1 Samuel 31
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. And the men of Israel fled before the face of the Philistines, and they fell down slain on mount Gilboa.
2 The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
And the Philistines rushed upon Saul, and upon his sons, and they struck down Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3 The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.
And the entire weight of the battle was turned against Saul. And the men who were archers pursued him. And he was severely wounded by the archers.
4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and abuse me!” But his armor bearer would not, for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.
Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and strike me, otherwise these uncircumcised may come and kill me, mocking me.” And his armor bearer was not willing. For he had been struck with an exceedingly great fear. And so, Saul took his own sword, and he fell upon it.
5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.
And when his armor bearer had seen this, namely, that Saul had died, he too fell upon his sword, and he died with him.
6 So Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men that same day together.
Therefore, Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.
7 When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and lived in them.
Then, seeing that the men of the Israelites had fled, and that Saul had died with his sons, the men of Israel who were across the valley or beyond the Jordan abandoned their cities, and they fled. And the Philistines went and lived there.
8 On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
Then, when the next day arrived, the Philistines came, so that they might despoil the slain. And they found Saul and his three sons lying on mount Gilboa.
9 They cut off his head, stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to carry the news to the house of their idols and to the people.
And they cut off the head of Saul. And they despoiled him of the armor, and they sent it into the land of the Philistines all around, so that it might be announced in the temples of the idols and among their people.
10 They put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.
And they placed his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth. But his body they suspended on the wall of Bethshan.
11 When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
And when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead had heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 all the valiant men arose, went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.
all the most valiant men rose up, and they walked all night, and they took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan. And they went to Jabesh Gilead, and they burned them there.
13 They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
And they took their bones, and they buried them in the forest of Jabesh. And they fasted for seven days.
