1 Chronicles 10:14

1Ch 10:14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

Ver. 14. And inquired not of the Lord.] He did, and yet he did not. {See Trapp on "1Sa 28:6"}

Therefore he slew him.] He killed him with death, as Rev 2:23.

And turned the kingdom unto David.] Though it were long first, and after many trials and tribulations. Sic petitur caelum; heaven is not to be had, but after much pains and patience.

“ Durate, et vosmet rebus servate secundis ”

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch 10:14. Inquired not of the Lord — He did in some sort, but not in a right manner; not humbly and penitently, not diligently and importunately, not patiently and perseveringly; nor till he was brought to the last extremity, and then it was too late.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And inquired not of the Lord--He had done so in form (Sa1 28:6), but not in the spirit of a humble penitent, nor with the believing confidence of a sincere worshipper. His enquiry was, in fact, a mere mockery, and his total want of all right religious impressions was manifested by his rushing from God to a wretched impostor in the service of the devil [Sa1 28:7].

Next: 1 Chronicles Chapter 11

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 14. Inquired not of the Lord] On these two last verses the Targum speaks thus: "And Saul died for the transgression by which he transgressed against the WORD of the Lord, and because he did not keep the commandment of the Lord when he warred against the house of Amalek; and because he consulted Pythons, and sought oracular answers from them. Neither did he ask counsel from before the Lord by Urim and Thummim, for he had slain the priests that were in Nob; therefore the Lord slew him, and transferred the kingdom to David the son of Jesse."

A LITERARY friend furnishes the following remarks:-

"The sacred writer, in the first book of Samuel, 1Sa 31:11-13, and 1Ch 10:11-12, after relating the defeat and death of Saul, and the ignominious treatment of his remains, thus concludes:-

"'And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there; and they took the bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.'

"Often has this account been read with admiration of the bravery and devotedness of the men of Jabesh-gilead, but without considering that these men had any greater cause than others for honouring the remains of their sovereign; but, on reflection, it will be perceived that the strong impulse of gratitude prompted them to this honourable exertion. They remembered their preservation from destruction, and, which to brave men is more galling, from bearing marks of having been defeated, and being deprived of the honourable hope of wiping off disgrace, or defending their country at future seasons.

"Reading these verses in conjunction with the attack of Nahash, we perceive the natural feelings of humanity, of honourable respect, prompting the men of Jabesh to act as they did in rescuing the bones of Saul and his family.

"The father of Grecian poetry relates in how great a degree the warriors of ancient days honoured the remains of their leaders; how severe were the contests for the body of the fallen chief, more determined oftentimes than the struggle for victory: this point of military honour was possibly excited or heightened by the religious idea so prevalent in his age, and after times, respecting the fate of the spirits of those who were unburied.

"Homer wrote of events passing at no distant period from those recorded in the first volume of Samuel; and these accounts mutually corroborate each other, being in unison, not only with the feelings of humanity, but with the customs of ancient nations. These may be farther illustrated by comparing the conduct of the Philistines with regard to Saul and his sons, with that of the hero of the Iliad towards Hector, the most finished character of the poem. Saul had been a severe scourge to the Philistines throughout a long series of years; the illustrious chief of Troy had long warded off the ruin of his country, and destroyed the flower of her foes, independently of his last victory over Patroclus, which drew on his remains that dishonour which, however, fell only on his destroyer.

"Should the siege of Troy be considered a fable, it may then be concluded that Homer introduced into his poems the customs and manners known to those for whose perusal he wrote, if these customs were not prevalent among his readers; but anxiety for the body of the illustrious dead, or regret for his death, has often caused success when all exertions prior to this powerful stimulus have not availed; and this even in our days.

"The Philistines had long been confined to the southwest angle of the promised land, and in the earlier part of Saul's reign had suffered many and severe losses; yet it appears by this chapter that, alone or in conjunction with allies, they had been able to penetrate nearly to the banks of the Jordan, to fight the battle on Mount Gilboa. This could only have been effected by a march through great part of the kingdom of Israel.

"Doubtless the attention of Saul in its defence might have been greatly distracted by his pursuit and fear of David, which appeared to have absorbed his whole mind; and it may account for the defenceless or weakened state of his forces.

"These circumstances appear to corroborate the authenticity of these books, independently of the many private transactions therein recorded; particularly the interesting and singular friendship of Jonathan and David, a transaction not likely to occur to a forger of a narrative. J.W."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(14) And enquired not of the Lord.—Saul had, in fact, enquired of Jehovah before resorting to the witch of En-dor, “but the Lord answered him not, neither by the dreams, nor by the Urim, nor by the prophets” (1Sa_28:6). We shall not be reading a meaning of our own into the text if we say that Saul’s natural impatience (1Sa_13:13) on this occasion betrayed him again; he at once despaired of help from his God, instead of seeking it with self-humiliation and penitence. His character is consistently drawn throughout the history. The sin that ruined the first king was essentially that which led to the final ruin of the nation, viz., unfaithfulness to the covenant-God. The same word characterises both. (Comp. 1Ch_10:13 with 1Ch_5:25; 1Ch_9:1.)

Therefore he slew him.—God acts through the instrumentality of His creatures. In this case He employed the Philistines, and the suicidal hand of Saul himself; just as He employed the Assyrian conquerors of a later age to be the scourge of guilty peoples (Isa_10:5-15), and raised up Cyrus to be His servant, who should fulfil all His pleasure (Isa_44:28; Isa_45:1-13).

