King James Version

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.

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…שָׁאוּל֩shaulShaulשָׁאוּלnoun, proper name — “Shaul”H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two IsraelitesSaul, Shaul.לְנֹשֵׂ֨אlenoseto lift upנָשָׂאpreposition, verb, qal, participle, construct — “to lift up”, a verb used as a describing wordH5375to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relativeaccept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable…כֵלָ֜יוkhelayvvesselכְּלִיnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “vessel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3627something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon)armour(-bearer), artillery, bag, carriage, [phrase] furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, [idiom] one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, [phrase] psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, [phrase] w…שְׁלֹ֥ףshelofdrawשָׁלַףverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “draw”, a commandH8025to pull out, up or offdraw (off), grow up, pluck off.חַרְבְּךָ֣charbekhaknifeחֶרֶבnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “knife”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.וְדָקְרֵ֣נִיvedaqereniand pierceדָּקַרconjunction, verb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and pierce”, a commandH1856to stab; by analogy, to starve; figuratively, to revilepierce, strike (thrust) through, wound.בָ֗הּvahinבָ֗הּpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “in”inפֶּןpenthat...notפֵּןconjunction — “that...not”H6435properly, removal; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest(lest) (peradventure), that...not.יָ֠בוֹאוּyavovto comeבּוֹאverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to come”, an unfinished actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…הָעֲרֵלִ֨יםhaarelimthe uncircumcisedעָרֵלdefinite article, adjective, adjective, masculine, plural, absolute — “the uncircumcised”, the ordinary formH6189uncircumcised (i.e. still having the prepuce uncurtailed)uncircumcised (person).הָאֵ֤לֶּהhaelehthe theseאֵלֶּהdefinite article, pronoun, demonstrative, common, plural — “the these”H428these or thosean-(the) other; one sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those, thus, which, who(-m).וּדְקָרֻ֨נִי֙udeqaruniand pierceדָּקַרconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and pierce”, a completed actionH1856to stab; by analogy, to starve; figuratively, to revilepierce, strike (thrust) through, wound.וְהִתְעַלְּלוּvehitallvand gleanעָלַלconjunction, verb, hithpael, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “and glean”, a completed actionH5953to effect thoroughly; specifically, to glean (also figuratively); by implication (in a bad sense) to overdo, i.e. maltreat, be saucy to, pain, impose (also literal)abuse, affect, [idiom] child, defile, do, glean, mock, practise, thoroughly, work (wonderfully).בִ֔יviinבִ֔יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “in”inוְלֹ֤אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…אָבָה֙avahbe willingאָבָהverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be willing”, a completed actionH14to breathe after, i.e. (figuratively) to be acquiescentconsent, rest content will, be willing.נֹשֵׂ֣אnoselift upנָשָׂאverb, qal, participle, construct — “lift up”, a verb used as a describing wordH5375to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relativeaccept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable…כֵלָ֔יוkhelayvvesselכְּלִיnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “vessel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3627something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon)armour(-bearer), artillery, bag, carriage, [phrase] furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, [idiom] one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, [phrase] psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, [phrase] w…כִּ֥יkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…יָרֵ֖אyarefearיָרֵאverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “fear”, a completed actionH3372to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frightenaffright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in) fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), [idiom] see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).מְאֹ֑דmeodespeciallyמְאֹדadverb — “especially”H3966properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated)diligently, especially, exceeding(-ly), far, fast, good, great(-ly), [idiom] louder and louder, might(-ily, -y), (so) much, quickly, (so) sore, utterly, very ([phrase] much, sore), well.וַיִּקַּ֤חvayiqachand takeלָקַחconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and take”, the next action in the storyH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.שָׁאוּל֙shaulShaulשָׁאוּלnoun, proper name — “Shaul”H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two IsraelitesSaul, Shaul.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).הַחֶ֔רֶבhacherevthe knifeחֶרֶבdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the knife”, the ordinary formH2719drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implementaxe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.וַיִּפֹּ֖לvayipoland fallנָפַלconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and fall”, the next action in the storyH5307to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative)be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for H6419 (פָּלַל…עָלֶֽיהָaleyhaaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

Then said Saul to his armour-bearer: 'Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, 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.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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

Young’s Literal Translation

and Saul saith to the bearer of his weapons, 'Draw thy sword, and pierce me with it, lest they come — these uncircumcised — and have pierced me, and rolled themselves on me;' and the bearer of his weapons hath not been willing, for he is greatly afraid, and Saul taketh the sword, and falleth 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 thrust me through and abuse me!” But his armor bearer would not, for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.

Darby Translation

Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.

Douay-Rheims

Then Saul said to his armourbearer: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest these uncircumcised come, and slay me, and mock at me. And his armourbearer would not: for he was struck with exceeding great fear. Then Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

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

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ πρὸς τὸν αἴροντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, σπάσαι τὴν ῥομφαίαν σου καὶ ἀποκέντησόν με ἐν αὐτῇ, μὴ ἔλθωσιν οἱ ἀπερίτμητοι οὗτοι καὶ ἀποκεντήσωσί με καὶ ἐμπαίξωσιν ἐμοί· καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐφοβήθη σφόδρα· καὶ ἔλαβε Σαοὺλ τὴν ῥομφαίαν, καὶ ἐπέπεσεν ἐπʼ αὐτήν.