New English Translation
1 Samuel 31:12
12all their warriors set out and traveled throughout the night. They took Saul’s corpse and the corpses of his sons from the city wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them.
1 Samuel 31:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)all their valiant men marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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 they came to Jabesh and burned them there.
- New King James Version (NKJV)all the valiant men arose and traveled all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.
Context of 1 Samuel 31:12
10They placed Saul’s armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and hung his corpse on the city wall of Beth Shan. 11When the residents of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their warriors set out and traveled throughout the night. They took Saul’s corpse and the corpses of his sons from the city wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. 13They took the bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh; then they fasted for seven days.
Read all of 1 Samuel 311 Samuel 31:12 word by word
וַיָּק֜וּמוּ כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ חַיִל֮ וַיֵּלְכ֣וּ כָל־הַלַּיְלָה֒ וַיִּקְח֞וּ אֶת־גְּוִיַּ֣ת שָׁא֗וּל וְאֵת֙ גְּוִיֹּ֣ת בָּנָ֔יו מֵחוֹמַ֖ת בֵּ֣ית שָׁ֑ן וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ יָבֵ֔שָׁה וַיִּשְׂרְפ֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם שָֽׁם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- All the valiantחַ֫יִלchayil · strengthH2428
- menאִישׁ־חַיִל'îysh-chayil 'îysh-chay · heroH381
- menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- and wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- all nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- and tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- the bodyגְּוִיָּהgevîyâh · bodyH1472
- of Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- of his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- from the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
- of Beth–shanבֵּית שְׁאָןbêyth she'ân bêyth shân · Beth-sheanH1052
- and cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to Jabeshיָבֵשׁyâbêsh yâbêysh · Jabesh (Gilead)H3003
- and burntשָׂרַףώâraph · to burnH8313
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 31:12
- 2 Chronicles 16:14He was buried in the tomb he had carved out in the City of David. They laid him to rest on a bier covered with spices and assorted mixtures of ointments. They made a huge bonfire to honor him.
- Jeremiah 34:5You will die a peaceful death. They will burn incense at your burial just as they did at the burial of your ancestors, the former kings who preceded you. They will mourn for you, saying, “Poor, poor master!” Indeed, you have my own word on this. I, the Lord, affirm it!’”
- Amos 6:10When their close relatives, the ones who will burn the corpses, pick up their bodies to remove the bones from the house, they will say to anyone who is in the inner rooms of the house, “Is anyone else with you?” He will respond, “Be quiet! Don’t invoke the Lord’s name!”
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 31:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12And burnt them there - It has been denied that the Hebrews burnt the bodies of the dead, but that they buried them in the earth, or embalmed them, and often burnt spices around them, etc. These no doubt were the common forms of sepulture, but neither of these could be conveniently practiced in the present case. They could not have buried them about Beth-shan without being discovered; and as to embalming, that was most likely out of all question, as…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12burnt them - Burning was not the usual mode of sepulture among the Hebrews. But in this case from a pious desire to disguise the mutilation of the headless corpses, and exempt them from any possible future insult, the men of Jabesh burned the bodies, yet so as to preserve the bones 1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 21:12.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-13Verses 8-13 The Scripture makes no mention what became of the souls of Saul and his sons, after they were dead; but of their bodies only: secret things belong not to us. It is of little consequence by what means we die, or what is done with our dead bodies. If our souls are saved, our bodies will be raised incorruptible and glorious; but not to fear His wrath, who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell, is the extreme of folly and wickedness. How…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12burned the bodies: Cremation was uncommon in the ancient world. The bodies may have been burned because decomposition had already begun.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1311-13. the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done--Mindful of the important and timely services Saul had rendered them, they gratefully and heroically resolved not to suffer such indignities to be inflicted on the remains of the royal family.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 31:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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