1 Samuel 31
1 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.
Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistines rushed upon Saul, and upon his sons, and they struck down Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.
3 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.
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.
4 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.
Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
5 And when his armor bearer had seen this, namely, that Saul had died, he too fell upon his sword, and he died with him.
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.
6 Therefore, Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.
7 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.
And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were beyond Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 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.
And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
9 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.
And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people.
10 And they placed his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth. But his body they suspended on the wall of Bethshan.
And they put his armour in the house of the Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
11 And when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead had heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 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.
all the valiant men arose, and 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 burnt them there.
13 And they took their bones, and they buried them in the forest of Jabesh. And they fasted for seven days.
And they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
