1 Samuel 31:5

THE MESSAGE

Saul and Jonathan, Dead on the Mountain The Philistines made war on Israel. The men of Israel were in full retreat from the Philistines, falling left and right, wounded on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, Saul's sons. The battle was hot and heavy around Saul. The archers got his range and wounded him badly. Saul said to his weapon bearer, "Draw your sword and put me out of my misery, lest these pagan pigs come and make a game out of killing me." But his weapon bearer wouldn't do it. He was terrified. So Saul took the sword himself and fell on it. When the weapon bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, and his weapon bearer—the men closest to him—died together that day. When the Israelites in the valley opposite and those on the other side of the Jordan saw that their army was in full retreat and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left their cities and ran for their lives. The Philistines moved in and occupied the sites. The next day, when the Philistines came to rob the dead, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. They cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. Then they spread the good news all through Philistine country in the shrines of their idols and among the people. They displayed his armor in the shrine of the Ashtoreth. They nailed his corpse to the wall at Beth Shan. The people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. Their valiant men sprang into action. They traveled all night, took the corpses of Saul and his three sons from the wall at Beth Shan, and carried them back to Jabesh and burned off the flesh. They then buried the bones under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted in mourning for seven days.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him.

Hebrew Names Version
When his armor bearer saw that Sha'ul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.

King James Version
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

Lexham English Bible
And when his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

English Standard Version
And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.

New Century Version
When the officer saw that Saul was dead, he threw himself on his own sword, and he died with Saul.

New English Translation
When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him.

Amplified Bible
When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

New American Standard Bible
When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And when his armour bearer sawe that Saul was dead, he fell likewise vpon his sword, & dyed with him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, so he also fell on his sword and died with him.

Contemporary English Version
When the soldier knew that Saul was dead, he killed himself in the same way.

Complete Jewish Bible
When his armor-bearer saw that Sha'ul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died with him.

Darby Translation
And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on his sword, and died with him.

Easy-to-Read Version
When the helper saw that Saul was dead, he took out his own sword, fell on it, and died there with Saul.

George Lamsa Translation
And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

Good News Translation
The young man saw that Saul was dead, so he too threw himself on his own sword and died with Saul.

Literal Translation
And his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, and he also fell on his sword and died with him.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Now whan his wapenbearer sawe that Saul was deed, he fell also vpon his swerde, and dyed with him.

American Standard Version
And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.

Bible in Basic English
And when his servant saw that Saul was dead, he did the same, and was united with him in death.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when his harnesse bearer sawe that Saul was dead, he fell lykewise vpon his sword, and dyed with him.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.

King James Version (1611)
And when his armour bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise vpon his sword, and died with him.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, and he fell also himself upon his sword, and died with him.

English Revised Version
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.

Berean Standard Bible
When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died with him.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne his squyer hadde seyn this, `that is, that Saul was deed, also he felde on his swerd and was deed with hym.

Young's Literal Translation
And the bearer of his weapons seeth that Saul [is] dead, and he falleth -- he also -- on his sword, and dieth with him;

Update Bible Version
And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.

Webster's Bible Translation
And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

World English Bible
When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.

New King James Version
And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him.

New Living Translation
When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he fell on his own sword and died beside the king.

New Life Bible
When the one who carried his battle-clothes saw that Saul was dead, he fell on his sword also, and died with him.

New Revised Standard
When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also, fell upon his sword, and died with him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when his armourbearer saw this, to wit, that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.

Revised Standard Version
And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword, and died with him.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

