1 Samuel 31:4

1 Samuel 31:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
• New International Version (NIV)Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.” But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me." But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Saul said to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.” But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it.

Context of 1 Samuel 31:4

2And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines smote Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. 3And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers came up with him; and he was much terrified by the archers. Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it. 5And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on his sword, and died with him. 6So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, and all his men, that same day together.

1 Samuel 31:4 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁאוּל֩ לְנֹשֵׂ֨א כֵלָ֜יו שְׁלֹ֥ף חַרְבְּךָ֣׀ וְדָקְרֵ֣נִי בָ֗הּ פֶּן־יָ֠בוֹאוּ הָעֲרֵלִ֨ים הָאֵ֤לֶּה וּדְקָרֻ֙נִי֙ וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־בִ֔י וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ נֹשֵׂ֣א כֵלָ֔יו כִּ֥י יָרֵ֖א מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּקַּ֤ח שָׁאוּל֙ אֶת־הַחֶ֔רֶב וַיִּפֹּ֖ל עָלֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear

• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• Drawשָׁלַףshâlaph · to drawH8025
• swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• lestפֶּן־pên · lestH6435
• uncircumcisedעָרֵל‛ârêl · uncircumcisedH6189
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• wouldאָבָה'âbâh · be willingH14
• afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 31:4

• Judges 9:54Then he called hastily to the young man that carried his armour, and said to him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that they say not of me, A woman killed him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
• 1 Chronicles 10:4Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.
• 1 Samuel 14:6And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: perhaps Jehovah will work for us; for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.
• 1 Samuel 17:26And David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that smites this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
• 2 Samuel 1:20Tell [it] not in Gath, carry not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
• Jeremiah 9:25Behold, days are coming, saith Jehovah, when I will visit all [them that are] circumcised with the uncircumcised;
• Ezekiel 44:7in that ye have brought strangers, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to profane it, [even] my house, when ye offered my bread, the fat and the blood; and they have broken my covenant besides all your abominations.
• 2 Samuel 1:9He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and slay me; for anguish has seized me; for my life is yet whole in me.
• 2 Samuel 17:23And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose and went to his house, to his city, and gave charge to his household, and hanged himself, and he died; and he was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
• 1 Kings 16:27And the rest of the acts of Omri, what he did, and his might which he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 31:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Draw thy sword, and thrust me through - Dr. Delaney has some good observations on this part of the subject: "Saul and his armor-bearer died by the same sword. That his armor-bearer died by his own sword is out of all doubt; the text expressly tells us so; and that Saul perished by the same sword is sufficiently evident. Draw Thy sword, says he to him, and thrust me through; which, when he refused, Saul, says the text, took The sword, (החרב את eth…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4David had earlier served as an armor bearer (a personal assistant who carried a soldier’s weapons) to Saul (1 Samuel 16:21). run me through: This is one of many similarities between the death of Abimelech during the time of the judges (Judges 9) and Saul, Israel’s first national king (see Judges 9:54). In both stories, a wounded leader asks someone else to kill him rather than die in shame.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-53-5. the battle went sore against Saul, &c.--He seems to have bravely maintained his ground for some time longer; but exhausted with fatigue and loss of blood, and dreading that if he fell alive into the enemy's hands, they would insolently maltreat him (Jos 8:29; 10:24; Jud 8:21), he requested his armor bearer to despatch him. However, that officer refused to do so. Saul then falling on the point of his sword killed himself; and the armor bearer, who…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 31:4

• Armies
• Gilboa
• Jezreel
• Suicide

In the dictionaries

• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Gilboa
• Hit
• Jezreel, Valley of
• Sword
• Abuse
• Achish
• Armor-Bearer
• Army

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings