屍體，便埋葬了骨頭和灰燼）——在一棵樹下，那樹可作墓碑和紀念碑。（3）他們禁食七日，就是說，這七日之中每日禁食到傍晚；他們如此為掃羅的死和以色列如今紛亂的狀態哀悼，也許還在禁食中加入了禱告，求神重建他們破碎的國家。雖然惡人滅亡，人皆歡呼（就是說，可以指望隨後有更好的光景，成為喜樂的原因），但人道要求我們對屍體——尤其是君王的屍體——表示相當的敬意。
本卷書以撒母耳的出生開始，如今卻以掃羅的埋葬結束；將這兩者加以比較，便教導我們寧可選擇從神而來的尊榮，也不要這世界所自稱有權賜予的任何尊榮。
英文原文
The Disposal of Saul's Body (1055 BC)
⁸ And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
⁹ And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.
¹⁰ And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
¹¹ And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;
¹² All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
¹³ And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
The scripture makes no mention of the souls of Saul and his sons, what became of them after they were dead (secret things belong not to us), but of their bodies only.
I. How they were basely abused by the Philistines. The day after the battle, when they had recovered their fatigue, they came to strip the slain, and, among the rest, found the bodies of Saul and his three sons, 1Sa 31:8. Saul's armour-bearer perhaps intended to honour his master by following the example of his self-murder, and to show thereby how well he loved him; but, if he had consulted his reason more than his passions, he would have spared that foolish compliment, not only in justice to his own life, but in kindness to his master, to whom, by the opportunity of survivorship, he might have done all the service that could be done him by any man after he was dead; for he might, in the night, have conveyed away his body, and those of his sons, and buried them decently. But such false and foolish notions these vain men have (though they would be wise) of giving and receiving honour. Nay, it should seem, Saul might have saved himself the fatal thrust and have made his escape: for the pursuers (in fear of whom he slew himself) came not to the place where he was till the next day. But whom God will destroy he infatuates and utterly consumes with his terrors. See Job 18:5-21, etc. Finding Saul's body (which now that it lay extended on the bloody turf was distinguishable from the rest by its length, as it was, while erect, by its height, when he proudly overlooked the surrounding crowd), they will, in that, triumph over Israel's crown, and meanly gratify a barbarous and brutish revenge by insulting the deserted corpse, which, when alive, they had stood in awe of. 1. They cut off his head. Had they designed in this to revenge the cutting off of Goliath's head they would rather have cut off the head of David, who did that execution, when he was in their country. They intended it, in general, for a reproach to Israel, who promised themselves that a crowned and an anointed head would save them from the Philistines, and a particular reproach to Saul, who was taller by the head than other men (which perhaps he was wont to boast of), but was now shorter by the head. 2. They stripped him of his armour (1Sa 31:9), and sent that to be set up as a trophy of their victory, in the house of Ashtaroth their goddess (1Sa 31:10); and we are told, 1Ch 10:10 (though it is omitted here), that they fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. Thus did they ascribe the honour of their victory, not as they ought to have done to the real justice of the true God, but to the imaginary power of their false gods, and by this respect paid to pretended deities shame those who give not the praise of their achievements to the living God. Ashtaroth, the idol that Israel had many a time gone a whoring after, now triumphs over them. 3. They sent expresses throughout their country, and ordered public notice to be given in the houses of their gods of the victory they had obtained (1Sa 31:9), that public rejoicings might be made and thanks given to their gods. This David regretted sorely, 2Sa 1:20. Tell it not in Gath. 4. They fastened his body and the bodies of his sons (as appears, 1Sa 31:12) to the wall of Beth-shan, a city that lay not far from Gilboa and very near to the river Jordan. Hither the dead bodies were dragged and here hung up in chains, to be devoured by the birds of prey. Saul slew himself to avoid being abused by the Philistines, and never was royal corpse so abused as his was, perhaps the more if they understood that he slew himself for that reason. He that thinks to save his honour by sin will certainly lose it. See to what a height of insolence the Philistines had arrived just before David was raised up, who perfectly subdued them. Now that they had slain Saul and his sons they thought the land of Israel was their own for ever, but they soon found themselves deceived. When God has accomplished his whole work by them he will accomplish it upon them. See Isa 10:6,7.
