And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.

1 SAMUEL 31:2KJV
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1 Samuel 31:2 (KJV)

What does 1 Samuel 31:2 mean?

1 Samuel 31:2 describes how the Philistines caught up to Saul and his sons during a battle and killed three of Saul’s sons: Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. This verse marks a turning point in the story, showing the defeat of Saul’s family at the hands of their enemies.

The scene takes place on the battlefield, where the Philistines are pursuing the Israelite king Saul and his sons. The verse lists the names of Saul’s sons who were killed, emphasizing the personal and national loss for Israel. This event sets the stage for the end of Saul’s reign and the transition to a new chapter in Israel’s history.

The Hebrew behind 1 Samuel 31:2

  • "hard" (דָּבַק, dāvaq): This word means to cling closely or pursue intensely. Here, it highlights how relentless the Philistines were in chasing Saul and his sons, not just following but pressing in until they caught them.
  • "slew" (נָכָה, nākhāh): This verb means to strike down or kill. The use of this word makes clear that the deaths of Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua were direct and violent, not accidental or incidental.

Why 1 Samuel 31:2 matters

  • This verse shows the personal cost of the battle for Saul, as he loses his sons, including Jonathan, who was a close friend of David and a respected leader.
  • The defeat of Saul’s sons signals the collapse of Saul’s dynasty and the vulnerability of Israel’s leadership at this moment.
  • By naming the sons who died, the verse connects to earlier stories about Saul’s family, reminding the reader of their roles and the tragedy of their loss.

Where else these words appear

“Malchishua” Hebrew H4444 · used in 5 verses

  • 1 Samuel 14:49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:
  • 1 Chronicles 8:33 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
  • 1 Chronicles 9:39 And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

“Abinadab” Hebrew H41 · used in 11 verses

  • 1 Samuel 7:1 And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
  • 2 Samuel 6:3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.
  • 1 Chronicles 8:33 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

“hard” Hebrew H1692 · used in 52 verses

  • Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
  • Judges 20:42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
  • Job 31:7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

“Jonathan” Hebrew H3083 · used in 73 verses

  • Judges 18:30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
  • 1 Samuel 20:28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem:
  • 2 Samuel 9:6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!