Turned the kingdom unto David.—By means of the warriors of Israel (1Ch_12:23). This sentence shows that 1 Chronicles 10 is transitional to the history of David as king.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. and inquired not of the Lord] Cp. 1Ch_13:3. The Chronicler does not count inquiries made too late; cp. 1Sa_28:6 (Saul inquires of the Lord, but receives no answer).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Inquired not of the Lord.

Object. Saul inquired of the Lord, 1Sa 28:6.

Answ. He did so, but not in a right manner, not humbly and penitently, not diligently and importunately, not patiently and perseveringly; but when God would not answer him speedily, he gives it over, and goes from God to the devil. Compare 1Sa 14:18,19. Such an inconsiderable and trifling inquiry as Saul made, is justly accounted to be no inquiry at all; as they are said not to eat the Lord’s supper, 1Co 11:20, who did eat it in a sinful and irregular manner.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. Inquired not of the Lord — 1Sa_28:6 clearly implies that he did inquire of the Lord, but received no answer. His inquiring of Jehovah, however, seems to have been fitful, superstitious, and prompted by a sense of terror, and also with a conviction that he was forsaken of God, (1Sa_28:15;) and being followed so speedily by a resolution to inquire of a necromancer, it is treated by the chronicler as no true, earnest, and worthy inquiring of Jehovah.

He slew him — Hebrews caused him to die; that is, gave him over to destruction, as a vessel of wrath already fitted to that end. Rom_9:22, note.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And inquired not of the Lord. Saul seems to have, in point of fact, inquired in some sense. (1Sa_14:37 1Sa_28:5, 1Sa_28:6, 1Sa_28:15) But the probable meaning is that he did not inquire in the first instance (see vers. 3, 4); and when he did inquire, he did not await the reply solely and exclusively of Jehovah. Therefore he slew him. (so see 1Ch_2:3) David the son of Jesse. The compiler, having heretofore given so scrupulously whatever of genealogical fact he could, is now careful to use it. And he identifies the future chief hero of his history as him who had already been instanced, (1Ch_2:15) "son of Jesse.

Judgments come through men, but they are from the Lord.

This topic is suggested by the expression, "Therefore he slew him." This passage gives the reason for the death of Saul, as viewed from a later standpoint; amoral is pointed from it that might serve as a warning to the returned captives of Babylon. Saul came under judgment, and we must see that it was Divine judgment. It may be well to form a careful estimate of Saul"s character and reign, so that the Divine dealings with him may be worthily apprehended. "It is impossible not to recognize elements of good in him. David"s lament does but express the national admiration for one, who, in his best days, must have been both prudent in counsel and mighty in war. We cannot fail to see the evil taint of self-will making sinister marks across the entire record and utterly darkening the closing chapters." There is little bat warning to be gathered from the story of King Saul; but we should receive those warnings humbly, for "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

I GOD"S JUDGMENTS FIND EARTHLY SPHERES. One of the great objects for the sake of which the Old Testament histories are preserved to us is to convince us that God visits sins now, and lets his judgments be executed here on earth. Judgment, in Saul"s case, came on a battle-field; it may come on a sick-bed or a ruined home. Our tendency is to call earthly troubles accidents, and to shift the idea of Divine judgment into the world that is to come. We think that God will judge, condemn, and execute his judgments there, and so we too easily separate him from the calamities of our life. It is to be impressively apprehended that Saul had his judgment in this sphere. No man can be sure of postponing the Divine judgment to the next life. Whosoever "transgresseth" lies under this exceeding peril; the Divine indignation is over him now, and he has no security as to how or when it will fall.

II GOD"S JUDGMENTS AND HUMAN AGENTS. This needs to be set forth so as to correct a common fallacy and self-deception. Men may be willing to admit that fire and tempest, famine and pestilence, are executive agents of God, and work out his judgments, but they are less willing to see that their fellow-men, even in doing wrong, may be used by God as his executioners. Even the Philistines, in their violence and wilfulness, became the executors of the Divine wrath on Saul. See how much larger and more comprehensive a view of the Divine administration this gives; and it may afford some very humbling revelations of some misunderstood passages of our lives. Maybe we thought ourselves only wronged by men; through the wrong we were punished by God.

III THE EARTHLY AND THE HUMAN JUDGMENTS MUST NOT HIDE THE DIVINE IN THEM. As we see things, the Philistines defeated Saul and he ultimately slew himself. But we must not thus obscure the Divine. The deeper truth is that God slew him. So of the incidents of our lives; nothing should hide the Divine meaning of them.

IV THE EARTHLY AND THE HUMAN SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONFUSE OUR VIEWS OF THE FUTURE AND ETERNAL JUDGMENT. No judgment, limited to the earthly spheres, can be properly said to exhaust the Divine sentence. God wants the next life for the adequate vindications of his righteousness. The fact of a man"s having suffered in this life gives him no security against judgment to come.

V THE EARTHLY AND THE HUMAN FIND THEIR COMPLETE MISSION, NOT IN THE SUFFERER, BUT IN THE WARNING OF THOSE WHO MAY HEAR OF THE JUDGMENT. This is illustrated in the preservation of the records of the Flood, the destruction of Sodom, the ruin of Balaam, the miserable end of Saul, etc. Deal with our Lord"s teachings concerning "calamity." Distinguish "calamity" from "judgment." We call a thing a judgment when we can connect together as in Saul"s case the sin and the suffering. Otherwise we say, "It is a calamity, and it may be a judgment." Plead for a real and practical belief in God"s present rule, and solemn vindications el his will and authority, both in national and individual spheres. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Inquired not - He did in some sort, but not in a right manner, not humbly and penitently, not diligently and importunately, not patiently and perseveringly. Nor 'till he was brought to the last extremity. And then it was too late.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.