II. How they were bravely rescued by the men of Jabesh-Gilead. Little more than the river Jordan lay between Beth-shan and Jabesh-Gilead, and Jordan was in that place passable by its fords; a bold adventure was therefore made by the valiant men of that city, who in the night passed the river, took down the dead bodies, and gave them decent burial, 1Sa 31:11,13. This they did, 1. Out of a common concern for the honour of Israel, or the land of Israel, which ought not to be defiled by the exposing of any dead bodies, and especially of the crown of Israel, which was thus profaned by the uncircumcised. 2. Out of a particular sense of gratitude to Saul, for his zeal and forwardness to rescue them from the Ammonites when he first came to the throne, 1Sa 11:1-27 It is an evidence of a generous spirit and an encouragement to beneficence when the remembrance of kindnesses is thus retained, and they are thus returned in an extremity. The men of Jabesh-Gilead would have done Saul better service if they had sent their valiant men to him sooner, to strengthen him against the Philistines. But his day had come to fall, and now this is all the service they can do him, in honour to his memory. We find not that any general mourning was made for the death of Saul, as was for the death of Samuel (1Sa 25:1), only those Gileadites of Jabesh did him honour at his death; for, (1.) They made a burning for the bodies, to perfume them. So some understand the burning of them. They burnt spices over them, 1Sa 31:12. And that it was usual thus to do honour to their deceased friends, at least their princes, appears by the account of Asa's funeral (2Ch 16:14), that they made a very great burning for him. Or (as some think) they burnt the flesh, because it began to putrefy. (2.) They buried the bodies, when, by burning over them, they had sweetened them (or, if they burnt them, they buried the bones and ashes), under a tree, which served for a grave-stone and monument. And, (3.) They fasted seven days, that is, each day of the seven they fasted till the evening; thus they lamented the death of Saul and the present distracted state of Israel, and perhaps joined prayers with their fasting for the re-establishment of their shattered state. Though, when the wicked perish there is shouting (that is, it is to be hoped a better state of things will ensue, which will be matter of joy), yet humanity obliges us to show a decent respect to dead bodies, especially those of princes.
This book began with the birth of Samuel, but now it ends with the burial of Saul, the comparing of which two together will teach us to prefer the honour that comes from God before any of the honours which this world pretends to have the disposal of.
在前一章我們看見大衛得勝，並且得勝有餘。本章我們看見掃羅失敗，且比被擄更糟。護理之工安排這兩件事恰好同時發生——也許正是同一天：大衛正向亞瑪力人誇勝，非利士人正向掃羅誇勝。兩相對照，人便可看出信靠神的結局如何，離棄神的結局又如何。上文我們看見掃羅帶著發顫的手和疼痛的心預備與非利士人交鋒——他先前不肯理會從天上來對他的判語，如今卻聽見從地獄傳來對他的宣判。現在讓我們看看他的結局。本章內容如下：I. 他的軍隊潰散（1Sa 31:1）。II. 他的三個兒子陣亡（1Sa 31:2）。III. 他自己受傷（1Sa 31:3），又親手自殺（1Sa 31:4）。拿兵器的人也死了（1Sa 31:5），跟隨他的人盡都仆倒（1Sa 31:6）。IV. 他的國土被非利士人佔據（1Sa 31:7）。他的營被劫掠，屍首被遺棄（1Sa 31:8）。他的敗亡被人慶賀（1Sa 31:9）。他的屍首被公開示眾（1Sa 31:10），又好不容易被基列雅比人所救（1Sa 31:11-13）。這位被神棄絕的人，就此傾覆。