1 Chronicles 10:13

So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it;

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13, 14) A concluding reflection from the mind of the chronicler himself. He sums up his extract concerning the ruin of Saul by assigning the moral ground of it, viz., Saul’s “unfaithfulness whereby he showed himself unfaithful to Jehovah.” The same charge was made against the Transjordan tribes in 1Chronicles 5:25, and against the people of Judah in 1Chronicles 9:1.

(13) Even against the word of the Lord.—Saul’s unfaithfulness was twofold: (1) he did not observe the prophetic word of Jehovah (comp. 1Samuel 13:13; 1Samuel 15:11); and (2) he consulted a necromancer, to the neglect of consulting Jehovah (1 Samuel 28).

And also for asking counsel.—And also by consulting the necromancer in order to get a response. “Turn ye not to the necromancers” (Leviticus 19:31). (See also Isaiah 8:19.) Saul broke the general law of his people, as well as special commands addressed to himself. No allusion is made to his cruel slaughter of the priests (1Samuel 22:18), nor to his implacable hatred of David.

Benson Commentary

1 Chronicles 10:13. So Saul died for his transgression — The sense is, wonder not that Saul fell by the hands of the Philistines, who were armed against him by his own sin, and by God’s vengeance for it. Against the word of the Lord — Against God’s express, and plain, and positive command; which is a great aggravation of any sin. For asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit — Which also was contrary to a manifest command,

(Leviticus 19:31,) and moreover contrary to his own conscience, which was so fully convinced of the evil of such practices, that he had endeavoured the utter extirpation of all such persons, in pursuance of God’s law, 1 Samuel 28:9. To inquire of it — Concerning the event of the approaching battle.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:1-14 The death of Saul. - The design chiefly in view in these books of the Chronicles, appears to be to preserve the records of the house of David. Therefore the writer repeats not the history of Saul's reign, but only of his death, by which a way was made for David to the throne. And from the ruin of Saul, we may learn, 1. That the sin of sinners will certainly find them out, sooner or later; Saul died for his transgression. 2. That no man's greatness can exempt him from the judgments of God. 3. Disobedience is a killing thing. Saul died for not keeping the word of the Lord. May be delivered from unbelief, impatience, and despair. By waiting on the Lord we shall obtain a kingdom that cannot be moved.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For his transgression - Compare 1 Chronicles 9:1. The "transgression" intended is probably the disobedience with respect to Amalek, recorded in 1 Samuel 15:1-9 (compare 1 Samuel 28:17-18).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

13. Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord—in having spared the king of the Amalekites and taken the flocks of the people as spoils [1Sa 15:9], as well as in having consulted a pythoness [1Sa 28:7]. Both of these acts were great sins—the first as a violation of God's express and positive command [1Sa 15:3], and the second as contrary to a well-known statute of the kingdom (Le 19:31).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Saul died for his transgression: the sense is, Wonder not that Saul fell by the hands of the Philistines, who were armed against him by his own sin and by God’s vengeance for it.

Against the word of the Lord; against God’s express, and plain, and positive command; which is a great aggravation of any sin.

For asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit; which also was contrary to a manifest command, Leviticus 19:31, and moreover, contrary to his own conscience, which was so fully convinced hereof, that he had endeavoured the utter extirpation of all such persons, in pursuance of God’s law. See 1 Samuel 28:9.

To inquire of it, concerning the event of the approaching battle.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

So Saul died for his transgression,.... See Gill on 1 Samuel 31:13 A violent and dishonourable death, which was suffered on account of the sins he was guilty of:

one was, which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not; both in not staying for Samuel the time appointed, and by sparing the Amalekites whom he was bid to destroy, 1 Samuel 13:13.

and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; what he should do with respect to engaging in battle with the Philistines, 1 Samuel 28:8 which to do was contrary to an express command of God, Leviticus 19:31.

Geneva Study Bible

So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. his transgression] R.V. his trespass; cp. 2 Chronicles 26:16. The reference is to Saul’s sacrifice (1 Samuel 13:13-14), and disobedience (ib. 1 Samuel 15:23).

even against the word] R.V. because of the word.

also for asking] R.V. also for that he asked.

to inquire of it] R.V. to inquire thereby; cp. 1 Samuel 28:8.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - So Saul died for his transgression. (For this transgression and the stress laid upon it and its predicted consequences, see 1 Samuel 15:1-9, 11, 14; 1 Samuel 28:18.) For asking... of... a familiar spirit (1 Samuel 28:7-24). 1 Chronicles 10:13

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

On the following day the Philistines, in their search among the fallen, found and plundered the bodies of Saul and of his sons, and sent the head and the armour of Saul round about the land of the Philistines, to proclaim the news of their victory to their people and their gods. That for this purpose they cut off Saul's head from the trunk, is, as being a matter of course, not specially mentioned. In regard to the other discrepancies between the two texts, both in 1 Chronicles 10:8-10 and in the account of the burial of Saul and of his sons by valiant men of Jabesh, 1 Chronicles 10:11, 1 Chronicles 10:12, cf. the commentary on 1 Samuel 31:8-13. In the reflection on Saul's death, 1 Chronicles 10:13 and 1 Chronicles 10:14, a double transgression against the Lord on Saul's part is mentioned: first, the מעל (on the meaning of this word, vide on Leviticus 5:15) of not observing the word of Jahve, which refers to the transgression of the divine command made known to him by the prophet Samuel, 1 Samuel 13:8. (cf. with 1 Chronicles 10:8), and 1 Samuel 15:2-3, 1 Samuel 15:11, cf. 1 Samuel 28:18; and second, his inquiring of the אוב, the summoner of the dead (vide on Leviticus 19:31), לדרושׁ, i.e., to receive an oracle (cf. in reference to both word and thing, 1 Samuel 28:7).