1 chronicles 10:3 - The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was distressed by reason of the archers.

Generated Verse: 1 chronicles 10:3

What does "1 chronicles 10:3" mean?


This verse from 1 Chronicles 10:3 describes a critical moment in the battle where King Saul and his army were facing a major defeat at the hands of the Philistines. Let's break down the meaning:

"The battle went hard against Saul...": This simply means that the battle was going very poorly for Saul and his forces. They were losing.
"...and the archers overtook him...": This indicates that Saul was within range of the Philistine archers. "Overtook" here suggests that the archers were able to target him effectively.
"...and he was distressed by reason of the archers.": This is the key part. Saul was suffering and in great pain (distressed) because he was being wounded or threatened by the arrows of the Philistine archers. The archers were a significant and debilitating problem for him personally.

In essence, the verse paints a picture of Saul in dire straits. He is losing the battle and is being targeted and injured by the enemy archers. This sets the stage for the subsequent verses that describe his death.

The verse highlights the vulnerability of even a king in the face of skilled enemy combatants and underscores the severity of the situation. It's important to remember that in ancient warfare, archers could inflict significant damage and were a formidable force.