1 Samuel 31 9

1 Samuel 31:9 kjv

And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.

1 Samuel 31:9 nkjv

And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent word throughout the land of the Philistines, to proclaim it in the temple of their idols and among the people.

1 Samuel 31:9 niv

They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people.

1 Samuel 31:9 esv

So 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 the house of their idols and to the people.

1 Samuel 31:9 nlt

So they cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. Then they proclaimed the good news of Saul's death in their pagan temple and to the people throughout the land of Philistia.

1 Samuel 31 verses

1 Samuel 31 9 Meaning

This verse describes the complete humiliation of King Saul by the Philistines following his death in battle on Mount Gilboa. After discovering his body, they desecrated it by beheading him and stripping off his armor. These tokens of victory were then circulated throughout the Philistine territories to publicly declare their triumph, especially by displaying them in the temples of their pagan deities and before their populace. This act was designed to dishonor Saul, demoralize Israel, and attribute the victory to their false gods.

1 Samuel 31 9 Context

1 Samuel 31 marks the tragic culmination of Saul's kingship, signifying a decisive defeat for Israel at the hands of their perennial enemies, the Philistines. The battle on Mount Gilboa resulted in a devastating rout, leading to the deaths of Saul and his three sons, including Jonathan. While verse 4 records Saul's suicide to avoid capture and abuse, the Philistine soldiers discovering his body the following day were not content with merely verifying his death. Their actions in verse 9—beheading him, stripping his armor, and parading these items—were a standard practice in ancient Near Eastern warfare, designed for extreme humiliation, demoralization of the defeated enemy, and the public celebration of victory. Culturally, dedicating spoils of war, especially prominent items like a king's armor or head, to one's gods was a common way to give thanks and validate the deity's power. This act was not just political or military; it was also a profound spiritual challenge to YHWH, the God of Israel.

1 Samuel 31 9 Word analysis

• cut off his head (Hebrew: וַיִּכְרְתוּ אֶת־רֹאשֹׁו, vayyikhrəṯū ʾeṯ-roʾšōw):
  • karath (כָּרַת): More than simple "cutting," this verb often implies severing or cutting off decisively. In this context, it signifies utter defeat, desecration, and maximum humiliation of the dead king.
  • The "head" symbolizes leadership and authority. Its severance emphasizes the complete overthrow of Saul's rule.
• stripped off his armour (Hebrew: וַיַּפְשִׁיטוּ אֶת־כֵּלָיו, vayyapshīṭū ʾeṯ-kêlāyw):
  • pashat (פָּשַׁט): Means "to strip," often for plunder or dishonor.
  • "Armor" (keli) represents a warrior's power, protection, and status. Its removal signifies total helplessness and the loss of kingly might and honor. This was a profound symbolic degradation for a king whose initial popularity stemmed from military success.
• sent into the land of the Philistines round about (Hebrew: וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ בְאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים סָבִיב, vayəšalləḥū bəʾereṣ Pəlištim sāvîḇ):
  • shalach (שָׁלַח): The Piel form emphasizes a purposeful and extensive dispatching.
  • "Round about" (saviv) highlights the widespread, almost territorial, proclamation of their victory across their domain.
• to publish it (Hebrew: לְבַשֵּׂר, ləvaśśēr):
  • basar (בָּשַׂר): Ironically, this verb generally means "to bring good news" (the root of the word for "Gospel"). Here, it represents "good news" for the Philistines and their deities, celebrating their triumph over Israel and Saul. For Israel, this "publishing" would be devastating news of humiliation and defeat.
• in the house of their idols (Hebrew: בֵּית אֱלִילֵיהֶם, bêṯ ʾĕlîlêhem):
  • "House" (bayit): Refers to the temple or sanctuary. This implies a religious dedication of their victory spoils to their gods, validating the Philistine deities as having granted their success.
  • "Idols" (elil): This Hebrew word is consistently used in a derogatory sense throughout the Old Testament. It means "nothing," "worthless," or "vain." The biblical author deliberately uses this term to undermine the Philistines' belief in their gods, implicitly asserting the futility of worshipping them even in the face of their apparent victory. The true God, YHWH, was sovereign over Saul's fate, not pagan deities.

Words-group analysis:

• "cut off his head, and stripped off his armour": These two gruesome actions embody the absolute physical and symbolic conquest of Saul. They denote not just his death but the obliteration of his dignity and kingly persona, rendering him completely powerless and an object of contempt. This public desecration amplifies the shame for Israel.
• "sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people": This phrase details a calculated, multi-faceted act of psychological warfare and religious veneration. It indicates that the Philistines sought to widely broadcast their definitive victory (geographically "round about" and to various audiences "idols, and among the people") not only to gloat but also to demonstrate the perceived supremacy of their gods over the God of Israel. The inclusion of "house of their idols" underscores the spiritual dimension of the conflict, making it a theological statement about divine power.

1 Samuel 31 9 Bonus section

• The parallel account in 1 Chronicles 10:9-10 specifies that Saul's armor was placed in the temple of Ashtaroth and his head fixed in the temple of Dagon, highlighting the specific Philistine cultic practices involved in dedicating these symbols of victory to their respective deities. This detail reinforces the direct religious confrontation embedded in this act of desecration.
• The dramatic contrast between Saul's royal coronation (1 Sam 10) and his ignominious end on Mount Gilboa serves as a powerful cautionary tale about the perils of spiritual pride and the imperative of obedience to divine commands for leaders and common people alike.
• The Philistine's "good news" (basar) is deeply ironic, highlighting the chasm between human perspective and divine truth, as the Lord's hand was in Saul's downfall.

1 Samuel 31 9 Commentary

1 Samuel 31:9 succinctly captures the profound disgrace of King Saul's end, a stark testament to the consequences of disobedience and God's ultimate sovereignty. The Philistines' actions were standard procedure in ancient warfare: disfigurement of enemy leaders served to terrorize opponents and assert dominance. Beheading and stripping Saul's armor transformed a dead body into a macabre trophy. The choice to circulate these trophies "round about" and specifically dedicate them "in the house of their idols" elevated the victory beyond mere military triumph to a supposed religious conquest. For the Philistines, this act validated the power of their gods, Dagon or Ashtaroth (as per 1 Chron 10:10).

However, the biblical narrator's choice of the word "idols" (elil), meaning "worthless things," carries an inherent theological polemic. Despite the outward appearance of Philistine victory, the text subtly reminds the reader that their gods are ultimately powerless. Saul's defeat, from a biblical perspective, was not due to the strength of Philistine deities, but rather God's judgment upon Saul for his persistent disobedience and rebellion. This tragic scene vividly illustrates how a once-anointed king fell to utter dishonor and foreshadows the shift in God's favor to David, marking the close of a tumultuous era for Israel.