Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!”
Saul tells his armor-bearer to run him through so the Philistines will not abuse him, but the armor-bearer refuses in fear.
It shows Saul trying to control the manner of his end.
1Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2The Philistines hotly pursued Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. 3When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him critically. 4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” 5When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died with him. 6So Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men died together that same day.