1 Samuel 31:8-10

1 Samuel 31:8

And it came to pass on the marrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in Mount Gilboa.

a. NLT: The next day, when the Philistines went out to strip the dead, they found the bodies of Saul and his three sons on Mount Gilboa.

b. NIV: The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

c. Young’s Literal Translation: And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that the Philistines come to strip the wounded, and they find Saul and his three sons fallen on mount Gilboa,

d. Amplified Bible: The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

e. Septuagint: And it came to pass on the morrow that the Philistines come to strip the dead, and they find Saul and his three sons fallen on the mountains of Gelbue.

f. Stones Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: It happened the next day, when the Philistines came to plunder the corpses, that they found Saul and his three sons, fallen on Mount Gilboa.

1. “And it came to pass on the marrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain…”

a. And it came to pass [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

b. on the morrow [Strong: 4283 mochŏrâth, mokh-or-awth'; or מׇחֳרָתָם mochŏrâthâm; (1 Samuel 30:17), feminine from the same as H4279; the morrow or (adverbially) tomorrow:—morrow, next day.] [The KJV translates Strong's H4283 in the following manner: morrow (29x), next day (2x), next (1x).]

 

c. [when the] Philistines [Strong: 6430 Pᵉlishtîy, pel-ish-tee'; patrial from H6429; a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth:—Philistine.] [The KJV translates Strong's H6430 in the following manner: Philistine (287x), Philistim (1x).]

d. came [935 * ‘bow] [Strong: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, + besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken (in age), X surely, take (in), way.] [The KJV translates Strong's H935 in the following manner: come (1,435x), bring (487x), ... in (233x), enter (125x), go (123x), carry (17x), ...down (23x), pass (13x), ...out (12x), miscellaneous (109x).]

e. to strip [Strong: 6584  pâshaṭ, paw-shat'; a primitive root; to spread out (i.e. deploy in hostile array); by analogy, to strip (i.e. unclothe, plunder, flay, etc.):—fall upon, flay, invade, make an invasion, pull off, put off, make a road, run upon, rush, set, spoil, spread selves (abroad), strip (off, self).] [The KJV translates Strong's H6584 in the following manner: strip (13x), put off (6x), flay (4x), invaded (4x), spoil (3x), strip off (2x), fell (2x), spread abroad (1x), forward (1x), invasion (1x), pull off (1x), made a road (1x), rushed (1x), set (1x), spread (1x), ran upon (1x).

f. the slain [Strong: 2491 châlâl, khaw-lawl'; from H2490; pierced (especially to death); figuratively, polluted:—kill, profane, slain (man), × slew, (deadly) wounded.] [The KJV translates Strong's H2491 in the following manner: slay (78x), wounded (10x), profane (3x), kill (2x), slain man (1x).]

2). A common characteristic after a battle was that the victor plundered the bodies of the fallen, and in some cases, dismembering them.

2. “…that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in Mount Gilboa.”

a. that they found [4672 mâtsâʼ, maw-tsaw'; a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able, befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.] [The KJV translates Strong's H4672 in the following manner: find (359x), present (20x), find out (20x), come (8x), meet (5x), befall (5x), get (4x), suffice (3x), deliver (2x), hit (2x), left (2x), hold (2x), miscellaneous (24x).]

b. Saul [7586 * Sha'uwl shaw-ool' passive participle of 7592; asked; Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites:--Saul, Shaul.] [The KJV translates Strong's H7586 in the following manner: Saul (399x), Shaul (7x).]

c. and [Strong: 853  'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

d. [his] three [Strong: 7969 * shalowsh; or shalosh; masculine shlowshah; or shloshah; a primitive number; three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork, + often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.] [The KJV translates Strong's H7969 in the following manner: three (388x), thirteen (with H6240) (13x), thirteenth (with H6240) (11x), third (9x), thrice (with H6471) (4x), threescore and thirteen (with H7657) (2x), stories (1x), forks (with H7053) (1x), oftentimes (with H6471) (1x).]

e. sons [Strong: 1121 ên, bane; from from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1121 in the following manner: son (2,978x), children (1,568x), old (135x), first (51x), man (20x), young (18x), young (with H1241) (17x), child (10x), stranger (10x), people (5x), miscellaneous (92x).]

f. fallen [Strong: 5307 nâphal, naw-fal'; a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.]

[The KJV translates Strong's H5307 in the following manner: fall (318x), fall down (25x), cast (18x), cast down (9x), fall away (5x), divide (5x), overthrow (5x), present (5x), lay (3x), rot (3x), accepted (2x), lie down (2x), inferior (2x), lighted (2x), lost (2x), miscellaneous (22x).]

g. [in] Mount [Strong: 2022 har, har; a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X promotion.] [The KJV translates Strong's H2022 in the following manner: mountain (261x), mount (224x), hill (59x), hill country (1x), promotion (1x).]

h. Gilboa [Strong: 1533 Gilbôaʻ, ghil-bo'-ah; from 1530 and 1158; fountain of ebullition; Gilboa, a mountain of Palestine:--Gilboa.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1533 in the following manner: Gilboa (8x).]

