"CONTRADICTIONS" in the KING JAMES BIBLE - 04

Bible Versions Article - BV.0200_04

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I Sam 31:4; II Sam 1:10; II Sam 21:12: How Did KING SAUL Die?

In I Sam 31:4, King Saul commits suicide, but

In II Sam 1:10, he is killed by an Amalekite, and

In II Sam 21:12, he is killed by a Philistine.

Which is it?

1. This is another of many bible stories where more details are provided in each of the separate accounts.

2. Read carefully and think. There are several explanations that would fit all of the evidence, and perhaps more.

3. I Sam 31:4 does not say that Saul succeeded in committing suicide. He took "a" sword and fell on it, yes, and he was dead by the time his armour bearer saw him in the next verse, yes, but he may have failed in his suicide attempt.

4. Remember that Saul was somewhat of a coward and didn't do things well. In fact, it doesn't even say that he had his own sword in his hand. He had to ask his armour bearer to fall on him and eventually took "a" sword; not "his" sword, to fall upon.

5. It could have been quite a while between the time he asked his armour bearer to kill him and the time he took a sword and fell on it. Also, when people actually die directly from such action, the bible often describes it with words like, "he fell on his sword that he died". In this case, it merely says that Saul fell upon "a" sword, and we may have to look elsewhere to know what it was and who it was that really finished him off.

6. So, he may have wounded himself, but been finished off by the Amalekite, or he may have been slain by a Philistine before the armour bearer saw that he was dead. Remember, too that they were in the midst of a fierce and losing battle, and that the armour bearer could have been pre-occupied for quite some time in hand-to-hand combat. I Sam 31:2 says that the Philistines followed hard upon Saul. It was mayhem.

7. If he did die as a result of falling on the sword, then it may still be acceptable to conclude that the Philistines slew him. He died in battle with the Philistines - and therefore, loosely, the Philistines had slain him in the sense of having pursued him to his defeat and death in battle.

8. It is more likely though that a Philistine actually saw the wounded Saul and slew him as II Sam 21:12 would seem to say, and that he was dead from that definitive action, by the time his armour bearer was able to notice him in I Sam 31:5.

9. It is possible that the Amalekite was a member of the Philistine army and slew him, as reported in II Sam 1:10 before he died from his own wound. This would satisfy II Sam 21:12 that the Philistines killed him (it was their soldier), and II Sam 1:10 that the Amalekite killed him, and I Sam 31:4 that he fell on "a" sword, and I Sam 31:5 that his armour bearer saw that he was dead.

10. It is interesting to note that, if Saul had been obedient years earlier, in killing ALL of the Amalekites as God had commanded, then this Amalekite would never have been around to stand over the scene of his death.

11. But there is probably even a better explanation. The bible reports many things that people say, but that are not true. It truthfully reports the lies that people tell. If not, then the bible would be lying about what was actually said.

12. The Amalekite obviously wanted a reward from King David (II Sam 1:10). The Amalekite could have watched Saul fall on the sword. We know that he removed Saul's crown and bracelet to take to David for a reward, and it is very plausible that he left before the armour bearer or others noticed. Without the crown and bracelet on Saul, a Philistine soldier may not have recognized him as the King and simply finished him off - satisfying all three passages completely. (This is the scenario I think is most likely, and it is certainly one of several that fits all of the evidence.)

13. It is reasonable that the Amalekite lied about killing Saul and took credit for it thinking that he would be rewarded by King David for having slain his enemy, Saul. (As an aside, it appears he falsely reported that Saul fell on his spear; not on a sword; unless he fell on both - which is unlikely - II Sam 1:6 - and may not have simply "happened by chance" to have been there in the first place).

14. There are other incidental factors here, but this addresses the issue and all of its major points.

15. You can TRUST every word in God's Word, the King James Bible!