1 Samuel 31:3

1 Samuel 31:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.
• New International Version (NIV)The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers.

Context of 1 Samuel 31:3

1The Philistines fought against the Israelites. The Israelites ran away, and the Philistines killed many of them on Gilboa mountain. 2The Philistines chased after Saul and his sons to catch them. They killed Saul's sons, Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. The Philistines were fighting the battle all around Saul. Some of their soldiers saw Saul and they shot their arrows at him. The arrows hurt Saul very much and he was nearly dead. 4He said to the young man who carried his armour, ‘Kill me now with your sword. I do not want these foreign men to be cruel to me as they kill me.’ But the young man would not agree to kill Saul because he was too afraid. So Saul took his own sword and he threw himself onto it so that he died. 5The young man saw that Saul was dead. So he threw himself onto his own sword and he also died.

1 Samuel 31:3 word by word

וַתִּכְבַּ֤ד הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וַיִּמְצָאֻ֥הוּ הַמּוֹרִ֖ים אֲנָשִׁ֣ים בַּקָּ֑שֶׁת וַיָּ֥חֶל מְאֹ֖ד מֵהַמּוֹרִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• went soreכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: heavyH3513
• against Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• and the archersקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
• and the archersאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• and the archersיָרָאyârâh yârâ' · to shootH3384
• hitמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• him; and he was soreמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• woundedחוּלchûl chîyl · to twist: writh in painH2342

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 31:3

• 2 Samuel 1:4David said, ‘Tell me what happened in the battle.’ The man replied, ‘The Israelites ran away and the enemy killed many of them. Even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.’
• Amos 2:14You might try to run away. But nobody will get free. Even the fastest runner will not get free. The strong people will not be strong enough to stop me. The soldiers will not be able to save their lives.
• Genesis 49:23His enemies will be angry with him. They will attack him with arrows.
• 1 Kings 22:34Then a Syrian soldier shot an arrow into the air. He did not try to shoot at anyone, but the arrow hit the king of Israel. The arrow went through a space in the king's armour. The king commanded the man who drove his chariot, ‘Turn the chariot around. Take me away from the battle. An arrow has hit me.’

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 31:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3He was sore wounded of the archers - It is likely that Saul's sons were slain by the archers, and that Saul was now mortally wounded by the same. Houbigant translates, The archers rushed upon him, from whom he received a grievous wound. He farther remarks that had not Saul been grievously wounded, and beyond hope of recovery, he would not have wished his armor-bearer to despatch him; as he might have continued still to fight, or have made his escape from…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3He was sore wounded - Better, “he was sore afraid” (compare Deuteronomy 2:25). Saul‘s fear is explained in 1 Samuel 31:4.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-13While David was in the south successfully fighting the Amalekites (1 Samuel 30), Saul was in the north unsuccessfully fighting the Philistines.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 31:3

• Archery
• Arrow
• Gilboa
• Jezreel

In the dictionaries

• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Archer
• Gilboa
• Hit
• Jezreel, Valley of
• Achish
• Army
• Chronicles, Books of
• Esdraelon, Plain of

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