Year of the Bible
1 Samuel 31
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Commentary on the First Book of Samuel, Chapter 31:
The battle between the Philistines and Israel that was anticipated in chapter 29 now begins. David is not yet home, and King Saul is leading the Israelite army. God uses this event to pave the way for David to become the next leader of the Jewish people and to fulfill prophecies that have been made regarding Saul’s family (13:13-14; 15:28; 28:19). King Saul is wounded, then falls on his own sword lest he be dishonored by the Philistines. Three of Saul’s sons also die, and the Philistines are able to settle in conquered Israelite lands. The narrative of Saul’s life, and the book of 1 Samuel, come to a close as valiant Jewish men give the King a proper burial and mourn his passing.
The First Book of Samuel, Chapter 31:
The Death of Saul and His Sons
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle pressed hard upon Saul, and the archers found him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and make sport of me.” But his armor-bearer would not; for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword, and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword, and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 7 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11 But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what 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 they came to Jabesh and burnt them there. 13 And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
"And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days." (v. 13) Burying the dead is a work of mercy. Why is it a work of mercy? Lord, what do you want me to understand about the dignity of my body--even about the dignity of the bodies of those who have passed away?
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc, or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further.
1 Entre tanto, los filisteos entraron
en combate contra Israel, y
los hombres de Israel huyeron ante ellos
y cayeron heridos de muerte en el monte
Guilboá. 2 Los filisteos entonces, estrecharon
el cerco sobre Saúl y sus hijos,
y mataron a Jonatán, a Abinadab y a
Malquisúa, hijos de Saúl. 3 Todo el peso
de la batalla cayó sobre Saúl, hasta que
los arqueros le alcanzaron y le hirieron
gravemente. 4 Saúl dijo a su escudero:
–Saca tu espada y atraviésame con
ella. No sea que vengan esos incircuncisos
y me ultrajen.
Pero el escudero no quiso hacerlo
porque tenía mucho miedo. Entonces
Saúl tomó su espada y se dejó caer sobre
ella. 5 El escudero, al ver que Saúl había
muerto, se dejó caer también él sobre
su espada y murió con él. 6 Así murieron
Saúl y sus tres hijos, el escudero y
los hombres de Saúl; todos juntos aquel
mismo día.
7 Los hombres de Israel que estaban
al otro lado del valle, y los que estaban al
otro lado del Jordán, al ver que las tropas
de Israel habían huido y que habían
matado a Saúl y a sus hijos, abandonaron
las ciudades y huyeron. Los filisteos
vinieron y se establecieron en ellas.
8 Al día siguiente fueron los filisteos
a despojar a los muertos y encontraron
a Saúl y a los tres hijos que yacían en el
monte de Guilboá. 9 Les cortaron la cabeza,
les despojaron de sus armas y las
llevaron dando vueltas por todo el país
de los filisteos para publicar la noticia
en los templos de sus dioses y entre el
pueblo. 10 Depositaron las armas en el
templo de Astarté y colgaron los cuerpos
en los muros de Bet-Seán.
11 Cuando los habitantes de Yabés de
Galaad se enteraron de lo que habían
hecho los filisteos con Saúl, 12 se levantaron
todos los valientes, caminaron toda
la noche y quitaron el cadáver de Saúl
y los de sus hijos de la muralla de Bet-
Seán, los llevaron a Yabés y los quemaron
allí. 13 Tomaron sus huesos y los enterraron
bajo el tamarindo de Yabés, y
ayunaron durante siete días.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
"Tomaron sus huesos y los enterraron bajo el tamarisco en Jabes, y ayunaron siete días". (v. 13) Enterrar a los muertos es una obra de misericordia. ¿Por qué es una obra de misericordia? Señor, ¿qué quieres que entienda sobre la dignidad de mi cuerpo, incluso sobre la dignidad de los cuerpos de los que han fallecido?
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).