And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.
The battle went sore against Saul ... and he was sore wounded of the archers. [The Septuagint has eis ta hupochondria, in the bowels.] He seems to have bravely maintained his ground for some time longer, but exhausted with fatigue and loss of blood, and dreading that if he fell alive into the enemy's hands they would insolently maltreat him (Joshua 8:29; Joshua 10:24; Judges 8:21), he requested his armour-bearer to despatch him, which, however, that officer refused to do. Saul then, falling on the point of his sword, killed himself, and the armour-bearer, who, according to Jewish writers, was Doeg, following the example of his master, put end to his life also.