1 Samuel 31
1 Now, as, the Philistines, were fighting against Israel, the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain, in Mount Gilboa.
Later, the Philistines again fought against the Israelis. The Israelis ran away from them, and (many Israelis were killed/the Philistines killed many Israelis) on Gilboa Mountain.
2 And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons, —and the Philistines smote Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, sons of Saul.
The Philistines caught up with Saul and his three sons, and they killed [all three of] his sons, Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua.
3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers discovered him, —and he was terrified at the archers.
The fighting was very fierce around Saul. When the Philistine (archers/men with bows and arrows) caught up with Saul, they wounded him badly [with their arrows].
4 Then said Saul to his armour-bearer—Draw thy sword and pierce me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come, and pierce me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer was not willing, for he was sore afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell thereon.
Saul said to the man who was carrying his weapons, “Take out your sword and kill me with it, in order that these heathen Philistines will not be able to thrust their swords into me and make fun of me [while I am dying].” But the man who was carrying Saul’s weapons was terrified, and refused to do that. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. [The sword pierced his body and he died].
5 And, when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also, fell upon his sword, and died with him.
When the man carrying his weapons saw that Saul was dead, he also threw himself on his own sword and died.
6 Thus died Saul, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, yea all his men, on that day, together.
So Saul, three of his sons, and the man who carried Saul’s weapons, all died on that same day.
7 And, when the men of Israel who were across the vale, and who were across the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled, and the Philistines entered, and took up their abode therein.
When the Israeli people on the north side of the [Jezreel] Valley and on the east side of the Jordan [River] heard that the Israeli army had run away and that Saul and his sons had died, they left their towns and ran away. Then the Philistines came and occupied their towns.
8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul, and his three sons, lying prostrate in Mount Gilboa.
The next day, when the Philistines came to take away the weapons of the dead [Israeli soldiers], they found the bodies of Saul and his three sons on Gilboa Mountain.
9 So they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, —and sent throughout the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and unto the people.
They cut off Saul’s head and took his weapons. Then they sent messengers throughout their land, to proclaim the news, in the temple where they kept their idols, and to the other people, [that their army had killed Saul].
10 And they put his armour in a house of Ashtoreths, —and, his dead body, fastened they on the wall of Beth-shan.
They put Saul’s weapons in the temple of [their goddess] Astarte. They also fastened the bodies of Saul [and his sons] to the wall [that surrounded] Beth-Shan [city].
11 And, when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him, what the Philistines had done unto Saul,
When the people who lived in Jabesh in [the] Gilead [region] heard what the Philistines had done to Saul’s corpse,
12 then arose all the men of valour, and journeyed all the night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-shan, —and came to Jabesh, and burned them there;
all their bravest soldiers walked all night to Beth-Shan. They took the corpses of Saul and his sons down from the city wall, and they took them back to Jabesh and burned the corpses there.
13 and took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, —and fasted seven days.
They took the bones and buried them under a [big] tamarisk tree. Then they (fasted/abstained from eating food) for seven days.
