1 Samuel 31:1

Saul’s Overthrow and Death

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. ¹

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 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

2 The Philistines hotly pursued Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.

3 When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him critically.

4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

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

Cross References

• 1. (2 Samuel 1:1–16; 1 Chronicles 10:1–6)