Commentary for I Samuel 31:12
וַיָּק֜וּמוּ כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ חַיִל֮ וַיֵּלְכ֣וּ כָל־הַלַּיְלָה֒ וַיִּקְח֞וּ אֶת־גְּוִיַּ֣ת שָׁא֗וּל וְאֵת֙ גְּוִיֹּ֣ת בָּנָ֔יו מֵחוֹמַ֖ת בֵּ֣ית שָׁ֑ן וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ יָבֵ֔שָׁה וַיִּשְׂרְפ֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם שָֽׁם׃
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 they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
Rashi on I Samuel
And burned them there. [Targum renders,] "And they burned for them1I.e., they burned incense to cover the odor and prevent the decay of the bodies.—Radak as they burn for the kings there." As we learned:2A king’s personal belongings are burned at his death to prevent other people from using them, as stated in Maseches Avoda Zarah 11a. We perform the burning [ritual] at [the burial of] kings, and it is not [considered] an Amorite custom.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy