Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Chronicles 10:3

And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.

3. the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers ] R.V. the archers overtook him; and he was distressed by reason of the archers.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1Ch 10:3

And the battle went sore against Saul.

The death of Saul

Learn

I. That a splendid beginning may have an awful ending.

II. That Divine judgments overtake mens sins.

III. That in national calamities the godly suffer with the ungodly. (J. Wolfendale.)

The departure of God, the departure of strength

Why was the battle sore against the king of Israel? Saul believes himself to be forsaken of God, and therefore to have become the sport of man. Here we are reminded of the analogy of the vine and the branches. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can the Church make vital and faithful progress, except by continual fellowship with God. Saul was muscular as ever, as ambitious as ever, and as energetic as ever; but he had lost the consciousness of the nearness of the Almighty. What are all church buildings, formularies, ceremonies, pecuniary resources, literary achievements, when the Spirit of God has been grieved or quenched? (J. Parker, D. D.)

An unblest leader does not necessarily represent an unblest cause

Although the battle went sore against Saul, we must not suppose that Saul represented an unblest cause. The reason may be in Saul himself, rather than in the cause for which he fought. Sometimes leaders, captains, and commanders have to be overborne or displaced, in order that the great cause which they fail to grasp, and adequately to represent, may vindicate its own claim to a position of confidence and honour. It does not follow that because a man has been once a leader, that he must be always at the head of the army. Sometimes by the infirmity of old age the very princes of the Church are displaced and put behind. There are some trusts which we only keep as long as we keep our character. (J. Wolfendale.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

3. the battle went sore againstSaul; and the archers hit him, and he was woundedThe Hebrewwords may be thus rendered: “The archers found (attacked) him,and he feared the archers.” He was not wounded, at least notdangerously, when he resolved on committing suicide. The deed was theeffect of sudden terror and overwhelming depression of spirits[CALMET].

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

[See comments on 1Sa 31:3]

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(3) The battle went sore against Saul.Literally, was heavy upon (Samuel, unto) him, like a burden weighing him to the earth.

And the archers hit him.Literally, And they that shoot with the bow came upon him; and he shuddered (Sam., greatly) before the shooters. He shuddered or trembled (Deu. 2:25). The verb is properly to writhe, travail (Isa. 23:4). Sauls deadly terror was natural. He believed himself forsaken of God, and stood now, after a lost battle, beset by murderous foes, whom he could not reach. There was no chance of a fair hand to hand encounter. The Heb. word for archers is the same in both places in Sam. (mrm); here a rarer form (yrm, 2Ch. 35:23) fills the second place. The Philistines were from Egypt, and the bow was a favourite Egyptian arm. The hieroglyph for soldier (menfat) is a man with bow and quiver.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

1Ch 10:3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.

Ver. 3. And the battle went sore against Saul. ] The weight of the war was turned against him. See the like policy used, 1Ki 22:31 . This is the right bird, said that officer of the cuirassiers, a who shot the king of Sweden through the body at the battle of Lutzen.

And he was wounded of the archers. ] Heb., He was grieved, or frighted: he, who by his tyranny had been terrible and grievous to others, &c., his sin hath found him out, being worse than any archer’s.

a A horse soldier wearing a cuirass.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

went: 1Sa 31:3-6, 2Sa 1:4-10, Amo 2:14

archers: Heb. shooters with bows

hit: Heb. found

he was: Gen 49:23, Gen 49:24

Reciprocal: Psa 64:7 – shall they be wounded

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge