< 1 Chronicles 10 >
1 The Philistines attacked Israel and all the Israelites soldiers ran away from them. Many Israelites were cut down 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 The Philistines chased down Saul and his sons. The killed Saul's sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.
And the Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.
3 The battle raged intensely around Saul. The enemy archers saw where he was, and they wounded him.
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was in anguish by reason of the archers.
4 Saul told his armor bearer, “Take out your sword and kill me before these heathen come and torment me.” But his armor bearer refused—he was too afraid to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
Then said Saul unto his armour-bearer: 'Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and make a mock of me.' But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died.
And when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died.
6 So Saul and three of his sons died there, along with his royal line.
So Saul died, and his three sons; and all his house died together.
7 When all the Israelites in the valley saw that their army had run away, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and they also ran away. The Philistines came and occupied them.
And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 The following day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they discovered the bodies of Saul and his sons 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 sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
9 They stripped him, cut off his head, and took his armor. Then they sent the news throughout the land of Philistia, to their idols and their people.
And they stripped him, and took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto their idols, and to the people.
10 They put Saul's armor in the temple of their idols and fixed his head to the temple of Dagon.
And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.
11 However, when everyone in Jabesh-gilead heard everything the Philistines had done to Saul,
And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 all their fighting men went and recovered the bodies of Saul and his sons. They brought them back and buried them under the large tree in Jabesh. Then they fasted for seven days.
all the valiant men arose, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the terebinth in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
13 Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He did not keep the Lord's commands, and he also went to consult a medium.
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, because of the word of the LORD, which he kept not; and also for that he asked counsel of a ghost, to inquire thereby,
14 He did not consult the Lord, so the Lord put him to death and he handed over the kingship to David, son of Jesse.
and inquired not of the LORD; therefore He slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.