Justin Houtz

1 Samuel 30-31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12

DateVersionReading Plan
April 25, 2026ESV (2016)ESV Life Journal Plan – 2026

1 Samuel 30-31

Observation & Interpretation

When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found that it had been raided by the Amalekites (30:1-2). Seeing the city burned, David’s men raised their voices and wept (30:3-4). David’s wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, had also been taken captive (30:5). David was greatly distressed and the people spoke of stoning him, but David strengthened. himself in the LORD. (30:6).

David asked Abiathar the priest to bring him the ephod and David proceeded to inquire of the LORD whether he was to pursue the Amalekites (30:7-8a). The LORD told David to pursue them and that he would surely overtake and rescue all that had been captured (30:8b). David set out along with six hundred men but two hundred of them stayed at the brook Besor because they were too exhausted to cross (30:9-10). David found an Egyptian man, a servant of an Amalekite, who led David to the Amalekites in exchange for preserving his life (30:11-15). David defeated the Amalekites and recovered all that had been taken, both small and great, including his two wives and the people declared the spoil to be David’s (30:17-20). David then came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to cross the brook Besor (30:21). The wicked men who were with David said that the spoil was not to be given to two hundred men who stayed behind (30:22). However, David said that the spoil was not to be withheld from these men and that those who went to battle and those who did not were to have equal share (30:24). David also sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah as a present (30:26-30).

In chapter 31, the narrative pivots and focuses on the Philistines fighting against Israel and how the men of Israel fled from the Philistines and fell slain at Mount Gilboa (31:1). The Philistines overtook Saul and the archers found him and wounded him badly (v. 2-3). Saul told his armor-bearer to thrust him through with Saul’s sword lest the uncircumcised come and mistreat him, but the armor-bearer declined out of fear (31:4a). Saul took matters into his own hands, falling upon his own sword, and when the armor-bearer saw this, he did the same (31:4-5). Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer and all his men died on the same day together (31:6). When the men of Israel on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and the Philistines came and lived in them (31:7).

When the Philistines saw that Saul and his sons had fallen on Mount Gilboa, they cut off Saul’s head and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols and people (31:9). They put Saul’s armor in the temple of Ahteroth and fastened Saul’s body to the wall of Beth-shan (31:10). However, when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done, all the valiant men arose and went all night and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons, bringing them to Jabesh to be burned (31:12). Their bones were buried under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and the men of Jabesh-gilead fasted seven days (31:13).

Application

The concluding chapters of 1 Samuel provide a stark contrast between the victory of David and the disgraceful fall of Saul. David demonstrated his faithfulness in strengthening himself in the LORD in troubled times and calling for the priest’s ephod to inquire of the LORD’s guidance. Saul, however, did not exemplify such surrender to the LORD—even at the end—and his demise came along with his sons, armor-bearer and all his men. In this, we see both how the LORD’s grace shown on David and how His justice was executed on Saul. The LORD is righteous in all His ways, removing kings and setting up kings, perfect in how He exhibits favor but also how He deals with sin, transgression and iniquity. May we worship our LORD for who He is in all His holiness and glory, grateful that He so chooses to work through sinful creatures to bring about the exaltation of His great name.

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