Joe: Alright, so, tell me about 1 Samuel 31.

Bible Expert: Well, Joe, it’s pretty dramatic. In the battle between Israel and the Philistines, the Israelites are being slaughtered, and Saul and three of his sons are killed.

Joe: Wow, that’s intense!

Jamie: I just googled it and it says that Saul commits suicide.

Bible Expert: That’s right. The Philistines are about to capture Saul, so he falls on his own sword. This is an example of the Biblical idea of honor in death.

Joe: Wow, so he just kills himself?

Bible Expert: Well, Saul is an example of a tragic hero in the Bible. He’s a leader who has been called by God, but fails in his mission.

Joe: That’s really depressing.

Bible Expert: It is. After Saul dies, the Philistines take the bodies and hang them on the wall of Beth Shan.

Joe: That’s really harsh.

Bible Expert: It is. But the Israelites eventually take the bodies down and bury them in Jabesh Gilead.

Joe: That’s better. So, what’s the moral of the story?

Bible Expert: I think the lesson is that even in death, we should honor those who have served their people faithfully.