Did the Phillistines Kill Saul?
2 Samuel 1:10 - So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
2 Samuel 21:12 - And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
1 Chronicles 10:14 - And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.
The bible says Saul was killed by himself, a servant (we already established he was lying), the Philistines, and God. This one should be fun.
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The solution to this problem is YES. Yes Saul was killed by himself, yes Saul was killed by the Philistines, and yes Saul was killed by God. In a series of action each of the three are responsible for Saul’s death, beginning with the Philistines whose archers wounded him badly in the battle (I Sam 31:3). Knowing that he would soon die at their hands he pleads with his armor bearer to kill him, but as you said his armor bearer was too afraid and lied about it later, so Saul fell on his own sword (I Sam 31:4). Of course God who is the author of both life and death had a hand in Saul’s death (Ps 7:11-13, Ps 68:20).
Death can be a chain reaction from one person's behavior and involve many, for example who is responsible for Jesus Christ’s death? Was Jesus killed by his own people the Jews (Acts 2:23-24, Mt 27:22, 25), by God (Jn 3:16-18, Jn 10:17-18), by Pilate (Mk 15:15, Lk 23:24-25), by Judas (Mt 26:47-49, Mt 27:3-4), or did he lay down his own life (Phil 2:8, Mt 20:28, Jn 6:51)? The answer of course is that all the people listed share in responsibility for Jesus’ death, it was a sequence of events that lead to his death where all involved are implicated.
You’re right…that was fun :)
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I would agree with Mrs. E. on this, with one minor clarification. My clarification is in reference to Saul's armourbearer.
It was said, "Knowing that he would soon die at their hands he pleads with his armor bearer to kill him, but as you said his armor bearer was too afraid and lied about it later."
We have no record of the armourbearer lying. The armourbearer was not the same young man as the Amalekite who reported Saul's death. The Amalekite lied. The armourbearer could not have been the Amalekite who lied the third day after the battle, because the armour bearer died beside his king the day of the battle:
"And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on his sword , and died with him. So Saul died, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together" (I Samuel 31:5-6). I know this probably doesn't seem too important, but I'd hate the armourbearer to get a bad rap that he didn't deserve.
The only lying he did was lying down beside his dead king. The lying Amalekite must have found them afterward, and concocted his story in order to gain reward. He got what was coming to him. It does NOT pay to bear false witness.