Inquiry:
Did Saul’s family die with him? 1 Chronicles 10:6 says all of his family died with him, but 2 Samuel 2:7-9 says that Saul was survived by one son, Ishbosheth. Is there a contradiction?
Response:
The beginning chapters of 1 Chronicles are an extensive list of gene-alogies. In 1 Chronicles 8:33 (also 9:39), it is revealed that Saul had four sons: Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-Baal.
What is meant by the phrase, “all his house died together”? Are we to conclude that he took all of his wives, sons, daughters, and grandchildren out to war with him? It would seem that the context of war would limit “all his house” to those of Saul’s house who had gone to war with him.
Saul’s daughter, Michal, who was David’s wife was not at the battle, and she remained alive (2 Samuel 6:16). Saul’s son, Ishbo-sheth, had not gone to battle with his father, and he remained alive (2 Samuel (2 Samuel 2:8). Saul’s grandson, Mephibosheth, was not at the battle either, and he remained alive (2 Samuel 9:6). Later in 2 Samuel 21:1-9 reveals that there were at least seven others of Saul’s family who had not died in the battle with the Philistines, they being put to death by the Gibeonites.
In the context of 1 Chronicles 10:6, “all his house” would logically mean all of his house who were with him. Those who had not gone to battle with him did not die there.
There is no contradiction.
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