1 Chronicles 1-10 | The King Who Played the Fool

1 Chronicles 1-10 | The King Who Played the Fool

1 Chronicles 1-10
The King Who Played the Fool

I. Introduction

  1. Author
    1. The author of 1 and 2 Chronicles is not mentioned in the Old Testament, but Jewish tradition has suggested that it was written by Ezra.[1]
    2. Originally, it was contained in one scroll, but when it was translated into Greek (LXX), it took more space and was thus divided into two portions.
  2. Date
    1. The last person mentioned in the Davidic genealogy was Anani, who was eight generations from King Jehoiachin (1 Chron 3:24).
      1. This would bring the date to about 400 BC.

        “The last person in the Davidic genealogy, Anani (1 Chron. 3:24), is eight generations later than King Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah [v. 17] or Coniah [v. 17, NKJV marg.]). This was about 600 B.C. Allowing an average of twenty-five years per generation, this brings us up to about 400 B.C. at the earliest.”[2]
    2. This would make Chronicles among the last Old Testament books written.
  3. The differences in Chronicles from Kings are slight on the surface, but most agree that the purpose behind writing them is distinct.
    1. Kings explain the fall and destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem as evidence of divine judgment of God’s people who had forsaken His covenant requirements.
    2. Chronicles was written to exiles who had returned to the land of Israel.
      1. They needed encouragement in rebuilding the nation.

        “First and Second Chronicles opens the Chronicler’s history and retells much of the same story but with a forward-looking orientation, in essence saying, ‘Let’s move on.’”[3]

      2. A greater focus on the lineage of David and the worship at the temple.

II. Chs 1-9 Genealogy

  1. Genealogies are found throughout the Bible.
    1. They track the tribal families, which were significant after the exile.
    2. In Scripture, this is significant because they often are in place to help follow the Messiah’s lineage.
    3. It is most significant to follow Abraham to Judah to David to Jesus.
  2. These genealogies may not be exciting, yet they were an important part of Israel’s history.
    1. They helped identify you with the right family for property rights.
    2. They helped to identify who was a kinsman redeemer.
    3. According to Jewish tradition, the author of 1 and 2 Chronicles was Ezra.

III. Summary of Genealogies

  1. Patriarchal genealogies (Ch 1)
    1. Genealogy of Adam (1:1-4)
    2. Genealogy of Japheth (1:5-7)
    3. Genealogy of Ham (1:8-16)
    4. Genealogy of Shem (1:17-27)
    5. Genealogy of Abraham (1:28-34)
    6. Genealogy of Esau (1:35-54)
  2. Genealogy of Judah (Ch 2)
    1. Sons of Judah (2:1-4)
    2. Genealogies of Perez and Zerah (2:5-8)
    3. Genealogy of Hezron (2:9-41)
    4. Genealogy of Caleb (2:42-55)
  3. Genealogy of David (Ch 3)
    1. Sons of David (3:1-9)
    2. Descendants of Solomon (3:10-24)
  4. Genealogy of Judah (4:1-23)
  5. Genealogy of Simeon (4:24-43)
  6. Genealogies of the Transjordan tribes (Ch 5)
    1. Reuben (5:1-10)
    2. Gad (5:11-17)
    3. Exploits of the Eastern tribes (5:18-22)
    4. The half-tribe of Manasseh (5:23-26)
  7. Genealogy of Levi (Ch 6)
    1. Descendants of Levi (6:1-15)
    2. Other descendants of Levi (6:16-30)
    3. Levitical musicians (6:31-48)
    4. Aaronic priests (6:49-53)
    5. Settlements of the Levites (6:54-81)
  8. Genealogies of six Northern tribes (Ch 7)
    1. Issachar (7:1-5)
    2. Benjamin (7:6-12)
    3. Naphtali (7:13)
    4. Manasseh (7:14-19)
    5. Ephraim (7:20-29)
    6. Asher (7:30-40)
  9. Genealogy of Benjamin (Ch 8)
  10. Citizens of Jerusalem (9:1-34)
    1. Political leaders (9:1-9)
    2. Priests (9:10-13)
    3. Levites (9:14-16)
    4. Gatekeepers and others (9:17-34)
  11. Genealogy of Saul (9:35-44)[4]

IV. vv. 1-7 Saul dies in battle.

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Mal-chi-shua, Saul’s sons. 3 The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and abuse me.” But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. 5 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died. 6 So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together. 7 And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; then the Philistines came and dwelt in them.[5]

  1. Map of Mt. Gilboa


    1. First Samuel 31:10 tells us that they put his armor in the temple of Ashtoreth and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. Apparently, his head went to one temple and his body to Beth Shan.
  2. Picture of Mt. Gilboa
  1. Interesting that at the bottom of Mount Gilboa is where the Lord separated Gideon’s army, reducing his numbers to only 300.
    1. I can’t help but wonder if anyone considered the victory that had been won with such a humble force.
    2. Saul called upon the witch at En Dor rather than God, like Gideon.
  2. The first king of Israel dies at the hands of their archenemy, the Philistines.

