1 Chronicles 10:1 - Meaning and Application

This account of Saul’s death is the same as the one in (1 Samuel 31:1) and following, so we do not need to repeat the full explanation. Still, we should notice a few lessons from it.

First, rulers sin, and the people often suffer because of it. It was a sad time for Israel when they fled before the Philistines and fell dead in battle (1 Chronicles 10:1). It was also a sad time when they left their cities and the Philistines moved in and lived there (1 Chronicles 10:7). We do not read that Israel was guilty of idolatry at this time, as they had been in the days of the judges, or later in the days of the kings. Samuel had reformed them, and they were reformed. Yet they were still handed over to plunderers and robbers.

No doubt there was enough sin among the people to deserve judgment. But God’s justice was looking especially at Saul’s sin. Rulers and other powerful people should be careful not to stir up God’s anger. If they start that fire, they do not know how many may be consumed because of them.

Second, parents sin, and children suffer for it. When Saul’s guilt had become full, and the day came for him to fall, as David had seen ahead of time (1 Samuel 26:10), he went down into battle and died himself. But his sons died with him too, all except Ishbosheth. Jonathan, that good and noble man, also died there. In this way, the sin of the father was visited on the children, and they fell as parts of the doomed family.

Those who love their children should leave off their sins. Otherwise, they may not perish alone in their own wrongdoing, but bring ruin on their families too, or pass on a curse to them after they are gone.

Third, sinners keep sinning, and in the end they suffer for it themselves, even if judgment is delayed for a long time. If punishment is not carried out quickly, it will still come. That is what happened to Saul, and even the manner of his death matched his sins in several ways.

He had thrown a spear at David more than once and missed him, but now the archers struck him, and he was wounded by their arrows. He had ordered Doeg to kill the Lord’s priests, and now, in despair, he ordered his armor-bearer to draw his sword and kill him. He had disobeyed God’s command by not destroying the Amalekites, and now his armor-bearer disobeys him by refusing to kill him. The man who had been the murderer of the priests is justly left to himself to become his own murderer, and his family is cut off after he cut off the city of the priests. See this, and say, The Lord is righteous.