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Who killed Saul, Saul or the Amalekite?
1 Samuel 31:4 and 2 Samuel 1:8-10
1 Samuel 31:4 gives what actually happened while 2 Samuel 1:8-10 only gives what the Amalekite said happened. Most probably, the Amalekite took the opportunity to benefit from the King's death, gathered his crown and bracelet and then brought them to David. Unfortunately for the Amalekite, David said in 2 Samuel 1:13-16, "And David said to the young man who told him, "Where are you from?" And he answered, "I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite." 14Then David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?" 15And David called one of the young men and said, "Go, cut him down." So he struck him and he died. 16And David said to him, "Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.'"
The Amalekite probably thought he'd benefit from bringing the King's possessions to David, but his plan backfired.