1 Samuel 31:1-6 NVIPT

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Samuel 31:1

THE DEATH OF SAUL AND HIS SONS ON MOUNT GILBOA"Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard upon Saul, and the archers found him; and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer. "Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these... read more

Thomas Coke

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

1 Samuel 31:1. Now the Philistines fought against Israel— That is, as most interpreters understand it, began to fight against, or attacked, the Israelites. The word נלחמים nilchamim, as Dr. Delaney observes, might as properly have been rendered assaulted. He is of opinion, not only that the Philistines attacked Saul in his camp, but that they did so soon after his return from Endor, and that, probably, they were encouraged to this attempt by some secret information of Saul's having stolen out... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 31:2

1 Samuel 31:2. And the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, &c.— Ish-bosheth probably either was not in the battle, or escaped by flight. Thus the prediction of Samuel was fulfilled. But who can forbear to drop a tear over the faithful, the amiable, the excellent Jonathan. There are few characters among men more lovely, or more extraordinary: fortitude, fidelity, magnanimity; a soul susceptible of the most refined friendship, and superior to all the temptations of ambition and vanity;... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 31:3

1 Samuel 31:3. And the archers hit him— Houbigant renders this verse thus, Then the battle going hard against Saul, the archers rushed upon him, from whom he received a great wound. Saul, says he, would hardly have commanded his armour-bearer to kill him, if he had not been in a desperate state. The words, lest they thrust me through and abuse me, are not to be separated. Saul was not so much afraid of being killed, as of being abused, by these insulting enemies. Commentators observe, that... 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

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 31:6

1 Samuel 31:6. So Saul died— Josephus runs out into high encomiums upon Saul, who, knowing that he was to die, thus gallantly exposed himself for his country. But, in truth, there is not the least room for panegyrick. He died, not gallantly fighting, but by his own hand. He died, not as a hero, but as a deserter. Self-murder is demonstrably the effect of cowardice, and it is as irrational and iniquitous as it is base. God, whose creatures we are, is the sole arbiter, as he is the sole author of... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 31:1

1. Now the Philistines fought against Israel—In a regular engagement, in which the two armies met (1 Samuel 28:1-4), the Israelites were forced to give way, being annoyed by the arrows of the enemy, which, destroying them at a distance before they came to close combat, threw them into panic and disorder. Taking advantage of the heights of Mount Gilboa, [the Israelites] attempted to rally, but in vain. Saul and his sons fought like heroes; but the onset of the Philistines being at length mainly... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 31:3

3-5. 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 (Joshua 8:29; Joshua 10:24; Judges 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, according to Jewish writers, was... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 31:6

6. So Saul died—(see on :-; :-). and his three sons—The influence of a directing Providence is evidently to be traced in permitting the death of Saul's three eldest and most energetic sons, particularly that of Jonathan, for whom, had he survived his father, a strong party would undoubtedly have risen and thus obstructed the path of David to the throne. and all his men, that same day together—his servants or bodyguard ( :-). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 31:1-6

The battle of Mt Gilboa 31:1-6God had announced that Saul would deliver His people from the hand of the Philistines (1 Samuel 9:16). However, Saul frustrated God’s purpose by not following the Lord faithfully. Consequently the Philistines got the better of Saul and his soldiers (cf. Joshua 1:7-9). This battle took place in 1011 B.C., the last year of Saul’s reign. Three other important battles took place nearby in the Jezreel Valley: Deborah and Barak’s defeat of Sisera (Judges 4:15; Judges... read more

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Samuel 31:1

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

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 31:2

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 31:3

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

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 Samuel 31:6

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 31:1

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 31:3

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 31:6

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 31:1-6

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