Matthew Henry on 1 Samuel 31:1-7
The day of recompence has now come, in which Saul must account for the blood of the Amalekites which he had sinfully spared, and that of the priests which he had more sinfully spilt; that of David too, which he would have spilt, must come into the account. Now his day has come to fall, as David foresaw, when he should descend into battle and perish, Sa1 26:10. Come and see the righteous judgments of God.
I. He sees his soldiers fall about him, Sa1 31:1. Whether the Philistines were more numerous, better posted, and better led on, or what other advantages they had, we are not told; but it seems they were more vigorous, for they made the onset; they fought against Israel, and the Israelites fl…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 31:6
So Saul died--(see on Ch1 10:13; Hos 13:11).
and his three sons--The influence of a directing Providence is evidently to be traced in permitting the death of Saul's three eldest and most energetic sons, particularly that of Jonathan, for whom, had he survived his father, a strong party would undoubtedly have risen and thus obstructed the path of David to the throne.
and all his men, that same day together--his servants or bodyguard (Ch1 10:6).
Adam Clarke on 1 Samuel 31:6
And all his men - Probably meaning those of his troops which were his life or body guards: as to the bulk of the army, it fled at the commencement of the battle, Sa1 31:1.
John Gill on 1 Samuel 31:6
So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer,.... Only with this difference, his three sons died honourably in the field of battle, but he and his armourbearer destroyed themselves. Josephus says (e) he reigned eighteen years in the life of Samuel, and after his death twenty two years, which make the forty years the apostle ascribes to him, Acts 13:21; Eupolemus (f), an Heathen writer, makes him to reign twenty one years; but of the years of his reign, both before and after the death of Samuel, chronologers are not agreed, see 1 Samuel 25:1; and See Gill on Acts 13:21,
and all his men that same day together; not all the soldiers in his army; for many of them fled and escaped, and…
