• Abimelech was a son of Gideon, a judge of Israel (Judges 8:31). After the death of his father, Abimelech ascended to political power in part by killing all but one of his 70 half-brothers (9:5). While engaged in a military campaign, he was severely wounded by a woman who dropped a heavy millstone on his head (verse 53). Abimelech asked his armor-bearer to kill him, “Lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” (verse 54). So the young man killed him with his sword, and Abimelech died as a judgment from God because of the murders of his brothers (verse 56).

• Saul served as the first king of Israel and Judah, but he disobeyed God in several ways and forfeited the kingdom. In his final battle with the Philistines, Saul was severely wounded and asked his armor-bearer to kill him, saying, “Lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me” (1 Samuel 31:3–4). When his assistant refused, Saul fell upon his own sword and died, followed by his armor-bearer (verse 5; 1 Chronicles 10:4–5). 

• Ahithophel served David as the king’s counselor (1 Chronicles 27:33), and his son Eliam was one of his 30 mighty men (2 Samuel 23:34). But when David’s son Absalom conspired to overthrow his father, Ahithophel joined Absalom’s coup (2 Samuel 15:12, 31). Ahithophel gave Absalom shrewd counsel which the new king initially followed. But when his recommendation about killing David urgently was not followed, he went home, set his house in order, and hanged himself (17:23).

• Zimri served Baasha, king of Israel, as a chariot commander, but he killed the king and his family and then ruled in his place (1 Kings 16:9–11). His reign lasted only a week before the people of Israel appointed Omri as king (verse 16), who consequently laid siege to the city in which Zimri had taken refuge (verse 17). Seeing his imminent defeat, Zimri “went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire and died” (verse 18).

• And then there is Judas Iscariot -- one of Jesus’ 12 disciples -- who betrayed Him (Matthew 26:14–16, 20–25, 47–50) before hanging himself. While we find biblical evidence of regret, there is no evidence that he ever repented and turned to Christ in faith.

• Job's situation was so bad that he regretted being born (Job 3:11) and asked “Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul, who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures, who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave?” (3:20–22). But at the end of Job’s trial, God blessed him in incredible ways (42:12–17).

• Moses "the cop" asked the Lord for death because of his own inadequacy in caring for the immense burden of the people of Israel, saying, “If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness” (Numbers 11:15). In response, God did not kill him, but instead arranged for 70 assistants to help Moses lead and care for the people (verses 16–17, 24–25).

• In Acts 16:27-28, we find a correctional officer  who was about to kill himself when he assumed that his prisoners had escaped (an "IA" violation that would have resulted in the death penalty). But Paul stopped him, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here” (verse 28). Instead of death, the Lord brought salvation to the C.O. and his household (verses 30–34).