1 Samuel 31:1

1 The Philistines fought a battle against the Israelites on Mount Gilboa. Many Israelites were killed there, and the rest of them, including King Saul and his sons, fled.

1 Samuel 31:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 31:1

Now the Philistines fought against Israel
Being come to Jezreel where Israel pitched, ( 1 Samuel 29:1 1 Samuel 29:11 ) ; they fell upon them, began the battle:

and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines;
at the first onset, as it should seem:

and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa;
which was near, and whither fleeing they were pursued and slain, at least great numbers of them.

1 Samuel 31:1 In-Context

1 The Philistines fought a battle against the Israelites on Mount Gilboa. Many Israelites were killed there, and the rest of them, including King Saul and his sons, fled.

2 But the Philistines caught up with them and killed three of Saul's sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.

3 The fighting was heavy around Saul, and he himself was hit by enemy arrows and badly wounded.

4 He said to the young man carrying his weapons, "Draw your sword and kill me, so that these godless Philistines won't gloat over me and kill me." But the young man was too terrified to do it. So Saul took his own sword and threw himself on it.

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