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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely.

Context of 1 Samuel 31:3

1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. 2The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically. 4Saul 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. 5When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him.

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 1:4“What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.” “The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
• Amos 2:14The swift will not escape, the strong will not muster their strength, and the warrior will not save his life.
• Genesis 49:23With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility.
• 1 Kings 22:34But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.”

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