1 Samuel 31:4 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 31:4

Then said Saul unto his armourbearer ,.... Who, the Jews F2 Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 77. B. say, was Doeg the Edomite, promoted to this office for slaying the priests: draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith ; for if he was wounded, yet not mortally, and it is certain he did not so apprehend it. It is much the sword of the armourbearer should be sheathed in a battle; but perhaps he was preparing for flight, and so had put it up in its scabbard: lest these... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 31:4

Draw 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 hachereb , the very sword),... 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

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 31:4

1 Samuel 31:4. Lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me He was afraid they might put him to some ignominious death, or make sport with him, as they did with Samson. But his armour-bearer would not, for he was sore afraid He dreaded to think of killing his king. Saul took a sword, and fell upon it “A truly brave man,” says Delaney, “would have died fighting, as Jonathan did, or would, at worst, have gloried at being abused, and even tortured, for having done... 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 31:4

abuse = insult. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 31:4-5

1 Samuel 31:4-5. Then said Saul unto his armour-bearer— Saul and his armour-bearer died by the same sword; that his armour-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 hachereb [the very sword], and fell upon it. What sword? not his own; for then the text would have... read more

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 31:4

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:1-6

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:3-4

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:3-6

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 31:4

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 31:1-13

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 31:4

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 31:4-5

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