1 Samuel 31:3
in 1 Samuel 31When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him critically.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.
KJV
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 31
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHe 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 this most disastrous battle.
This site's exposition
sore wounded of the archers
on 1 Samuel 31:3-5
Saul's request that his armourbearer run him through, and the refusal born of fear, plays out the sentence Samuel had spoken to him from beyond the grave at Endor, that he and his sons would be with Samuel by the morrow, the word chapter 15 had already fixed when Saul spared Agag against the ban on Amalek. The armourbearer's fear answers Saul's own fear of Philistine abuse, and in the end neither man dies by an enemy's hand; both fall on their own swords. The text narrates the act without comment and passes no verdict beyond the one Samuel had already spoken.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Verecundus of JuncaCOMMENTARY ON THE ECCLESIASTICAL CANTICLES, ON DEUTERONOMY 43 · Written before 552.
proposed
"I will inebriate my arrows with blood, and my sword will devour flesh." These are the spiritual arrows of the Lord with which he strikes the heart of the human race and drains our spiritual blood. For just as Christ himself is called an arrow, …
The Medieval Church1 voice
The entire weight of the battle turned upon Saul, etc. The gentiles were exerting all their strength to destroy the kingdom of Judea. And men most adept in the arts of deception drew near to him, and the leaders of that kingdom were severely seduced …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
20, 21 ), especially those who, despairing of the mercy of god, like Judas, leap into a hell before them, to escape a hell within them. When he could not obtain that favour he became his own executioner, thinking hereby to avoid shame, but running upon a heinous sin, and with it entailing upon his own name a mark of perpetual infamy, as felo de se--a self-murderer.
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And the battle went sore against Saul,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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;
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1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He was sore wounded - Better, “he was sore afraid” (compare Deu 2:25). Saul’s fear is explained in 1Sa 31:4.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתִּכְבַּ֤ד | vatikhbad | and it was heavy | H3513 → | 113 times |
| הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ | hamilchamah | the battle | H4421 → | 320 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | against | H413 → | 5510 times |
| שָׁא֔וּל | shaul | Saul | H7586 → | 402 times |
| וַיִּמְצָאֻ֥הוּ | vaiyimtzauhu | and they found him | H4672 → | 455 times |
| הַמּוֹרִ֖ים | hamorim | the archers | H3384 → | 80 times |
| אֲנָשִׁ֣ים | ʾanashim | men | H582 → | 566 times |
| בַּקָּ֑שֶׁת | bakashet | with the bow | H7198 → | 76 times |
| וַיָּ֥חֶל | vaiyachel | and he was in severe pain | H2342 → | |
| מְאֹ֖ד | meod | exceedingly | H3966 → | 300 times |
| מֵהַמּוֹרִֽים׃ | mehamorim | from the archers | H3384 → | 80 times |
וַתִּכְבַּ֤דand it was heavy
vatikhbadH3513 →113 times
הַמִּלְחָמָה֙the battle
hamilchamahH4421 →320 times
אֶל־against
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
שָׁא֔וּלSaul
shaulH7586 →402 times
וַיִּמְצָאֻ֥הוּand they found him
vaiyimtzauhuH4672 →455 times
הַמּוֹרִ֖יםthe archers
hamorimH3384 →80 times
אֲנָשִׁ֣יםmen
ʾanashimH582 →566 times
בַּקָּ֑שֶׁתwith the bow
bakashetH7198 →76 times
וַיָּ֥חֶלand he was in severe pain
vaiyachelH2342 →
מְאֹ֖דexceedingly
meodH3966 →300 times
מֵהַמּוֹרִֽים׃from the archers
mehamorimH3384 →80 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Samuel 1:4“What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 31:1–6
Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
- 1 Samuel 4:16
“I have just come from the battle,” the man said to Eli. “I fled from there today.” “What happened, my son?” Eli asked.
- 1 Chronicles 10:1–6
Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
- 1 Samuel 31:1–6
Through
1 Kings 22:34However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 35:23
There the archers shot King Josiah, who said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded!”
- 2 Chronicles 35:23
Through
Amos 2:14Escape will fail the swift, the strong will not prevail by his strength, and the mighty will not save his life.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 9:23
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
- Jeremiah 9:23
Through
Genesis 49:23The archers attacked him with bitterness; they aimed at him in hostility.
it leads to
- Genesis 37:24
and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it.
- Psalms 118:13
I was pushed so hard I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
- Genesis 37:24
Through
2 Samuel 1:6“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 28:4
The Philistines came together and camped at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.
- 1 Samuel 28:4
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Verecundus of Junca, COMMENTARY ON THE ECCLESIASTICAL CANTICLES, ON DEUTERONOMY 43.