1 Samuel 31:8-13 - The Philistines came to strip the dead

31:8-10

After the battle the Philistines came to strip the dead, to take anything worthwhile that they could find. What they did find was the body of Saul and his three sons. They cut Saul’s head off, remember that David had cut Goliath’s head off (1 Sam 17:31). Saul’s body was put on display and news of their conquest was sent throughout the land. His armour was put in their temple. They rejoiced at killing Saul, thinking they had won, but Saul was not a man of God, in fact he was just like them. Today some may rejoice at the decline of the church, but it is the godless churches that are declining, God has not been defeated.

31:11-13

The men of Jabesh Gilead marched out to recover Saul’s body. Earlier Saul had rescued the town of Jabesh Gilead (1 Sam 11), so they still honoured Saul. So they recovered the bodies of Saul and his sons and burned them.  Their bones were buried under a tamarisk tree and fasted for seven days.