1 Samuel 31:12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:8-13

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, 1 Sam. 31:8. Saul's armour-bearer perhaps intended to honour his master by following the example of his self-murder,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:12

All the valiant men arose ,.... Of the city of Jabeshgilead, fired with indignation at the Philistines' ill usage of Saul and the bodies of his sons: and went all night ; not only for secrecy, but for haste: and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh ; brought them with them thither, the Philistines either having no knowledge of it, or not daring to oppose them: and burnt them there : that is, the flesh of them, for the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 31:12

And burnt them there - It has been denied that the Hebrews burnt the bodies of the dead, but that they buried them in the earth, or embalmed them, and often burnt spices around them, etc. These no doubt were the common forms of sepulture, but neither of these could be conveniently practiced in the present case. They could not have buried them about Beth-shan without being discovered; and as to embalming, that was most likely out of all question, as doubtless the bodies were now too... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:7-13

The final issues of life a criterion of worth. The facts are— 1 . The defeat of Saul is followed by the general flight of the men of Israel from the neigbbouring cities, and the occupation of these by the Philistines. 2 . The bodies of Saul and of his sons being found, the Philistines strip the king's of his armour, publish the fact in the houses of idols, and dishonour him on the wall of Beth-shan. 3 . The men of Jabesh-Gilead, hearing of this, rescue the bodies and bury them... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:12-13

They burnt them. Cremation, though highly honourable among classical nations, is here mentioned for the first time in Holy Scripture, and was probably resorted to on this occasion to insure the bodies of Saul and his sons against further maltreatment, as, if buried, the Philistines might have made the attempt to get them again into their power. Some suppose that the burning of the dead was afterwards practised by the Jews, and quote in its favour 2 Chronicles 16:14 ; Isaiah 33:12 ; ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 31:12

burnt them - Burning was not the usual mode of sepulture among the Hebrews. But in this case from a pious desire to disguise the mutilation of the headless corpses, and exempt them from any possible future insult, the men of Jabesh burned the bodies, yet so as to preserve the bones 1Sa 31:13; 2 Samuel 21:12. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 31:11-12

1 Samuel 31:11-12. The inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead They lived on the other side of Jordan; for the people on this side were fled. All the valiant men arose, and went all night To avoid discovery. And took the body of Saul, &c. They had been delivered by Saul in the beginning of his reign from the Ammonites, when they were in danger of losing their lives, chap. 11.; and therefore they now showed their gratitude toward him by not suffering his corpse to want the honour of burial. ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:1-13

David’s victory and Saul’s defeat (30:1-31:13)When David’s men returned to Ziklag, they found it a deserted, burnt out ruin. The Amalekites had raided the cities of Philistia and Judah while all the fighting men were away at war. The shock of losing everything - wives, families and possessions - drove David to total dependence on God. It was the kind of dependence that seems to have been lacking during his sixteen months in Philistia (30:1-8).Assisted by some capable Israelite military... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 31:12

men . Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 31:11-12

1 Samuel 31:11-12. And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard, &c.— Beth-shan was a city in the tribe of Manasseh, not far from Jordan and the sea of Gennesareth, to which the men of Jabesh might march in a night's time, and accomplish their design. The Jabethites had great obligations to Saul. He delivered them at the beginning of his reign from the fury of Nahash, chap. 1 Samuel 11:11. They resolved, therefore, to rescue his body and those of his sons from the disgrace to which the... read more

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