1 Samuel 31:3 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:1-7

The day of recompence has now come, in which Saul must account for the blood of the Amalekites which he had sinfully spared, and that of the priests which he had more sinfully spilt; that of David too, which he would have spilt, must come into the account. Now his day has come to fall, as David foresaw, when he should descend into battle and perish, 1 Sam. 26:10. Come and see the righteous judgments of God. I. He sees his soldiers fall about him, 1 Sam. 31:1. Whether the Philistines were more... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:3

And the battle went sore against Saul ,.... Pressed heavy upon him; he was the butt of the Philistines, they aimed at his person and life: and the archers hit him ; or "found him" F1 וימצאהו "et inveserust cum", Pagninus, Montanus. ; the place where was, and directed their arrows at him: and he was sore wounded of the archers ; or rather "he was afraid" of them, as the Targum, for as yet he was not wounded; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, and is the sense... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 31:3

He 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:1-6

Judgment at last. The facts are— 1 . In the battle at Gilboa the men of Israel suffer a defeat from the Philistines. 2 . His sons being slain, the conflict presses hard on Saul. 3 . Dreading to fall by the hand of a Philistine, and failing to find death through the hand of his armour bearer, he falls on his own sword, his example being followed by his armour bearer. Here we have the closing scene in the tragedy of Saul's life, verifying the prediction of Samuel. Our heart... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:3-4

The archers. Literally, as in the margin, "shooters, men with bows." As the first word would equally apply to men who threw javelins, the explanation is added to make the meaning clear. Hit him. Literally, "found him, i.e. found out his position, and came up to where he was. He was sore wounded. Rather, "he was sore distressed." In Deuteronomy 2:25 the verb is rendered "be in anguish." The meaning is that Saul, finding himself surrounded by these archers, and that he could neither... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:3-6

The bitter end. The tragic element, so conspicuous in this history, is intense in the last scene of all. I. SAUL 'S DEATH . 1 . His despair. When the battle went against him, and the Philistines, keeping beyond reach of his long arm and terrible sword, hit him from a distance with their arrows, the king's spirit suddenly failed and died within him. "He trembled sore because of the archers." Always fitful in his moods, liable to sudden elation and sudden depression, he gave up... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 31:3

He was sore wounded - Better, “he was sore afraid” (compare Deuteronomy 2:25). Saul’s fear is explained in 1 Samuel 31:4. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 31:3

1 Samuel 31:3. The archers hit him Hebrews ימצאהו jim-stauhu, found him. Houbigant renders it, rushed upon him. It seems by this that the Philistines gained the battle, chiefly by the advantage of their archers. Probably these were some hired troops, for we meet with no mention before this of any archers in any of the Philistines’ armies or battles; and it seems to have been a way of fighting that Saul and the Israelites were not prepared for, and therefore they were soon thrown into... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:1-13

David’s victory and Saul’s defeat (30:1-31:13)When David’s men returned to Ziklag, they found it a deserted, burnt out ruin. The Amalekites had raided the cities of Philistia and Judah while all the fighting men were away at war. The shock of losing everything - wives, families and possessions - drove David to total dependence on God. It was the kind of dependence that seems to have been lacking during his sixteen months in Philistia (30:1-8).Assisted by some capable Israelite military... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 31:3

sore wounded = in sore anguish. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:1-7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 31:3

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:1-6

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:3-4

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:3-6

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 31:3

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 31:3

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:1-13

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 31:3

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