1 Samuel 31
1 Meanwhile the Philistines had attacked Israel, and the Israelite army ran away from them, and many were killed on Mount Gilboa.
Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.
2 The Philistines chased down Saul and his sons, killing Saul's sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.
The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3 The fighting became very intense around Saul, and the arrows of the Philistine archers found their target, wounding Saul very badly.
The battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him; and he was greatly distressed by reason of the archers.
4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Take your sword and kill me, or these heathen men will come and kill and torture me!” But the armor-bearer didn't want to do it because he was too afraid. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.
Then Saul said to his armour bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and abuse me!” But his armour bearer would not, for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.
5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him.
When his armour bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword, and died with him.
6 Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all the men with him, died the same day.
So Saul died with his three sons, his armour bearer, and all his men that same day together.
7 When the Israelites who lived along the valley and those on the other side of the Jordan realized that the Israelite army had run away, and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their cities and they also ran away. So the Philistines came and took them over.
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.
8 The next day, when the Philistines went to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa.
On the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.
9 They cut off Saul's head, stripped him of his armor, and sent messengers throughout the country of the Philistines to announce the news in the temples of their idols and to their people.
They cut off his head, stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines all around, to carry the news to the house of their idols and to the people.
10 They placed his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and nailed his body to the town wall of Beth-shan.
They put his armour in the house of the Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.
11 However, when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
When the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 all their strong warriors set out, traveled all night, and took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they got back to Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.
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 burnt them there.
13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.
They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
