1 Chronicles 10:5 kjv
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.
1 Chronicles 10:5 nkjv
And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died.
1 Chronicles 10:5 niv
When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died.
1 Chronicles 10:5 esv
And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died.
1 Chronicles 10:5 nlt
When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he fell on his own sword and died.
1 Chronicles 10 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 31:4 | Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, lest these uncircumcised come... So his armor-bearer refused, for he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell upon it." | Parallel account of Saul's death, initial refusal. |
| 1 Sam 31:5 | When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. | Direct parallel, confirming the act. |
| 1 Sam 31:6 | So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer, and all his men on that day, died together. | Consolidates the comprehensive defeat and shared fate. |
| 1 Chron 10:4 | Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through... But his armor-bearer would not... So Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.” | The Chronicler's parallel account of Saul's instruction and act. |
| 1 Chron 10:13 | So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the LORD... | Chronicler explicitly states the reason for Saul's death. |
| 1 Chron 10:14 | and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance... He did not seek guidance from the LORD. Therefore the LORD put him to death... | Highlights Saul's spiritual transgression as cause of ruin. |
| Judg 9:54 | Then Abimelech quickly called to his armor-bearer... "draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" | Another example of a warrior seeking death by armor-bearer's hand. |
| Judg 16:30 | And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell... | Example of self-imposed death, but different motive (victory). |
| 2 Sam 1:10 | So I stood over him and killed him, for I was sure that he could not live... | The Amalekite's conflicting account, indicating different narrative. |
| 2 Sam 17:23 | When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey... and hanged himself. | Example of suicide from despair over unheeded counsel. |
| 1 Kgs 16:18-19 | When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel... and burned the king's house over himself... | Another king's self-inflicted death during defeat. |
| Matt 27:5 | And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. | Judas Iscariot's suicide as consequence of despair and guilt. |
| Prov 1:32 | For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them. | Implied consequence of not adhering to wisdom, similar to Saul's fate. |
| Psa 75:6-7 | For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another. | Divine sovereignty over kingship, as seen in Saul's downfall. |
| Jer 1:10 | See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow... | God's power to raise and depose kingdoms and leaders. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and installs kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. | God's absolute control over earthly rulers and their fates. |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Saul's death exemplifies sin's wages, in contrast to God's gift. |
| Heb 9:27 | And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this comes judgment... | Emphasizes the certainty of physical death and subsequent judgment. |
| Rev 19:18 | that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all men... | Description of utter defeat and death in a final battle context. |
1 Chronicles 10 verses
1 Chronicles 10 5 Meaning
This verse details the immediate consequence of King Saul's death during the Battle of Gilboa. Upon witnessing his master's demise, Saul's armor-bearer also chooses to end his life by falling on his own sword, thereby dying alongside Saul. It signifies extreme loyalty, desperation, and the complete collapse of Saul's military and personal retinue. The act underscores the tragic and final end of Israel's first king and those intimately associated with his reign.
1 Chronicles 10 5 Context
First Chronicles chapter 10 recounts the tragic death of King Saul, marking the end of his tumultuous reign and the conclusion of Israel's first monarchy. The preceding verses (1 Chron 10:1-4) describe the fierce battle between Israel and the Philistines on Mount Gilboa, resulting in Israel's rout and the death of Saul's three sons. When mortally wounded and facing imminent capture and abuse, Saul attempted to get his armor-bearer to kill him, but the armor-bearer refused. Saul then fell upon his own sword. Verse 5 follows immediately, detailing the armor-bearer's choice to likewise die. This serves as the bleak backdrop for the rise of King David, whose anointing and kingship form the primary focus of the Chronicler's narrative in the subsequent chapters, contrasting David's faithfulness with Saul's ultimate disobedience.
1 Chronicles 10 5 Word analysis
When his armor-bearer (וַיַּרְא נֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו - vayyar' nōśē’ khēlāyw):
- armor-bearer (נֹשֵׂא כֵלָיו - nōśē’ khēlāyw): Literally, "bearer of his vessels/equipment." This person was a trusted attendant, often a high-ranking officer or noble's son, responsible for carrying the main warrior's weapons and often fighting alongside him. His position indicated closeness and profound loyalty, or obligation. His act is one of deep despair or utmost faithfulness.
