Read 1 Chronicles 9 and 10 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph divisions:
1 Chr 9:1 {s} Israel recorded by genealogies / carried captive to Babylon because of unfaithfulness
1 Chr 9:2-4 {s} The descendants of Perez the son of Judah who dwelt in Jerusalem
1 Chr 9:5-9 {s} The descendents of Shilon, Zerah (Judah) + Benjamin who dwelt in Jerusalem
1 Chr 9:10-11 {s} The line of Ahitub (Aaron) in Jerusalem, ruler over the house of God
1 Chr 9:12-34 {s} The priests + Levites who dwelt in Jerusalem, and their responsibilities in the house of God
1 Chr 9:35-38 {s} Benjaminites from Gibeon who dwelt in Jerusalem
1 Chr 9:39-44 {p} The genealogy of Saul + the descendants of Jonathan
1 Chr 10:1-4a {s} Saul’s sons killed in battle with the Philistines + Saul mortally wounded
1 Chr 10:4b-5 {s} The suicide of Saul and his armorbearer in the battle with the Philistines
1 Chr 10:6-7 {s} The death of Saul’s house + Israel forsook their cities, which the Philistines took over
1 Chr 10:8-10 {s} The Philistines took Saul’s head and armor + displayed them in the house of Dagon
1 Chr 10:11-14 {p} Jabesh Gilead buried Saul, his sons + Saul died for his unfaithfulness + kingdom turned to David
The strong themes:
1 Chr 9:1-44 {sx6+p} Israel’s genealogies who dwelt in Jerusalem + Judah carried captive to Babylon because of unfaithfulness + Saul’s genealogy and the descendants of Jonathan
1 Chr 10:1-14 {sx4+p} The death of Saul + his sons, because of his unfaithfulness/ kingdom turned over to David
These two chapters form a chiastic structure:
1a) 1 Chr 9:1 {s} Judah was carried away captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness;
1b) 1 Chr 9:2, The first inhabitants who dwelt in their cities were Israelites, priests, Levites, and the Nethinim;
1c) 1 Chr 9:3-11 {sx3} Those of the tribes who dwelt in Jerusalem + the house of Ahitub, ruler over the house of God;
1) 1 Chr 9:3-9 {s+s} In Jerusalem dwelt the children of Judah + some Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh;
2) 1 Chr 9:10-11 {s} The house of Ahitub the priest, ruler over the house of God;
central axis) 1 Chr 9:12-34 {s} The priests + Levites who served in the house of God;
1a) 1 Chr 9:12-16, Genealogies of priests + Levites, able men for the service of the house of God;
1b) 1 Chr 9:17-19, The Levite gatekeepers of the tabernacle;
central axis) 1 Chr 9:20, Phinehas the son of Eleazar had been ruler over them; the LORD was with him;
2b) 1 Chr 9:21-27, The Levite gatekeepers of the tabernacle/ temple in their trusted office;
2a) 1 Chr 9:28-34 {s} Priests + Levites, their duties for the service of the house of God at Jerusalem.
2c) 1 Chr 9:35-10:6, The Benjaminites who dwelt in Gibeon and Jerusalem + the house of Saul, ruler over the kingdom of Israel;
1) 1 Chr 9:35-38 {s} The Benjaminites who dwelt at Gibeon and Jerusalem;
2) 1 Chr 9:39-10:6 {p+s+s} The house of Saul, ruler over the kingdom of Israel;
1a) 1 Chr 9:39-44 {p} The house of Saul: his sons + the house of Jonathan;
1b) 1 Chr 10:1-4a {s} As the battle went against Saul, he asked his armorbearer to kill him, but he would not;
central axis) 1 Chr 10:4b, Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it;
2b) 1 Chr 10:5 {s} When his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died;
2a) 1 Chr 10:6, So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together.
2b) 1 Chr 10:7-12, When the men of Israel forsook their cities, the Philistines came and dwelt in them;
1a) 1 Chr 10:7-8, The fearful men of Israel + the Philistines and the body of Saul and his sons;
1) 1 Chr 10:7 {s} The men of Israel forsook their cities and fled + the Philistines came and dwelt in them;
2) 1 Chr 10:8, The Philistines found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa;
1b) 1 Chr 10:9a, And they stripped him and took his head + his armor;
central axis) 1 Chr 10:9b, They proclaimed the news in the temple of their idols and among the people;
2b) 1 Chr 10:10 {s} They put his armor + his head in the temple of their gods;
2a) 1 Chr 10:11-12, The valiant men of Jabesh Gilead buried the bodies of Saul and his sons;
1) 1 Chr 10:11-12a, When Jabesh Gilead heard it, all the valiant men arose;
2) 1 Chr 10:12b, They took the body of Saul + his sons, and brought them to Jabesh and buried them.
2a) 1 Chr 10:13-14 {p} Saul died for his unfaithfulness + the LORD turned the kingdom over to David.
The strong themes emphasized to me this morning, the warning against unfaithfulness. These things were recorded for our instruction! (1 Cor 10:11). How were Israel and Judah, and Saul, unfaithful to the LORD God? They still believed He was God, so how were they unfaithful? It is recorded in 1 Samuel, that because Saul did not obey the commandments of the LORD, even though he still believed in Him that he was God, he was accounted unfaithful. Especially the commandment about seeking out mediums, is not a commandment considered a “major” commandment as the Ten Commandments, but it is only mentioned once or twice in Torah. But all of Torah is a summary of the Ten, and the command concerning mediums is recorded in the summary of not worshiping idols.
The sad part of the story, is that even if the sin was Saul’s, his sons suffered in his consequences, and were likewise killed with him on Mount Gilboa. And that is the second part of the warning. Disregard of the LORD and His ways, which He has clearly explained in all of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, carries consequences, and especially if you are an authority, the consequences do not stop with you, but others suffer also.
Someone will say, How could Saul win? For he did inquire of the LORD, he told Samuel, but the LORD did not answer him (1 Sam 28:15). And now, it is recorded that because he did not inquire of the LORD, he was unfaithful. Listen, silence is an answer. If the LORD is so offended by your sins, that He is silent, that is an answer. It is a call to repent of sins and return your heart to the LORD God and His ways. Even nature teaches the same, for husbands and wives can fall into the ‘silent treatment’ when something about their spouse has offended them.
But notice the central axis of the structure. In the very midst of the record of Israel’s unfaithfulness, is the record of Phinehas the son of Eleazar (the son of Aaron), who was faithful over which he had been given charge. The LORD was with him. There is a cure for unfaithfulness: it is repentance, and then faithfulness from that point forward, for great is the mercy and lovingkindness of the LORD! ♥
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