1 Samuel 31:6

6 So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day.

1 Samuel 31:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 31:6

So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer
Only with this difference, his three sons died honourably in the field of battle, but he and his armourbearer destroyed themselves. Josephus says ^F5 he reigned eighteen years in the life of Samuel, and after his death twenty two years, which make the forty years the apostle ascribes to him, ( Acts 13:21 ) ; Eupolemus ^F6, an Heathen writer, makes him to reign twenty one years; but of the years of his reign, both before and after the death of Samuel, chronologers are not agreed, see ( 1 Samuel 25:1 ) ; and (See Gill on Acts 13:21);

and all his men that same day together;
not all the soldiers in his army; for many of them fled and escaped, and even Abner the general of the army, but his household servants, or those that were near his person, his bodyguards.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 14. sect. 9.
F6 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 3. p. 447.

1 Samuel 31:6 In-Context

4 Then Saul said to his armorbearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me." But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it.

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

6 So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day.

7 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were on the other side of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

8 So it happened the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.