1 Samuel 31:2

1 Samuel 31:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi–shua, Saul’s sons.
• New International Version (NIV)The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons.

Context of 1 Samuel 31:2

1When the Philistines were fighting against Israel, the men of Israel fled from the Philistines and were killed in battle on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines caught up to Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons. 3The heaviest fighting was against Saul. When the archers got him in their range, he was badly wounded by them. 4Saul told his armorbearer, “Draw your sword! Stab me, or these godless men will come, stab me, and make fun of me.” But his armorbearer refused because he was terrified. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.

1 Samuel 31:2 word by word

וַיַּדְבְּק֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אֶת־שָׁא֖וּל וְאֶת־בָּנָ֑יו וַיַּכּ֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים אֶת־יְהוֹנָתָ֧ן וְאֶת־אֲבִינָדָ֛ב וְאֶת־מַלְכִּי־שׁ֖וּעַ בְּנֵ֥י שָׁאֽוּל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• followed hardדָּבַקdâbaq · to cleaveH1692
• upon Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• and upon his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• slewנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
• and Abinadabאֲבִינָדָב'ăbîynâdâb · AbinadabH41
• and Malchi–shuaמַלְכִּישׁוּעַmalkîyshûa‛ · Malchi-shuaH4444

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 31:2

• 1 Samuel 14:22When all the men of Israel who had been hiding in the mountains of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also pursued the Philistines in battle.
• 2 Samuel 1:6The young man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. Saul was there leaning on his spear, and the chariots and horsemen were catching up with him.
• 1 Samuel 13:2Saul chose 3,000 men from Israel; 2,000 of them were stationed with Saul at Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and 1,000 were stationed with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. But the rest of the people he sent home.
• 1 Samuel 14:1One day Saul’s son Jonathan said to his armorbearer, “Let’s go to the Philistine military post on the other side.” But Jonathan didn’t tell his father ⌞he was going⌟.
• 1 Samuel 18:1David finished talking to Saul. After that, Jonathan became David’s closest friend. He loved David as much as ⌞he loved⌟ himself.
• 1 Samuel 23:17“Don’t be afraid,” he told David, “my father Saul won’t find you. You will rule Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this.”
• 1 Chronicles 8:33Ner was the father of Kish. Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
• 1 Chronicles 9:39Ner was the father of Kish. Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
• Exodus 20:5Never worship them or serve them, because I, the Lord your God, am a God who does not tolerate rivals. I punish children for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.
• 2 Kings 25:7They slaughtered Zedekiah’s sons as he watched, and then they blinded Zedekiah. They put him in bronze shackles and took him to Babylon.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 31:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons - They, seeing the discomfiture of their troops, were determined to sell their lives as dear as possible, and therefore maintained the battle till the three brothers were slain.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Jonathan … Malkishua: See 1 Samuel 14:49. This is the first mention of Saul’s son Abinadab (compare 1 Chronicles 8:33; 9:39).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-71Sa 31:1-7. Saul Having Lost His Army at Gilboa, and His Sons Being Slain, He and His Armor-bearer Kill Themselves. 1. Now the Philistines fought against Israel--In a regular engagement, in which the two armies met (1Sa 28:1-4), the Israelites were forced to give way, being annoyed by the arrows of the enemy, which, destroying them at a distance before they came to close combat, threw them into panic and disorder. Taking advantage of the heights of Mount…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 31:2

• Abinadab
• Archery
• Gilboa
• Jezreel
• Jonathan
• Melchishua

In the dictionaries

• Jonathan
• Philistines
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Malchi-Shua
• Abinadab
• Gilboa
• Hit
• Jezreel, Valley of
• Malchishua

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