1). The discovery of the remains of Saul and his sons was a prize.

2). Jamieson/Fausset/Brown commentary: “On discovering the corpses of the slaughtered princes on the battlefield, the enemy reserved them for special indignities.”

a). NOTE: Companion passage 1 Chronicles 10:8.

b). 1 Chronicles 10:8-10 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa.

1 Samuel 31:9

And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.

a. NLT: So they cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his armor. Then they proclaimed the good news of Saul’s death in their pagan temple and to the people throughout the land of Philistia.

b. NIV: They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people.

c. Young’s Literal Translation: and they cut off his head, and strip off his weapons, and send into the land of the Philistines round about, to proclaim tidings in the house of their idols, and among the people;

d. Amplified Bible: They cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his armor and sent them round about the land of the Philistines to publish it in the house of their idols and among the people.

e. Septuagint: And they turned him, and stripped off his armour, and sent it into the land of the Philistines, sending round glad tidings to their idols and to the people.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/prophets: They severed his head and stripped off his gear, and sent heralds all about the land of the Phillistines to inform [those in] the temple of their idols and the poeple

1. “And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour…”

a. [And they] cut off [Strong: 3772 kârath, kaw-rath'; a primitive root; to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces):--be chewed, be con-(feder-)ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league ((covenant)), X lose, perish, X utterly, X want.] [The KJV translates Strong's H3772 in the following manner: cut off (145x), make (85x), cut down (23x), cut (9x), fail (6x), destroy (4x), want (3x), covenanted (2x), hew (2x), miscellaneous (9x).]

b. [Strong: 853  'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

c. [his] head [Strong: 7218 rôʼsh, roshe; from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.):--band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, X every (man), excellent, first, forefront, ((be-))head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), X lead, X poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.] [The KJV translates Strong's H7218 in the following manner: head (349x), chief (91x), top (73x), beginning (14x), company (12x), captain (10x), sum (9x), first (6x), principal (5x), chapiters (4x), rulers (2x), miscellaneous (23x).]

1). This was typical behavior for the victor to do to his beaten enemy. When David fought Goliath, he first knocked him down and out with a slingshot to the head, then killed by cutting off his head.

a). 1 Samuel 17:50, 51 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
17:51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

2). David then brought the head of Goliath to Jerusalem.

a). 1 Samuel 17:54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

c. and stripped off [Strong: 6584 pâshaṭ, paw-shat'; a primitive root; to spread out (i.e. deploy in hostile array); by analogy, to strip (i.e. unclothe, plunder, flay, etc.):--fall upon, flay, invade, make an invasion, pull off, put off, make a road, run upon, rush, set, spoil, spread selves (abroad), strip (off, self).] [The KJV translates Strong's H6584 in the following manner: strip (13x), put off (6x), flay (4x), invaded (4x), spoil (3x), strip off (2x), fell (2x), spread abroad (1x), forward (1x), invasion (1x), pull off (1x), made a road (1x), rushed (1x), set (1x), spread (1x), ran upon (1x).]

d. [Strong: 853  'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

e. [his] armour [Strong: 3627 kᵉlîy, kel-ee'; something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):--armour ((-bearer)), artillery, bag, carriage, + furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, X one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, + psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, + whatsoever.] [The KJV translates Strong's H3627 in the following manner: vessel (166x), instrument (39x), weapon (21x), jewel (21x), armourbearer (with H5375) (18x), stuff (14x), thing (11x), armour (10x), furniture (7x), carriage (3x), bag (2x), miscellaneous (13x).]

1). Goliath’s sword ended up in Nob, the city of the priests.

a). 1 Samuel 21:1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why [art] thou alone, and no man with thee?
21:8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.
21:9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

2). These were trophies of war.

