Contradiction with 2 Samuel 2:4-7
In 1 Samuel 31:13, the men of Jabesh-gilead honor Saul by burying his bones, indicating respect and allegiance. In 2 Samuel 2:4-7, David blesses the men of Jabesh-gilead for their deed, yet also declares his own kingship, signaling a shift in loyalty and authority from Saul to David.
2 Samuel 2:4-7: And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, [That] the men of Jabeshgilead [were they] that buried Saul.
Contradiction with 1 Chronicles 10:12
This verse reiterates the actions of Jabesh-gilead's men as in 1 Samuel 31:13, yet it occurs within a broader context that directly links Saul's death to his unfaithfulness, contrasting the heroic image of respect in Samuel with a narrative of tragic downfall.
1 Chronicles 10:12: They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
Contradiction with 2 Samuel 21:12-14
Here, David retrieves the bones of Saul for proper burial in the family tomb, an act that implies Saul's initial burial in Jabesh-gilead was temporary or inadequate, contrasting the seemingly respectful burial in Samuel.
2 Samuel 21:12-14: 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:
Contradiction with 2 Samuel 1:11-12
David’s mourning over Saul and Jonathan contrasts with the completed narrative in 1 Samuel 31:13, where the focus is on burial; David, although mourning Saul, highlights the defeat and his ascent to power, shifting the narrative focus.
2 Samuel 1:11-12: Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that [were] with him:
Paradox #1
In 1 Samuel 31:13, it is mentioned that the bones of Saul and his sons were buried under a tamarisk tree in Jabesh, but in another passage, 2 Samuel 21:12-14, it describes how their bones were later moved and buried in the tomb of Kish, Saul's father. This might seem like a contradiction or inconsistency because at first, their bones were buried under a tree, but later they were moved to a different burial location.