1 Chronicles 10

1 Chronicles 10 is the tenth chapter of the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible or the First Book of Chronicles in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The book is compiled from older sources by an unknown person or group, designated by modern scholars as "the Chronicler", and had the final shape established in late fifth or fourth century BCE.Template:Sfn This chapter describes Saul's downfall and the reasons of his rejection by God.Template:Sfn The whole chapter belongs to the section focusing on the kingship of David (1 Chronicles 9:35 to 29:30).Template:Sfn

Text

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 14 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).Template:Sfn

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; $𝔊$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: $𝔊$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; $𝔊$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; $𝔊$^Q; 6th century).Template:Sfn

Old Testament references

• Template:Bibleverse: Template:Bibleverse.Template:Sfn

Template:Anchor Death of Saul and his sons (10:1–10)

This section marks the change of form in the Books of Chronicles from a list-based text to a more narrative description based on the historical documents such as the books of Samuel and books of Kings, and additional materials to provide information on the legitimate Davidic kingdom.Template:Sfn It begins with Saul's downfall to theologically link the whole exposition with the Babylonian Exile at the end.Template:Sfn

Verse 6

So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.

• Cross reference: Template:Bibleverse
• "And all his house": this phrase is used instead of the words 'and his armor-bearer and all his men that same day' in Template:Bibleverse to underline the fact that with Saul's death, his kingdom basically ended.Template:Sfn The episode of Ishbaal's brief rule in Template:Bibleverse is considered irrelevant to the Chronicler, although the name is mentioned in the genealogy of Saul (Template:Bibleverse; Template:Bibleverse-nb).Template:Sfn

Verse 10

And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.

• Cross reference: Template:Bibleverse

According to Template:Bibleverse Saul's armour was placed in the temple of Ashtaroth (Astarte) and his body fastened to the walls of Beth-shan.Template:Sfn The Chronicler avoids naming foreign gods, with few exception, such as Dagon.Template:Sfn

• "Dagon": god of grain, one of principal deities of the Philistines.Template:Sfn The statue of Dagon lost its head and hands when the Philistines placed the ark of YHWH in a temple of Dagon (Template:Bibleverse).Template:Sfn The fate of Saul was also similar to that of Goliath (1 Samuel 17).Template:Sfn

Template:Anchor Burial of Saul (10:11–14)

Jabesh-Gileadites recover the bodies of Saul and his sons, Gustave Doré

The narrative of Saul's burial is shorter than the account in Template:Bibleverse, omitting details such as the all-night walk of the valiant men from Jabesh Gilead to fetch Saul's body and the hanging of the corpses on the city walls of Beth-shan.Template:Sfn The Chronicler focuses more on Saul's rejection by God, giving no less than four reasons:Template:Sfn

1. Saul's transgression (NKJV/NRSV: 'unfaithfulness'): denoting religious crimes which lead to defeat and exile.
2. He did not keep the word of God, a judgement as declared in Deuteronomy and Psalm 119, for instance. It may refer to crimes committed by Saul as reported in 1 Samuel 13 and 1 Chronicles 15, as the term 'kept' is found in Template:Bibleverse and '[YHWH's] word' in 1 Samuel 15 (passim).
3. He consulted a medium, an accusation which contains a pun as "Saul" (Hebrew: Template:Lang) and "consult" ("enquire, inquire, ask"; Hebrew: Template:Lang) are made up of the same consonants in Hebrew.Template:Sfn This refers to Saul's visit to the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28).
4. He did not seek the Lord, emphasizing the Chronicler's general attitude towards God.Template:Sfn

Verse 12

all the valiant men arose and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

• Cross reference: 1 Samuel 31:12–13

The brave action of the men, marching from Jabesh-Gilead to Beth-Shan and back (about Template:Convert one way), recalls the high point of Saul's leadership at the beginning of his reign when he saved the people of Jabesh-Gilead from foreign attacks (1 Samuel 11).Template:Sfn

Verse 14

But he did not inquire of the Lord; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

• "Turned the kingdom over": The kingdom of Israel is 'at God's disposal', so the choice of kings belongs to God (cf. Template:Bibleverse; Template:Bibleverse-nb).Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

See also

• Related Bible parts: 1 Samuel 11, 1 Samuel 13, 1 Samuel 14, 1 Samuel 15, 1 Samuel 28, 1 Samuel 31, 2 Samuel 1, 1 Chronicles 28, 1 Chronicles 29

Sources

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External links

• Jewish translations:
  • Divrei Hayamim I - I Chronicles - Chapter 10 (Judaica Press) translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
  • Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
  • First Book of Chronicles Chapter 10. Bible Gateway