1 N ow the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

2 A nd the Philistines pursued Saul and his sons, and slew Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons.

The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua the sons of Saul.

3 T he battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers severely wounded him.

The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers.

4 S aul said to his armor-bearer, Draw your sword and thrust me through, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and abuse and mock me. But his armor-bearer would not, for he was terrified. So Saul took a sword and fell upon it.

Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it.

5 W hen his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword and died with him.

When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

6 S o Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men died that day together.

Thus Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day together.

7 A nd when the men of Israel on the other side of the valley and beyond the Jordan saw that the Israelites had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, with those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled; then the Philistines came and lived in them.

8 T he next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

It came about on the next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

9 T hey cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his armor and sent them round about the land of the Philistines to publish it in the house of their idols and among the people.

They cut off his head and stripped off his weapons, and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people.

10 A nd they put Saul’s armor in the house of the Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

They put his weapons in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

11 W hen the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

12 A ll the valiant men arose and went all night, and they took the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan and came to Jabesh and cremated them there.

all the valiant men rose and walked 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.

13 A nd they took their bones and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.