1 Chronicles 10:4
New International Version
Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.” But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

New Living Translation
Saul groaned to his armor bearer, “Take your sword and kill me before these pagan Philistines come to taunt and torture me.” But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

English Standard Version
Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.

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

King James Bible
Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

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

New American Standard Bible
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised Philistines will come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was very afraid. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

NASB 1995
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.

NASB 1977
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer was not willing, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it.

Amplified Bible
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised [Philistines] will come and abuse and humiliate me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

Christian Standard Bible
Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me.” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!” But his armor-bearer wouldn’t do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it.

American Standard Version
Then said Saul unto his armor-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armor-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Shaul said to his armor Bearer: “Draw out your sword and run me through with it before these uncircumcised will come and kill me, and they would perform torture on me!” And his Armor Bearer was unwilling because he was very afraid, and Shaul drew his sword and he fell upon it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Saul said to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and pierce me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and mock me. But his armour-bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid: so Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

Contemporary English Version
Saul told the soldier who carried his weapons, "Kill me with your sword! I don't want those godless Philistines to torture and make fun of me." But the soldier was afraid to kill him. Then Saul stuck himself in the stomach with his own sword and fell on the blade.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul said to his armourbearer: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest these uncircumcised come, and mock me. But his armourbearer would not, for he was struck with fear: so Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.

English Revised Version
Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith: lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Saul told his armorbearer, "Draw your sword! Stab me, or these godless men will come and make fun of me." But his armorbearer refused because he was terrified. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.

Good News Translation
He said to the young man carrying his weapons, "Draw your sword and kill me, to keep these godless Philistines from gloating over me." But the young man was too terrified to do it. So Saul took his own sword and threw himself on it.

International Standard Version
Saul ordered his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised people will come and abuse me." But his armor bearer did not want to do it because he was very frightened, so Saul took the sword and fell on it.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then said Saul unto his armour-bearer: 'Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and make a mock of me.' But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.

Literal Standard Version
and Saul says to the bearer of his weapons, “Draw your sword and pierce me with it, lest these uncircumcised come and have abused me.” And the bearer of his weapons has not been willing, for he fears exceedingly, and Saul takes the sword, and falls on it;

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

New American Bible
Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through; otherwise these uncircumcised will come and abuse me.” But the armor-bearer, badly frightened, refused, so Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.

NET Bible
Saul told his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and stab me with it. Otherwise these uncircumcised people will come and torture me." But his armor bearer refused to do it, because he was very afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, so that these uncircumcised may not come and make sport of me.” But his armor-bearer was unwilling, for he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

New Heart English Bible
Then said Saul to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and torture me." But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell on it.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Saul to his armor-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armor-bearer would not; for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

World English Bible
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.

Young's Literal Translation
and Saul saith unto the bearer of his weapons, 'Draw thy sword, and pierce me with it, lest these uncircumcised come -- and have abused me.' And the bearer of his weapons hath not been willing, for he feareth exceedingly, and Saul taketh the sword, and falleth upon it;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Saul's Overthrow and Death
3When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him. 4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run it through me, or these uncircumcised men will come 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.…

Cross References
Judges 9:54
He quickly called his armor-bearer, saying, "Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" So Abimelech's armor-bearer ran his sword through him, and he died.

1 Samuel 31:4
Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run it through me, 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.

2 Samuel 1:6
"I happened to be on Mount Gilboa," he replied, "and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.

1 Chronicles 10:3
When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him.

1 Chronicles 10:5
When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died.


Treasury of Scripture

Then said Saul to his armor bearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell on it.

Draw

Judges 9:54
Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

uncircumcised

Judges 15:18
And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

1 Samuel 14:6
And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.

1 Samuel 17:26,36
And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? …

abuse.

Judges 16:21,23-25
But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house…

he was

1 Samuel 31:4
Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

2 Samuel 1:14-16
And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed? …

Saul took

1 Samuel 10:5
After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:

2 Samuel 1:9,10
He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me…

2 Samuel 17:23
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

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1 Chronicles 10
1. Saul's overthrow and death
8. The Philistines triumph over Saul
11. The kindness of Jabesh Gilead toward Saul and his sons
13. Saul's sin for which the kingdom was transferred from him to David














(4) And Saul said.--So Abimelech (Judges 9:54).

Lest these uncircumcised come.--Sam. Adds "and thrust me through." An inadvertent repetition there, or omission here, is possible. Or, we might say, Saul preferred death by a friendly stroke to the thrusts of insulting foemen.

And abuse me.--The Hebrew means, strictly, "to make a toy of," "sport with." "How I have made a toy of Egypt" (Exodus 10:2); and is used (Jeremiah 38:19) of insulting a fallen foe, as here.

Took a sword.--Literally, the sword--i.e., his sword.

