Big Idea: Rebellion against the Lord culminates in humiliating defeat, but the demise of the Lord’s rebellious servants is to be lamented, not celebrated.

Understanding the Text

Chapter 31 returns the focus of the story to Saul and picks up where chapter 28 left off. Samuel’s prophecy of Saul’s impending death and of Israel’s defeat (28:19) is fulfilled. In 2 Samuel 1 the focus returns to David. There is a flashback at the beginning of the chapter: verse 1 informs us that this episode takes place on the third day after Saul’s death, while 1 Samuel 31 ends at least a week after Saul’s death.

This account of Saul’s death and David’s response to it, like the other episodes recorded earlier, is designed to prove David’s right to the throne and to vindicate him from charges of wrongdoing.1Sa…