The Israelites are smitten by the Philistines: Saul’s sons are slain: Saul is wounded: he falleth on his own sword; as doth his armour-bearer, 1-6. The rest flee; and the Philistines possess their towns, and triumph over the dead carcasses, 7-10. They of Jabesh-gilead by might take down the bodies of Saul and of his sons, and burn them; and mournfully bury their bones, 11-13.
Matthew Henry: '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. Le…
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