2. “…and sent into the land of the Philistines round about…”

a. [and] sent [Strong 7971 shâlach, shaw-lakh'; a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give (up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose), push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send (away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread, stretch forth (out).] [The KJV translates Strong's H7971 in the following manner: send (566x), go (73x), (send, put, ...) forth (54x), send away (48x), lay (14x), send out (12x), put (10x), put away (7x), cast out (7x), stretch out (5x), cast (5x), set (5x), put out (4x), depart (4x), soweth (3x), loose (3x), miscellaneous (22x).]

b. [into the] land [Strong: 776 ʼerets, eh'-rets; from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.] [The KJV translates Strong's H776 in the following manner: land (1,543x), earth (712x), country (140x), ground (98x), world (4x), way (3x), common (1x), field (1x), nations (1x), wilderness (with H4057) (1x).]

c. [of the] Philistines [Strong: 6430  Pᵉlishtîy, pel-ish-tee'; a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth:--Philistine.] [The KJV translates Strong's H6430 in the following manner: Philistine (287x), Philistim (1x).]

d. round about [Strong: 5439 çâbîyb, saw-beeb'; or (feminine) סְבִיבָה çᵉbîybâh; (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around:--(place, round) about, circuit, compass, on every side.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5439 in the following manner: round about (252x), on every side (26x), about 24 compass (2x), about us (2x), circuits (1x), about them (1x).]

1). The body and head and armour of Saul all went to different locations within the land of the Philistines, perhaps they even rotated them all around the nation.

a). His body went to Bethshan:

(1) 1 Samuel 31:10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

(2) Bethshan [1052 * Beyth Shean][Strong’s: house of ease.]

b). His armour went to the house of Ashtoroth:

(1) 1 Samuel 31:10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

(2)  Ashstoroth [6252 * Ashtarowth] [Strong’s: a Sidonian god.]

c). His head went to the temple of Dagon:

(1) 1 Chronicles 10:10 And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.

(2) Dagon [1712 * Dagown][Strong’s: the fish god of the Philistines.]

3. “…to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.”

a. [to] publish it [Strong: 1319 bâsar, baw-sar'; to announce, preach, shew forth good tidings] [AMG, Complete Old Testament Word Study Dictionary: A verb meaning to bring news or to bear tidings.] [The KJV translates Strong's H1319 in the following manner: tidings (16x), show forth (3x), publish (3x), messenger (1x), preached (1x).]

b. [in the] house [Strong: 1004 bayith, bah'-yith; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).] [The KJV translates Strong's H1004 in the following manner: house (1,881x), household (54x), home (25x), within (22x), temple (11x), prison (16x), place (16x), family (3x), families (with H1) (2x), dungeon (2x), miscellaneous (23x).]

c. [of their] idols [Strong: 6091 ʻâtsâb, aw-tsawb'; (idolatrous) image:--idol, image.] [The KJV translates Strong's H6091 in the following manner: idol (16x), image (1x).]

1). These people were very religious. They were preaching, announcing, or showing of the good tidings that Saul their enemy was dead and his body and armour and that of his sons could be seen in their temples, all this was being accomplished in their houses of worship, where they worshipped their devils. Check out 1 Corinthians 10:20.

a). 1 Corinthians 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship  with devils.

b). As they were praising their god they were worshipping the devil.

d. and among [Strong: 853  'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

e. [the] people [Strong: 5971ʻam, am; from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation, people.] [The KJV translates Strong's H5971 in the following manner: people (1,836x), nation (17x), people (with H1121) (4x), folk (2x), Ammi (1x), men (1x), each (1x).]

1). At the news of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan, David wrote a song and in the song he implored the news not be published in Gath or Askelon because it would cause the Philistines to rejoice.

a). 2 Samuel 1:20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

b). triumph [5937 * alaz][Strong’s; to jump for joy.]

2). No doubt the rejoicing would be similar to the rejoicing of the Philistines because of the capture of Samson.

a). Judges 16:23, 24 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
16:24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.

3). Saul ended up being a trophy of the enemies of God’s people. After they were slain, Saul and his son’s bodily members, were treated as spiritual trophies in the houses of their gods. When we sin against God and fall in front of the world, we become trophies of the enemy or occasions of the enemy to blaspheme God.

a). Romans 2:23, 24 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

a). 2 Samuel 12:7-14 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
12:8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
12:11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

4). NOTE: Companion passage 1 Chronicles 10:9.

a). 1 Chronicles 10:9 And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people.

1 Samuel 31:10

And they put his armour in the house of Ashtoroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

a. NLT: They placed his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and they fastened his body to the wall of the city of Beth-shan.

b. NIV: They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.

c. Young’s Literal Translation: and they place his weapons in the house of Ashtaroth, and his body they have fixed on the wall of Beth-Shan.

d. Amplified Bible: And they put Saul’s armor in the house of the Ashtaroth [the idols representing the female deities Ashtoreth and Asherah], and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

e. Septuagint: And they set up his armour at the temple of Astarte, and they fastened his body on the wall of Baethsam.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: They placed his gear in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they hung up his remains upon the wall of Beth-shan.