Verse 4. - And abuse me. The main idea of the Hithp. of the verb here used is to satisfy the thirst of lust or cruelty. Saul probably feared not the abuse of mocking only, but that of torture. In the corresponding passage this verb is preceded by the clause, and thrust me through. His armour-bearer would not. He refused the request or bidding of Saul, no doubt mainly in respect of the fact that Saul was still "the anointed." We have a full description of both the loose arms and of the armour of the body in the case of the Philistine Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4-7). It is one of the world's surprising facts that the making of arms and armour, and the acquiring of skill in the using of them, should, as in fact all history attests, date from so early a period (Genesis 31:26; Genesis 34:25). As compared with the history and the fragmentary re. mains of classical antiquity, those of Scripture are remarkably scanty on this subject. The sword is the earliest mentioned in Scripture, carried in a sheath (1 Samuel 17:51; 2 Samuel 20:8; 1 Chronicles 21:27); though the Hebrew word is here different from that used in Samuel. It was slung by a girdle (1 Samuel 25:13), rested on hips or thigh (2 Samuel 20:8; Judges 3:16; Psalm 45:3), and was sometimes "two-edged" (Judges 3:16; Psalm 149:6). Then follows the spear in several varieties, as in 1 Samuel 17:7; 1 Chronicles 11:11; 1 Chronicles 20:5; 1 Chronicles 23:9. Again as a javelin (Joshua 8:14-25; Job 29:23; 1 Samuel 17:6, where in the Authorized Version it is called target, or gorget). Again as a lancet (1 Kings 18:28; 1 Chronicles 12:8, 24; 2 Chronicles 11:12; Nehemiah 4:13; Ezekiel 39:9). In addition to these three chief varieties of spear - the spear proper, the javelin, end the lancet - there is mention of two other weapons used at all events as the dart of a light kind would be used, in 2 Chronicles 23:10, and elsewhere, and in 2 Samuel 8:14, respectively. After sword and spear rank the bow and arrow (Genesis 21:20; 1 Samuel 31:3; 1 Chronicles 8:40; 1 Chronicles 12:2; Psalm 68:9; Psalm 120:4; Job 6:4) And lastly, the sling (Judges 20:16; 1 Samuel 25:29; 2 Kings 3:25), and a very strong weapon of the same kind mentioned in 2 Chronicles 26:15. The chief articles worn as bodily armour were the breastplate (1 Samuel 17:5, 38); the somewhat obscure habergeon, mentioned only twice, in no connection then of battle (Exodus 28:32; Exodus 39:23), the original name of which, tacharah, is found on Egyptian papyri of the nineteenth dynasty, - it seems to have been a species of doublet or corselet; the helmet (1 Samuel 17:5; ch. 26:14; Ezekiel 27:10); greaves (1 Samuel 17:6); two kinds of shield (1 Samuel 17:7, 41, compared with 1 Kings 10:16; 2 Chronicles 9:15); and lastly the article mentioned in 2 Samuel 8:7; 1 Chronicles 18:7; 2 Kings 11:10; 2 Chronicles 23:9; Song of Solomon 4:4; Jeremiah 51:11; Ezekiel 27:11; and of which we can say nothing certainly bearing upon its nature or its use, except that it was made of gold. Armour-bearers, then, the first distinct mention of whom we find in Judges 9:54, may well have been a necessity for kings and for the great. Joab had ten (2 Samuel 18:15). The word is not expressed as a compound in Hebrew, but as "one carrying (כֵלַים) arms."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Saul
שָׁאוּל֩ (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

said
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

his armor-bearer,
נֹשֵׂ֨א (nō·śê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

“Draw
שְׁלֹ֥ף (šə·lōp̄)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8025: To pull out, up, off

your sword
חַרְבְּךָ֣ ׀ (ḥar·bə·ḵā)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

and run it through me,
וְדָקְרֵ֣נִי (wə·ḏā·qə·rê·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 1856: To stab, to starve, to revile

or
פֶּן־ (pen-)
Conjunction
Strong's 6435: Removal, lest

these
הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

uncircumcised men
הָעֲרֵלִ֤ים (hā·‘ă·rê·lîm)
Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6189: Having foreskin (uncircumcised)

will come
יָבֹ֜אוּ (yā·ḇō·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

and torture me!”
וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־ (wə·hiṯ·‘al·lə·lū-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5953: To effect thoroughly, to glean, to overdo, maltreat, be saucy to, pain, impose

But his armor-bearer
נֹשֵׂ֣א (nō·śê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

refused,
וְלֹ֤א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

because
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he was terrified.
יָרֵ֖א (yā·rê)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

So Saul
שָׁאוּל֙ (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

took
וַיִּקַּ֤ח (way·yiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

his own sword
הַחֶ֔רֶב (ha·ḥe·reḇ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

and fell
וַיִּפֹּ֖ל (way·yip·pōl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

on it.
עָלֶֽיהָ׃ (‘ā·le·hā)
Preposition | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against


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OT History: 1 Chronicles 10:4 Then said Saul to his armor bearer (1 Chron. 1Ch iCh i Ch 1 chr 1chr)
1 Chronicles 10:3
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