Contextual Overview

¹The Philistines made war on Israel. The men of Israel were in full retreat from the Philistines, falling left and right, wounded on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, Saul's sons. ³The battle was hot and heavy around Saul. The archers got his range and wounded him badly. Saul said to his weapon bearer, "Draw your sword and put me out of my misery, lest these pagan pigs come and make a game out of killing me." But his weapon bearer wouldn't do it. He was terrified. So Saul took the sword himself and fell on it. When the weapon bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, and his weapon bearer—the men closest to him—died together that day. When the Israelites in the valley opposite and those on the other side of the Jordan saw that their army was in full retreat and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left their cities and ran for their lives. The Philistines moved in and occupied the sites. The next day, when the Philistines came to rob the dead, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. They cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. Then they spread the good news all through Philistine country in the shrines of their idols and among the people. They displayed his armor in the shrine of the Ashtoreth. They nailed his corpse to the wall at Beth Shan. The people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. Their valiant men sprang into action. They traveled all night, took the corpses of Saul and his three sons from the wall at Beth Shan, and carried them back to Jabesh and burned off the flesh. They then buried the bones under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted in mourning for seven days. ⁵Saul and Jonathan, Dead on the Mountain The Philistines made war on Israel. The men of Israel were in full retreat from the Philistines, falling left and right, wounded on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, Saul's sons. The battle was hot and heavy around Saul. The archers got his range and wounded him badly. Saul said to his weapon bearer, "Draw your sword and put me out of my misery, lest these pagan pigs come and make a game out of killing me." But his weapon bearer wouldn't do it. He was terrified. So Saul took the sword himself and fell on it. When the weapon bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, and his weapon bearer—the men closest to him—died together that day. When the Israelites in the valley opposite and those on the other side of the Jordan saw that their army was in full retreat and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left their cities and ran for their lives. The Philistines moved in and occupied the sites. The next day, when the Philistines came to rob the dead, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. They cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. Then they spread the good news all through Philistine country in the shrines of their idols and among the people. They displayed his armor in the shrine of the Ashtoreth. They nailed his corpse to the wall at Beth Shan. The people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. Their valiant men sprang into action. They traveled all night, took the corpses of Saul and his three sons from the wall at Beth Shan, and carried them back to Jabesh and burned off the flesh. They then buried the bones under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted in mourning for seven days. ⁶Saul and Jonathan, Dead on the Mountain The Philistines made war on Israel. The men of Israel were in full retreat from the Philistines, falling left and right, wounded on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, Saul's sons. The battle was hot and heavy around Saul. The archers got his range and wounded him badly. Saul said to his weapon bearer, "Draw your sword and put me out of my misery, lest these pagan pigs come and make a game out of killing me." But his weapon bearer wouldn't do it. He was terrified. So Saul took the sword himself and fell on it. When the weapon bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, and his weapon bearer—the men closest to him—died together that day. ⁷ When the Israelites in the valley opposite and those on the other side of the Jordan saw that their army was in full retreat and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left their cities and ran for their lives. The Philistines moved in and occupied the sites.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Chronicles 10:5

Reciprocal: Judges 8:21 - Rise thou Judges 9:54 - Draw thy 2 Samuel 1:10 - slew 2 Samuel 17:23 - and hanged 1 Kings 16:18 - and burnt the king's house Psalms 119:96 - I have seen Matthew 27:5 - and departed Acts 16:27 - he drew

Cross-References

Genesis 21:22
At about that same time, Abimelech and the captain of his troops, Phicol, spoke to Abraham: "No matter what you do, God is on your side. So swear to me that you won't do anything underhanded to me or any of my family. For as long as you live here, swear that you'll treat me and my land as well as I've treated you."

Genesis 31:3
That's when God said to Jacob, "Go back home where you were born. I'll go with you."

Genesis 32:9
And then Jacob prayed, "God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, God who told me, ‘Go back to your parents' homeland and I'll treat you well.' I don't deserve all the love and loyalty you've shown me. When I left here and crossed the Jordan I only had the clothes on my back, and now look at me—two camps! Save me, please, from the violence of my brother, my angry brother! I'm afraid he'll come and attack us all, me, the mothers and the children. You yourself said, ‘I will treat you well; I'll make your descendants like the sands of the sea, far too many to count.'"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead,.... By his own hands, and not by the hands of the Amalekite, which the armour bearer would scarcely have suffered:

he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him; some think that Saul, and his armourbearer, died by the same sword, which was the armourbearer's; and if he was Doeg, they fell probably by the same sword with which the priests of the Lord were murdered at Nob, 1 Samuel 22:18; and it is observed by an historian d, that the murderers of Julius Caesar slew themselves with the same dagger they destroyed him.

d Sucton. Vit. Caesar. c. 89.