- When his ... saw (וַיַּרְא - vayyar'): From the verb "to see" (ra'ah). This denotes direct observation and immediate comprehension. It was a direct, visual confirmation that prompted his drastic action.
that Saul was dead (כִּי־מֵת שָׁאוּל - kî-mēt shā’ûl):
- dead (מֵת - mēt): Confirms the definitive, irreversible state of death for King Saul. This realization seals the armor-bearer's fate and marks the finality of Saul's rule.
he also (גַּם־הוּא - gam-hû'):
- also (גַּם - gam): An emphasizing particle, stressing parallelism. It highlights that the armor-bearer followed the exact same fate and method of death as his king, indicating a shared, desolate end.
fell on his sword (וַיִּפֹּל גַּם־הוּא עַל־הַחֶרֶב - vayyippol gam-hû' ‘al-haḥerev):
- fell (וַיִּפֹּל - vayyipol): From the verb "to fall" (naphal). In this context, it describes the active act of throwing oneself onto a blade, a form of suicide. This parallels Saul's earlier action.
- sword (הַחֶרֶב - haḥerev): The personal weapon, now turned upon its owner, serving as the instrument of death for both king and attendant.
and died with him (וַיָּמָת עִמּוֹ - vayyāmot ‘immo):
- died (וַיָּמָת - vayyāmot): Confirms the successful completion of the suicidal act.
- with him (עִמּוֹ - ‘immo): Emphasizes the shared demise, a fate sealed by association and shared despair rather than covenant fidelity to God. This phrase underscores the comprehensive defeat and shared end of those tied to Saul's failed leadership.
When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead: This phrase establishes the direct catalyst for the armor-bearer's action. His visual confirmation of his king's death removes any other option or hope for him, reflecting a moment of profound despair.
he also fell on his sword and died with him: This segment portrays the armor-bearer's act as a mirroring of Saul's fate. It signifies an ultimate act of loyalty, despair, or perhaps fear of capture and torture by the Philistines. Their deaths side-by-side symbolize the complete end of Saul's rule and his immediate sphere of influence, presenting a scene of utter defeat and personal ruin.
1 Chronicles 10 5 Bonus section
The Chronicler's inclusion of this detail about the armor-bearer's death aligns closely with the account in 1 Samuel 31, validating its historicity for the post-exilic audience. While suicide is rare in biblical narrative, its presence here highlights ultimate despair and the absence of divine hope. Unlike instances of sacrificial death for a greater cause (e.g., Christ), this act of falling on the sword for both Saul and his armor-bearer underscores a complete failure and the tragic end of an era. The Chronicler emphasizes Saul's disobedience (1 Chron 10:13-14) as the root cause of this widespread calamity, linking spiritual unfaithfulness to practical and ultimately fatal consequences for the king, his sons, and even his devoted servant.
1 Chronicles 10 5 Commentary
This verse provides a concise and stark account of the armor-bearer's loyalty or despair, mirroring Saul's own demise. The Chronicler, drawing heavily from 1 Samuel, includes this detail to emphasize the total and tragic collapse of Saul's reign, underscoring the completeness of the divine judgment upon him. The armor-bearer's self-inflicted death, identical to his king's, serves as a poignant illustration of the "wages of sin" extending beyond the direct perpetrator to those intimately associated with them, showing the ripple effect of unfaithfulness to God. It presents a clear contrast to David's later, divinely supported reign. The absence of specific praise or condemnation for this act within the narrative framework implies it as a historical consequence, consistent with the chronicler's focus on the why of Saul's fall, namely his spiritual dereliction (1 Chron 10:13-14), which ultimately left him and his most devoted servant without hope or recourse in the face of defeat. This tragic ending highlights the futility and desperation that results when leaders and their followers abandon true faith and seek help outside of God.