Midrash su I Samuele 31:6
וַיָּ֣מָת שָׁא֡וּל וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת בָּנָיו֩ וְנֹשֵׂ֨א כֵלָ֜יו גַּ֧ם כָּל־אֲנָשָׁ֛יו בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא יַחְדָּֽו׃
Così morì Saul, i suoi tre figli, il suo portatore d'armatura e tutti i suoi uomini, lo stesso giorno insieme.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:27): BENJAMIN IS A RAVENOUS WOLF…. < The verse > speaks about Saul. (Ibid., cont.:) IN THE MORNING HE DEVOURS THE PREY. (Cf. I Sam. 14:47-48): AFTER SAUL HAD SEIZED THE KINGSHIP OVER ISRAEL …74I.e., in the morning of his reign. HE WAS TRIUMPHANT IN SMITING THE AMALEKITES. (Gen. 49:27, cont.:) AND AT EVENING HE DIVIDES THE SPOIL. (Cf. I Sam. 31:6:) SO SAUL DIED ALONG WITH THREE OF HIS SONS.
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Kohelet Rabbah
“Do not be overly righteous, and do not be exceedingly wise; why should you be be destroyed?” (Ecclesiastes 7:16)
“Do not be overly righteous, and do not be exceedingly wise.” “Do not be overly righteous” – more [righteous] than your Creator; this is a reference to Saul, as it is written: “Saul came to the city of Amalek [and lay in wait [vayarev] in the valley]” (I Samuel 15:5). Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Benaya say: He began deliberating against his Creator.114The word vayarev, generally translated as lay in wait, can also mean to argue or deliberate. He said: So said the Holy One blessed be He: “Go and smite Amalek…[put to death both men and women, infant and suckling babes, ox and sheep, camel and donkey” (I Samuel 15:3); if the men sinned, what sin did the women commit? What sin did the children commit? What sin did the cattle, the ox, and the donkey commit? A Divine Voice emerged and said: “Do not be overly righteous;” [do not be] more [righteous] than your Creator.
The Rabbis say: He began to deliberate regarding the beheaded calf and say: The verse said: “They shall behead the calf there in the valley” (Deuteronomy 21:4); he kills and it is beheaded?115The ritual of the beheaded calf is performed when a person is found dead between two cities and the killer is unknown. The elders of the nearest city perform this ritual, in which a calf is beheaded. Saul was uncomfortable with this ritual, arguing that a calf should not be killed because one person killed another. If a person sinned, what sin did the animal commit? A Divine Voice emerged and said: “Do not be overly righteous.”
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: Anyone who becomes compassionate when he should be cruel will ultimately become cruel when he should be compassionate, as it is stated: “And Nov, the city of priests, he smote by sword” (I Samuel 22:19).116This was carried out at Saul’s command. Should Nov not be like descendants of Amalek? The Rabbis say: Anyone who becomes compassionate when he should be cruel, ultimately, the attribute of justice will harm him, as it is stated: “Saul and his three sons died” (I Samuel 31:6).
“Do not be overly righteous, and do not be exceedingly wise.” “Do not be overly righteous” – more [righteous] than your Creator; this is a reference to Saul, as it is written: “Saul came to the city of Amalek [and lay in wait [vayarev] in the valley]” (I Samuel 15:5). Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Benaya say: He began deliberating against his Creator.114The word vayarev, generally translated as lay in wait, can also mean to argue or deliberate. He said: So said the Holy One blessed be He: “Go and smite Amalek…[put to death both men and women, infant and suckling babes, ox and sheep, camel and donkey” (I Samuel 15:3); if the men sinned, what sin did the women commit? What sin did the children commit? What sin did the cattle, the ox, and the donkey commit? A Divine Voice emerged and said: “Do not be overly righteous;” [do not be] more [righteous] than your Creator.
The Rabbis say: He began to deliberate regarding the beheaded calf and say: The verse said: “They shall behead the calf there in the valley” (Deuteronomy 21:4); he kills and it is beheaded?115The ritual of the beheaded calf is performed when a person is found dead between two cities and the killer is unknown. The elders of the nearest city perform this ritual, in which a calf is beheaded. Saul was uncomfortable with this ritual, arguing that a calf should not be killed because one person killed another. If a person sinned, what sin did the animal commit? A Divine Voice emerged and said: “Do not be overly righteous.”
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: Anyone who becomes compassionate when he should be cruel will ultimately become cruel when he should be compassionate, as it is stated: “And Nov, the city of priests, he smote by sword” (I Samuel 22:19).116This was carried out at Saul’s command. Should Nov not be like descendants of Amalek? The Rabbis say: Anyone who becomes compassionate when he should be cruel, ultimately, the attribute of justice will harm him, as it is stated: “Saul and his three sons died” (I Samuel 31:6).
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Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
Rabbi Jochanan said: All the prophets prophesied in their lifetime, and Samuel prophesied in his lifetime, and after his death, because Samuel said to Saul: If thou wilt hearken to my advice to fall by the sword, then shall thy death be an atonement for thee, and thy lot shall be with me in the place where I abide. Saul harkened to his advice, and fell by the sword, he and all his sons, as it is said, "So Saul died, and his three sons" (1 Sam. 31:6). Why? So that his portion might be with Samuel the prophet in the future life, as it is said, "And to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me" (1 Sam. 28:19). What is the meaning of "with me"? Rabbi Jochanan said: With me in my division in heaven.
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