(10:10) The Pagan god of Dagon - Dagon, the most important god of the Philistines, was believed to bring rain and provide rich harvests. The Philistines had built temples to him when they had settled in the grain-producing land of Canaan. In times of drought, people begged Dagon for pity, possibly even to the point of sacrificing their children in his temples. In times of plenty, the temples hosted twisted forms of entertainment, such as the humiliation of captives (see Judges 16:23-30). But Dagon, like the other pagan gods, was powerless against the one true God (1 Samuel 5:1-7).

(10:11-12) Valiant Warriors - The actions of the valiant warriors who brought back and buried the bodies of King Saul and his sons should encourage us to respect our God-given leaders. Even when Saul was chasing David in an effort to kill him, David showed respect for Saul's position (1 Samuel 26). How easy it is to be critical of those in authority over us, focusing only on their weaknesses. We cannot excuse sin, but we should respect the positions of those in authority, whether at work, at church, or in government. First Thessalonians 542-13 gives instructions for honoring church leaders. Romans 13;-14 gives instructions for relating to government leaders.

(10:13-14) Saul's Disobedience - Saul's unfaithfulness was both active and passive; he not only did wrong but also failed to do right. He actively disobeyed God by attempting murder, ignoring his instructions, and seeking guidance from a medium. He passively disobeyed God by neglecting to ask him for guidance as he ran the kingdom. Obedience, too, is both passive and active. It is not enough just to avoid what is wrong; we need to actively pursue what is right.

(10:13-14) Saul's Lack of Faith - In the account in 1 Samuel 28, Saul asked the Lord for guidance but received no answer; this account says that he failed to ask God for help. The explanation for this apparent contradiction lies in understanding Saul's motives and the timing of his request to God. His frantic requests came only when he had tried everything his own way. He never went to God unless he had nowhere else to turn. When he finally asked, God refused to answer. Saul sought God only when it suited him, and God rejected him for his constant stubbornness and rebellion.

(10:14) David Follows the Lord - Throughout much of Saul's reign, David was forced to hide from him (1 Samuel 19-30). During this time David had opportunities to kill Saul (I Samuel 24; 26) and to assume the throne that God had promised him ( Samuel 16:1-13), but he trusted in God's promise that he would be king in God's good timing. It was not up to David to decide when Saul's reign would end. During this battle, God ended Saul's reign just as he had promised.

(10:14) Saul's Death - Why does this verse say that the Lord put Saul to death, when Saul took his own life (1 Samuel 31:3-4)? God had rejected Saul because of his stubbornness and rebellion ( Samuel 15:22-26) and had judged him for his sins ( Samuel 28:16-19). God arranged a defeat in battle so that Saul would die and his kingdom would be taken from his family. If Saul had not taken his own life, the Philistine soldiers would have killed him.