Thematic Bible

Themes in 1 Samuel 31

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Themes in 1 Samuel 31

1 Samuel 31:1 (show verse)

The Philistines fought against Israel, and Israel’s men fled from them. Many were killed on Mount Gilboa.

Archery » Practiced by the philistines
Gilboa » Hill » South » Jezreel
Jezreel » A valley » Place of the defeat of the israelites under saul and jonathan
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Mountains » Names of » Gilboa, on which saul died
Mountains » Mentioned in scripture » Gilboa
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain

1 Samuel 31:2 (show verse)

The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons and killed his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.

Abinadab » Also called ishui, son of saul
Archery » Practiced by the philistines
the Bow » Used expertly by » Philistines
Gilboa » Hill » South » Jezreel
Jezreel » A valley » Place of the defeat of the israelites under saul and jonathan
Jonathan » Son of saul
Jonathan » Son of saul » Killed in the battle with the philistines
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Melchishua » Son of king saul
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain

1 Samuel 31:3 (show verse)

When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers caught up with him and severely wounded him.

Archery » In war
Archery » Practiced by the philistines
Arrow » Used in war
the Bow » Those who used, called » Archers
the Bow » Used expertly by » Philistines
Defeats » Isreal defeated in battle a type of the apostate church
Gilboa » Hill » South » Jezreel
Israel » A type of the apostate church when disobedient » Defeated in battle
Israel » Captivity of » Defeats of
Jezreel » A valley » Place of the defeat of the israelites under saul and jonathan
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me.” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it.

Armies » March in ranks » Soldiers destroy each other to escape captivity
Despair » Sometimes drives men to suicide
Gilboa » Hill » South » Jezreel
Jezreel » A valley » Place of the defeat of the israelites under saul and jonathan
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain
Saul, king of israel » The man who lost a crown characteristics of » Suicide
Suicide » Despair sometimes drives men to suicide
Suicide » Instances of » Saul and his armor-bearer
Swords » Was used » Sometimes for self-destruction

1 Samuel 31:5 (show verse)

When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him.

Armies » March in ranks » Soldiers destroy each other to escape captivity
Gilboa » Hill » South » Jezreel
Jezreel » A valley » Place of the defeat of the israelites under saul and jonathan
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain
Suicide » Instances of » Saul and his armor-bearer
Swords » Was used » Sometimes for self-destruction

1 Samuel 31:6 (show verse)

So on that day, Saul died together with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men.

Anger of God » Exemplified against » saul
Armies » March in ranks » Soldiers destroy each other to escape captivity
Armor-bearer » saul
Gilboa » Hill » South » Jezreel
Jezreel » A valley » Place of the defeat of the israelites under saul and jonathan
Jonathan » Son of saul » Killed in the battle with the philistines
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain

1 Samuel 31:7 (show verse)

When the men of Israel on the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordan saw that Israel’s men had run away and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

Cities » Often deserted on the approach of an enemy
Gilboa » Hill » South » Jezreel
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain

1 Samuel 31:8 (show verse)

The next day when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa.

Gilboa » Hill » South » Jezreel
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain
Trophies » Saul's

1 Samuel 31:9 (show verse)

They cut off Saul’s head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news in the temples of their idols and among the people.

Armour » Physical
Head » Of enemies slain in war, often cut off
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain
Trophies » Saul's

1 Samuel 31:10 (show verse)

Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and hung his body on the wall of Beth-shan.

Ashtaroth » Ashtoreth or ashtoreth, a Goddess of the phoenicians
Ashtoreth » Temple of
Beth-shean » Called beth-shaw
Beth-shean » Bodies of saul and his sons exposed in
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Philistines » Israel defeated by, and saul slain
Temple » Idolatrous » Trophies stored in
Trophies » Saul's
Walls » Of cities » The bodies of enemies sometimes fastened on, as a disgrace
of the cities Walls » Of beth-shan
false Worship » gods, false » Images » Names of » Ashtaroth » Ashtaroth or ashtoreth, a Goddess of the phoenicians

1 Samuel 31:11 (show verse)

When the residents of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

Jabesh-gilead » Saul and his sons buried at
Jonathan » Son of saul » Buried by inhabitants of jabesh-gilead
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul

1 Samuel 31:12 (show verse)

all their brave men set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.

Beth-shean » Called beth-shaw
Beth-shean » Bodies of saul and his sons exposed in
Burial » The body was » Sometimes burned before
The Dead » Preparation of, for burial » Cremation
Jabesh-gilead » Saul and his sons buried at
Jonathan » Son of saul » Buried by inhabitants of jabesh-gilead
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul

1 Samuel 31:13 (show verse)

Afterward, they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

Burial » Places used for » Under trees
Burial » Burying places » Tombs » King saul's
Fasting » Examples of » Israel
Fasting » In times of bereavement » Of the people of jabesh-gilead, for saul and his sons
Fasting » National--exemplified » Men of jabesh-gilead
Jabesh-gilead » Saul and his sons buried at
Jonathan » Son of saul » Buried by inhabitants of jabesh-gilead
Kings » Who reigned over all israel » saul
Mourning » For the dead » Fasting
Piety » Examples of Godly young men
Seven » Days » Fasts of
Young men » Examples of Godly young men