1 Samuel

1 Samuel 31:1–6

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

2The Philistines hotly pursued Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. 3When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him critically.

4Then 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.

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

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

Read all of 1 Samuel 31

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Samuel 31:1

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Now the Philistinesוּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖יםū·p̄ə·liš·tîmConjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine pluralH6430 Philistine
foughtנִלְחָמִ֣יםnil·ḥā·mîmVerb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralH3898 fight, do battle
against Israelבְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לbə·yiś·rā·’êlPreposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
and the menאַנְשֵׁ֤י’an·šêNoun - masculine plural constructH582 man, mankind
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙yiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
fledוַיָּנֻ֜סוּway·yā·nu·sūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5127 flee, escape
beforeמִפְּנֵ֣יmip·pə·nêPreposition-m; Noun - common plural constructH6440 face, before
themפְלִשְׁתִּ֔יםp̄ə·liš·tîmNoun - proper - masculine pluralH6430 Philistine
andוַיִּפְּל֥וּway·yip·pə·lūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5307 fall, lie
slainחֲלָלִ֖יםḥă·lā·lîmNoun - masculine pluralH2491 pierced
on Mountבְּהַ֥רbə·harPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH2022 mountain, hill, hill-country
Gilboaהַגִּלְבֹּֽעַ׃hag·gil·bō·a‘Article; Noun - proper - feminine singularH1533 Gilboa`

1 Samuel 31:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The Philistinesפְלִשְׁתִּ֔יםp̄ə·liš·tîmNoun - proper - masculine pluralH6430 Philistine
hotly pursuedוַיַּדְבְּק֣וּway·yaḏ·bə·qūConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH1692 cling, cleave, keep close
Saulשָׁא֖וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
and his sonsבָּנָ֑יוbā·nāwNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH1121 son
and they killedוַיַּכּ֣וּway·yak·kūConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5221 smite
Saul’sשָׁאֽוּל׃šā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
sonsבְּנֵ֥יbə·nêNoun - masculine plural constructH1121 son
Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָ֧ןyə·hō·w·nā·ṯānNoun - proper - masculine singularH3083 Jehonathan
Abinadabאֲבִינָדָ֛ב’ă·ḇî·nā·ḏāḇNoun - proper - masculine singularH41 Abinadab
andוְאֶת־wə·’eṯ-Conjunctive waw; Direct object markerH853 mark of the accusative
Malchishuaשׁ֖וּעַšū·a‘Noun - proper - masculine singularH4444 Malkishua

1 Samuel 31:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
When the battleהַמִּלְחָמָה֙ham·mil·ḥā·māhArticle; Noun - feminine singularH4421 battle, war
intensifiedוַתִּכְבַּ֤דwat·tiḵ·baḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH3513 be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured
againstאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Saulשָׁא֔וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
the archersהַמּוֹרִ֖יםham·mō·w·rîmArticle; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralH3384 throw, shoot
overtook himוַיִּמְצָאֻ֥הוּway·yim·ṣā·’u·hūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine singularH4672 attain to, find
and wounded himוַיָּ֥חֶלway·yā·ḥelConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH2342 whirl, dance, writhe
criticallyמְאֹ֖דmə·’ōḏAdverbH3966 muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly

1 Samuel 31:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Saulשָׁאוּל֩šā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
to his armor-bearerלְנֹשֵׂ֨אlə·nō·śêPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructH5375 lift, take, carry
Drawשְׁלֹ֥ףšə·lōp̄Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH8025 draw out, off
your swordחַרְבְּךָ֣׀ḥar·bə·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH2719 sword
and run me throughוְדָקְרֵ֣נִיwə·ḏā·qə·rê·nîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singularH1856 pierce, pierce through
with itבָ֗הּḇāhPreposition; third person feminine singular
orפֶּן־pen-ConjunctionH6435 lest
theseהָאֵ֤לֶּהhā·’êl·lehArticle; Pronoun - common pluralH428 these
uncircumcised menהָעֲרֵלִ֨יםhā·‘ă·rê·lîmArticle; Adjective - masculine pluralH6189 having foreskin
will comeיָ֠בוֹאוּyā·ḇō·w·’ūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH935 come in, come, go in, go
and run me throughוּדְקָרֻ֙נִי֙ū·ḏə·qā·ru·nîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural; first person common singularH1856 pierce, pierce through
and tortureוְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־wə·hiṯ·‘al·lə·lū-Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralH5953 act severely
meבִ֔יḇîPreposition; first person common singular
But his armor-bearerנֹשֵׂ֣אnō·śêVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructH5375 lift, take, carry
was terrifiedיָרֵ֖אyā·rêVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH3372 fear
and refusedוְלֹ֤אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
to do itאָבָה֙’ā·ḇāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH14 be willing, consent
So Saulשָׁאוּל֙šā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
tookוַיִּקַּ֤חway·yiq·qaḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3947 take
his own swordהַחֶ֔רֶבha·ḥe·reḇArticle; Noun - feminine singularH2719 sword
and fellוַיִּפֹּ֖לway·yip·pōlConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5307 fall, lie
on itעָלֶֽיהָ׃‘ā·le·hāPreposition; third person feminine singularH5921 height

1 Samuel 31:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
When his armor-bearerנֹשֵֽׂא־nō·śê-Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructH5375 lift, take, carry
sawוַיַּ֥רְאway·yarConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7200 see
thatכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
Saulשָׁא֑וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
was deadמֵ֣תmêṯVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH4191 die
heה֛וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
tooגַּם־gam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
fellוַיִּפֹּ֥לway·yip·pōlConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH5307 fall, lie
onעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
his own swordחַרְבּ֖וֹḥar·bōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH2719 sword
and diedוַיָּ֥מָתway·yā·māṯConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH4191 die
with himעִמּֽוֹ׃‘im·mōwPreposition; third person masculine singularH5973 with

1 Samuel 31:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So Saulשָׁא֡וּלšā·’ūlNoun - proper - masculine singularH7586 Shaul
his threeוּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁתū·šə·lō·šeṯConjunctive waw; Number - masculine singular constructH7969 a three, triad
sonsבָּנָיו֩bā·nāwNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH1121 son
his armor-bearerוְנֹשֵׂ֨אwə·nō·śêConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular constructH5375 lift, take, carry
andגַּ֧םgamConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
his menאֲנָשָׁ֛יו’ă·nā·šāwNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH582 man, mankind
diedוַיָּ֣מָתway·yā·māṯConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH4191 die
togetherיַחְדָּֽו׃yaḥ·dāwAdverbH3162 unitedness
that sameהַה֖וּאha·hūArticle; Pronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
dayבַּיּ֥וֹםbay·yō·wmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Samuel 31:1 1 Chronicles 10:1–12 · 1 Samuel 28:4 · 2 Samuel 1:21

1 Samuel 31:2 1 Chronicles 8:33 · 1 Samuel 14:49

1 Samuel 31:3 2 Samuel 1:6

1 Samuel 31:4 Judges 9:54 · 2 Samuel 1:6 · 2 Samuel 1:9–10 · 2 Samuel 17:23 · 2 Samuel 1:20 · 1 Chronicles 10:4 · 1 Samuel 17:26 · 1 Samuel 14:6 · 1 Kings 16:27 · 2 Samuel 1:14 · 1 Samuel 17:36 · Judges 14:3

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.