1. “And they put his armour in the house of Ashtoroth…”

a. [And they] put [Strong: 7760 * suwm; or siym; a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down, ((over-))turn, X wholly, work.] [The KJV translates Strong's H7760 in the following manner: put (155x), make (123x), set (119x), lay (64x), appoint (19x), give (11x), set up (10x), consider (8x), turn (5x), brought (4x), ordain (3x), place (3x), take (3x), shew (2x), regard (2x), mark (2x), disposed (2x), care (2x), miscellaneous (48x).]

b. [Strong: 853  'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

c. [his] armour [Strong: 3627  something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):--armour ((-bearer)), artillery, bag, carriage, + furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, X one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, + psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, + whatsoever.]

d. in the house [1004 bayith, bah'-yith; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).]

1). Obviously this is referring to the temple or house of worship for Ashtoroth.

d. [of] Ashstoroth [Strong: 6252 ʻAshtârôwth, ash-taw-roth'; or עַשְׁתָּרֹת ʻAshtârôth; plural of H6251; Ashtaroth, the name of a Sidonian deity, and of a place East of the Jordan:—Asharoth, Astaroth.]

e. [1045 * Beyth `Ashtarowth bayth ash-taw-roth': from 1004 and 6252; house of Ashtoreths; Beth-Ashtaroth, a place in Palestine:--house of Ashtaroth.]

1). Looking at both passages in 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles, we see the body and head and armour of Saul all went to different locations.

a). 1 Samuel 31:10 says his armour went to the house of Ashtoroth. (See above).

b). According to 1 Samuel 31:10, his body went to Bethshan. (See below).

c). 1 Chronicles 10:10 says his head went to the temple of Dagon.

(1) Dagon [1712 * Dagown][Strong’s: the fish god of the Philistines.]

2). Looking at the previous verse it seems that these three items went throughout the Philistine nation and then were permanently fixed to these three locations. They cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.

3). The bodies of his sons were included.

a). 1 Samuel 31:12 All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.

2. “…and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.”

a. [Strong: 853  'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

b. [and they] fastened [Strong: 8628 tâqaʻ, taw-kah'; a primitive root; to clatter, i.e. slap (the hands together), clang (an instrument); by analogy, to drive (a nail or tent-pin, a dart, etc.); by implication, to become bondsman by handclasping):--blow ((a trumpet)), cast, clap, fasten, pitch (tent), smite, sound, strike, X suretiship, thrust.]

c. [his] body [Strong: 1472 gᵉvîyâh, ghev-ee-yaw'; a body, whether alive or dead:--(dead) body, carcase, corpse.]

d. [to the] wall [Strong: 2346 chôwmâh, kho-maw'; feminine active participle of an unused root apparently meaning to join; a wall of protection:--wall, walled.]

e. [of] Bethshan [Strong: 1052 Bêyth Shᵉʼân, bayth she-awn'; or בֵּית שָׁן Bêyth Shân;  from H1004 and H7599; house of ease; Beth-Shean or Beth-Shan, a place in Palestine:—Beth-shean, Beth-Shan.  house of ease.]

1). Under the Old Covenant bodily members were weapons because they fought mainly physical battles and wars. Under the New Covenant our battles and wars are mainly spiritual but it is also true that our bodily members are weapons also.

a). Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive unto from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

(1) yield [3936 * paristano] [Vine: to present, is translated to yield.]

(2) The Greek word for “yield” is the same word used in Romans 12:1 for “present”. In light of that, as we are obedient to God’s word, we are presenting our bodily members to God, as “weapons”, Romans 6:13; as “servants”, Romans 6:16; and as “sacrifices”, Romans 12:1. 

(3) instruments [3696 * hoplon][Zodhiates: in the plural, standing for weapons of warfare.]

(4) Every physical member of our body can be used as a weapon or instrument of righteousness or unrighteousness, depending on our obedience or disobedience to the will of God. Whether it be our legs, our arms, our eyes or mouth, they can all be used a weapons.

2). Even our mind is a weapon, it being the door to the human spirit. Generally speaking, with its ability to allow in and embrace truth or deception, the mind has the ability to shut the door in a manner of speaking, to truth that will set the person free or cause them to be brought into bondage to sin when it embraces deception.

a). 2 Corinthians 10:3-6  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

10: 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

b). 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

(1) Notice in these passages how the devil, the god of this world blinds the minds of people by keeping them in unbelief, preventing them from seeing and understanding the gospel by building strongholds, imaginations, philosophies that prevent the gospel from shinning into their hearts.

3). Because of Christ’s victory and our repentance and making him Lord of our lives, he leads us in victory.

a). 2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

b). [Amplified Bible] But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph as trophies of Christ’s victory and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere.

4). Under this glorious Covenant, we by the grace of God can walk in obedience and allow God to use our bodily members as weapons of righteousness for His glory! Hallelujah!

5). NOTE: Companion passage 1 Chronicles 10:10.

a). 1 Chronicles 10:10 And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.