V. vv. 8-12 Saul’s body before Dagon

8 So it happened the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 And they stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent word throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among the people. 10 Then they put his armor in the temple of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. 11 And when all Jabesh Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons; and they brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

  1. The Philistines rejoice in their victory by putting Saul’s head on display in the temple of Dagon.


    1. The men of Jabesh Gilead gave Saul and his sons a proper burial.
  2. Saul’s demise became the enemy’s “good news.”
    1. When Saul was called as a young man to be the first king of Israel, the Lord certainly did not have this ignominious death in mind.
    2. Although Saul’s body was removed from the temple of Dagon, his legacy will for all time remain ignominious.
    3. His legacy is not because of how he died, but rather how he lived or failed to live.

VI. vv. 13-14a Reasons for Saul’s demise.

13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. 14But he did not inquire of the Lord;

  1. Failure to obey.
    1. The account in 1 Samuel makes clear what the one act of disobedience was.

      1 Samuel 28:16–18 16 Then Samuel said: “So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? 17 And the Lord has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. 18 Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day.

    2. On the occasion when Saul failed to destroy the Amalekites and their livestock, Saul excused his behavior by suggesting that the spoil was for sacrifices.
      1. It is here that we get those timeless words of Samuel, the prophet of Israel.

        1 Samuel 15:22 (NLT) But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Obedience is far better than sacrifice. Listening to him is much better than offering the fat of rams.”

      2. Saul’s failure to deal with the Amalekites represents the oft-repeated failure in our lives to deal with the flesh.
      3. Sin that is allowed to stick around has a way of coming back to defeat and humiliate us.
      4. God wants His people to live holy lives marked by obedience.
      5. Not disobedient lives marked by sacrifice.
    3. Saul was snared by his pride and greed.
      1. He wanted to show off his victory and bring Agag home as a trophy to control.
        1. He can’t control the flesh.
      2. The pride continued to be an issue because jealousy took him over when David was recognized by Israel.
      3. His desire for possessions.
        1. He wanted the spoil.
    4. There is a bit of irony in how Saul ultimately died by falling on his own sword.
      1. Considering that he had failed to use the sword against the Amalekites and King Agag.
      2. Also, he had sought the life of David for years with the edge of the sword.
      3. That which we fail to deal with in the Spirit will become our downfall in the flesh!
  2. Failure to inquire of the Lord.
    1. Saul’s mistake was twofold: (1) He was not obedient, and (2) he was not attentive to the voice of the Lord.
    2. Asa made a similar mistake at the end of His life when he first sought help from Ben Hadad of Syria, and secondly, when he sought the physicians rather than the Lord in his sickness (2 Chronicles 16).
    3. Saul is desperate to get direction but will not call upon the Lord.
    4. In desperation, he seeks to call Samuel up from the dead through the means of a séance.
      1. What Saul should have been doing was seeking the Lord in repentance.
    5. We need to take the time to pray, study the Word of God, and get godly counsel in our decisions.

VII. v. 14b God will raise up a loyal heart.

14 Therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

  1. God found another who would follow Him.
  2. The Lord is looking to do a work through your life, and if you are not willing, He will raise up another.

    2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”

VIII. Conclusion

  1. Saul started well, but did not finish the race given to him.
  2. Samson is another, along with Demas, of the New Testament.
  3. Saul summarized his life best when he said:

    1 Samuel 31:21  … “Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

  4. There is a stark contrast between King Saul and Saul of Tarsus.
    1. Saul started miserably, but finished well.
    2. He also summarized his life better than any

      2 Timothy 4:6-8 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
  5. We make decisions every day that determine how our lives will finish.
    1. God wants us to finish strong and has provided Himself and the resources of heaven, but we must use them.
  6. If you continue the current course of your life, what will be the legacy of your life:
    1. Wasted potential like Samson?
    2. Disobedient like Saul?

[1] Eugene Merrill, “1 Chronicles,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, eds. John Walvoord and Roy Zuck, (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1983).

[2] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 424.

[3] J. Daniel Hays and J. Scott Duvall, ed., The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook, (Ada: Baker Publishing Group, 2011), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 211.

[4] Eugene Merrill, “1 Chronicles,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, eds. John Walvoord and Roy Zuck, (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1983), 591.

[5] All Scripture quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.

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