1 CHRONICLES LESSON 13


      We will begin this lesson in I Chronicles 10:1 "Now the
Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from
before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa."

     In the last lesson, we read of the genealogy of Saul through
Jonathan, Mephibosheth, and Micah. This battle at Gilboa destroys much
of Saul's family. Saul and three of his sons died in this battle. The
Philistines had been constant enemies of Israel. God allowed this
battle to end in this manner as punishment for Saul's sins, and to
make the way clear for David to reign as king. This was a terrible
battle with much loss of life by the Israelites. The battle took place
in the valley of Jezreel, where 20 major battles have been fought.
This same valley is sometimes called Esdraelon. It is, also, spoken of
as Megiddo.  The last great battle that will take place there will be
the battle of Armageddon.

     I Chronicles 10:2 "And the Philistines followed hard after Saul,
and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab,
and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul."

     This is an explanation of which sons died there with Saul. On
hearing of their death, David mourned greatly.

     I Chronicles 10:3 "And the battle went sore against Saul, and the
archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers." I Chronicles 10:4
"Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me
through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his
armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword,
and fell upon it."

     The Philistines were very cruel people. They particularly hated
Saul, for the battles he had successfully brought against them. Saul
feared that they would torture him before he died. He tried to get his
armourbearer to kill him, but he would not raise his hand against
God's anointed. It appears, from this Scripture, that Saul killed
himself.

     I Chronicles 10:5 "And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was
dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died."

     The armourbearer, probably, feared the same fate that Saul
feared.  He did not want to be tortured either, and he killed himself.
It would not be until the next day, that the grave robber would find
their bodies, and bring word to David of their death.

     I Chronicles 10:6 "So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his
house died together."

     This massacre was so great that Saul's family did nearly perish.
There were just a few left, primarily of Jonathan's family. Only three
of Saul's sons were killed, however.
     I Chronicles 10:7 "And when all the men of Israel that [were] in
the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead,
then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and
dwelt in them."

     With Saul and his sons dead, there was no one to lead the people,
and they ran out of their cities and just left them for the
Philistines to take. These particular cities seem to be inhabited from
time to time by the winning side, whoever it is at the moment.

     I Chronicles 10:8  "And it came to pass on the morrow, when the
Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons
fallen in mount Gilboa."

     We are not told just how they determined which were Saul's sons.
Perhaps, it was because of what they were wearing. Saul's body had
been found originally by a grave robber. Then the Philistines found
him.

     I Chronicles 10:9 "And when they had stripped him, they took his
head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round
about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people."
I Chronicles 10:10 "And they put his armour in the house of their
gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon."

     Perhaps, they beheaded Saul in retaliation for David cutting off
the head of Goliath. 1 Samuel chapter 31 verses 9 and 10 tells of them
even nailing his body to the wall in the house of their false god,
Ashteroth.

     I Chronicles 10:11  "And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that
the Philistines had done to Saul," I Chronicles 10:12 "They arose, all
the valiant men, 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."

     Jabesh-gilead was a city in the land of Gilead. Gilead was on the
east side of the Jordan river in the land of Reuben, Gad, and the half
tribe of Manasseh. It was a terrible fate, worse than dying, for the
body not to be buried. We see that these brave men of Gilead did
retrieve the bodies, and buried them in Jabesh. The fasting for seven
days could have been a time of mourning for Saul, or it could have
been a time of cleansing.

     I Chronicles 10:13  "So Saul died for his transgression which he
committed against the LORD, [even] against the word of the LORD, which
he kept not, and also for asking [counsel] of [one that had] a
familiar spirit, to inquire [of it];"

     Saul, perhaps, thought that he had special privileges, and would
not be held responsible for his sins. He acted as if he thought he was
above the law of God. He was very humble in the beginning of his
reign, but soon lost his humble spirit, and decided to do things his
way, instead of God's way. He let Agag live, and kept the finest of
the sheep in a battle, when God told him to kill everyone, and all the
animals. He sacrificed once, because he was tired of waiting for the
high priest, Samuel. He, also, consulted with a woman with a familiar
spirit, which was strictly forbidden. He pretended to be living for
God, but he would not accept God's instructions.

     I Chronicles 10:14 "And inquired not of the LORD: therefore he
slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse."

     The will of Saul to have his own way was the very thing that
destroyed him. He had tried to kill David, because he knew David had
been anointed to be the next king. David would not try to kill Saul,
because he was the anointed of God. God had to remove Saul for David
to become king. David was not only the son of Jesse, but the youngest
son of Jesse. This is the same David that killed Goliath. He would be
the opposite of Saul. He was a man after God's own heart. Even though
it was an arrow of the Philistine that actually wounded Saul, it was
God who killed him.




































                      1 Chronicles 13 Questions


1.  In verse 1, who fought against Israel?
2.  Where did the Israelites fall down slain?
3.  Who died in this battle, besides the regular army?
4.  Why did God allow this to happen?
5.  What are some other names for the valley of Jezreel?
6.  What great battle is yet to be fought there?
7.  Which of Saul's sons died there?
8.  How did David take this news?
9.  How was Saul wounded?
10. What did Saul ask his armourbearer to do?
11. When he would not do what Saul asked, what did Saul do?
12. Why did he not want to fall into the hands of the Philistines?
13. What did the armourbearer do, when he realized Saul was dead?
14. Who carried word to David of their deaths?
15. What is meant by all his house died?
16. What does verse 7, say the rest of the men in the cities did?
17. What happened to the cities?
18. When did the Philistines find Saul?
19. What did they do to the body of Saul?
20. Where did they put Saul's head?
21. Why did they behead Saul?
22. In 1 Samuel chapter 31 verses 9 and 10, what does it say they did
    to Saul's body?
23. Who came and got Saul's body?
24. What did they do with it?
25. Where was Jabesh-gilead?
26. Saul died for his ________________.
27. What were some of his specific sins?
28. Who did God turn the kingdom over to?
29. Who was David's father?
30. David was his _____________ son.
31. Who killed Saul?