1 Chronicles 10 13

1 Chronicles 10:13 kjv

So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;

1 Chronicles 10:13 nkjv

So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance.

1 Chronicles 10:13 niv

Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance,

1 Chronicles 10:13 esv

So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance.

1 Chronicles 10:13 nlt

So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD. He failed to obey the LORD's command, and he even consulted a medium

1 Chronicles 10 verses

1 Chronicles 10 13 Meaning

1 Chronicles 10:13 concisely attributes King Saul's death to specific acts of unfaithfulness against the Lord. Firstly, his disregard for God's explicit commands and word, notably his rebellion and disobedience. Secondly, his egregious sin of resorting to a medium for guidance, thus consulting illicit sources rather than the divine counsel of the Lord. This verse serves as a theological statement explaining God's judgment upon Saul's reign, emphasizing the grave consequences of spiritual deviation and rebellion against the Lord's established covenant.

1 Chronicles 10 13 Context

First Chronicles chapter 10 recounts the final moments of King Saul's life, his defeat by the Philistines on Mount Gilboa, and his subsequent death, leading to David's eventual rise to the throne. While 1 Samuel provides a more detailed narrative of these events, the Chronicler's account is notable for its brevity regarding Saul's life, quickly moving to his demise and placing strong theological emphasis on the reasons for it. Verse 13 is the Chronicler's pivotal explanation of why Saul died. The chapter sets up David as the righteous, chosen king by stark contrast with Saul, whose fall is attributed solely to his spiritual failings. Historically, Saul was the first king of Israel, chosen at the people's request rather than by divine initiation, highlighting a tension between human desire and divine will. His kingship began with promise but deteriorated due to disobedience. The specific context of this verse positions Saul's actions as a direct breach of God's covenant and law, particularly the prohibition against divination, a practice strongly associated with pagan idolatry and considered an abomination in ancient Israelite culture (Deut 18:9-12; Lev 19:31).

1 Chronicles 10 13 Word analysis

• So Saul died: The phrasing immediately presents Saul's death not as a mere military defeat but as a fated and determined event. It implies divine decree behind his end.
• for his unfaithfulness: (Hebrew: bemaʿălô) The Hebrew term ma'al signifies a deep breach of trust, treachery, or sacrilege against the Lord. It implies a deliberate transgression, a failure to uphold one's covenant obligations, often leading to guilt before God (Num 5:6-8; Josh 7:1; Lev 26:40). It's more than a simple mistake; it's a profound violation of sacred allegiance.
• which he had committed against the Lord: This emphasizes that Saul's "unfaithfulness" was directly against God himself, not merely a social or political misstep. His actions were an affront to divine authority and holiness.
• because he did not keep the word of the Lord: (Hebrew: asher lo shammar devar YHWH) This specifies the nature of his unfaithfulness. Shamar means "to keep," "to guard," or "to obey." Saul explicitly failed to obey specific divine instructions. A prime example is his failure to utterly destroy the Amalekites as commanded by God through Samuel (1 Sam 15). Disobedience to the divine word was a fundamental flaw of his reign (1 Sam 15:23).
• and also because he inquired of a medium, consulting her: (Hebrew: gam ad baʿălat ôb lidrosh bah) This refers directly to the event at En-dor (1 Sam 28). "Medium" (ba'alat ob) refers to a practitioner of necromancy or spiritism, one who conjures the dead. This practice was strictly forbidden in Israel (Lev 19:31; Deut 18:10-12), as it was an act of turning away from God to seek guidance from forbidden, demonic sources, showing a complete lack of faith in God's willingness or ability to communicate with him.
• inquired of a medium, consulting her: The verb "to inquire" (darash) typically refers to seeking guidance, whether from the Lord or, in this case, from illicit sources. Saul, who had previously purged mediums from the land, ironically sought one out in his desperation (1 Sam 28:3). This act highlighted his profound spiritual alienation and the ultimate collapse of his trust in God.

1 Chronicles 10 13 Bonus section

The Chronicler's succinct theological explanation for Saul's death is a key example of the principle of divine retribution prevalent in his historical work. Unlike the book of Samuel, which focuses more on the human drama and the process of Saul's decline, Chronicles explicitly states the reasons for his downfall, aligning it directly with God's justice. The inclusion of his consulting the medium as a direct cause for his death, alongside disobedience, emphasizes the severity of spiritual apostasy and reliance on pagan practices in the Chronicler's theological framework. This theological clarity served as an instructive warning for the returning exiles about the consequences of neglecting covenant obligations and embracing forbidden spiritual ways. Saul's fate thus served as a stark illustration that covenant blessings are conditioned upon faithful obedience to God, and judgment follows disobedience and spiritual infidelity.

1 Chronicles 10 13 Commentary

First Chronicles 10:13 provides the theological underpinning for Saul's demise, making it clear that his death was not merely the outcome of a battle but an act of divine judgment. The Chronicler, writing for a post-exilic audience, emphasizes obedience to God and faithfulness to the covenant as central to the nation's well-being and a king's legitimate rule. Saul's two primary offenses listed here are grave: deliberate disobedience to God's revealed word and seeking forbidden spiritual counsel. His failure to "keep the word of the Lord" underscores his chronic rebellion and rejection of God's authority, illustrated notably by his sparing of Agag and the best of the Amalekite livestock (1 Sam 15). This wasn't a one-off mistake but a pattern of prioritizing his own will or the people's over God's. The second charge, inquiring of a medium, signifies the ultimate spiritual betrayal. Having been cut off from divine guidance (through dreams, Urim, or prophets), Saul resorted to a practice that represented a direct affront to the Lord's exclusive claim on His people's worship and trust. This act confirmed his complete spiritual degradation and justified God's abandonment. Saul's tragic end serves as a cautionary tale within biblical narrative: true kingship is founded on unwavering loyalty and obedience to God, and any deviation leads to divine repudiation and ruin. His unfaithfulness contrasted sharply with the faithfulness of David, whose subsequent ascent to the throne is thus presented as divinely sanctioned and just.