God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 31:4
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 31:4 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
2The 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. Saul 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. 5When the armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. 6So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that day.
Read all of 1 Samuel 311 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- unto his armourbearerכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
- unto his armourbearerנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearing(armour)H5375
- Drawשָׁלַףshâlaph · to drawH8025
- thy swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- and thrust me throughדָּקַרdâqar · to pierceH1856
- therewith; lest these uncircumcisedעָרֵל‛ârêl · uncircumcisedH6189
- comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and abuseעָלַל‛âlal · to abuseH5953
- wouldאָבָה'âbâh · be willingH14
- not; for he was soreמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- and fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 31:4
- Judges 9:54He quickly called his armorbearer. He told him, “Take your sword and kill me! I don’t want anyone to say, ‘A woman killed Abimelech.’ ” His armorbearer did as he said, so Abimelech died.
- 1 Chronicles 10:4Saul told his armorbearer, “Draw your sword! Stab me, or these godless men will come and make fun of me.” But his armorbearer refused because he was terrified. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.
- 1 Samuel 14:6Jonathan said to his armorbearer, “Let’s go to the military post of these uncircumcised people. Maybe the Lord will act on our behalf. The Lord can win a victory with a few men as well as with many.”
- 1 Samuel 17:26David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and gets rid of Israel’s disgrace? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should challenge the army of the living God?”
- 2 Samuel 1:20Don’t tell the news in Gath. Don’t announce the victory in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will be glad, and the daughters of godless men will celebrate.
- Jeremiah 9:25“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised.
- Ezekiel 44:7You brought godless foreigners into my holy place. You dishonored my temple when you offered fat and blood to me. You rejected my promise so that you could do all your disgusting things.
- 2 Samuel 1:9“He said to me, ‘Please stand over me and kill me. I’m alive, but I’m suffering.’
- 2 Samuel 17:23When Ahithophel saw that his advice hadn’t been followed, he saddled his donkey, left, and went home to his own city. He gave instructions to his family. Then he hanged himself, died, and was buried in his father’s tomb.
- 1 Kings 16:27Isn’t everything else about Omri—what he did and his heroic acts—written in the official records 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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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