1 N ow the many Philistines fought against Israel. The men of Israel ran away from the Philistines, and were killed on Mount Gilboa.

Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before them and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

2 T he Philistines went after Saul and his sons. And they killed Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons.

And the Philistines followed close after Saul and his sons and overtook them, and the Philistines slew Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.

3 T he battle was hard for Saul. Those who fought with the bow found him, and hurt him with an arrow.

And the battle raged about Saul, and the archers found and wounded him.

4 T hen Saul said to the one who carried his battle-clothes, “Take your sword and kill me with it. Or these men who have not gone through our religious act will come and make fun of me.” But the one who carried his battle-clothes would not do it. For he was very afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it.

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse and make sport of me. But his armor-bearer would not, for he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

5 W hen the one who carried his battle-clothes saw that Saul was dead, he fell on his sword and died also.

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

6 S o Saul died with his three sons. All those of his house died together.

So Saul died; he and his three sons and all his house died together.

7 A ll the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the army had run away and that Saul and his sons were dead. So they left their cities and ran away. Then the Philistines came and lived in their cities.

And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

8 W hen the Philistines came the next day to take what had belonged to the dead, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa.

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

9 S o they took his clothes, his head, and his battle-clothes. And they sent men around the land of the Philistines to take the good news to their false gods and to the people.

They stripped and took his head and his armor, and sent round about in Philistia to carry the news to their idols and to the people.

10 T hey put Saul’s battle-clothes in the house of their gods. And they put his head in the house of Dagon.

And they put armor in the house of their gods and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.

11 A ll the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul.

When all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,

12 S o all the powerful soldiers went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons. They brought them to Jabesh and buried their bones under the oak tree there. Then they went without food for seven days.

All the brave men arose, took away the bodies of Saul and his sons, brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh; then they fasted seven days.

13 S o Saul died for his sin against the Lord, because he did not keep the Word of the Lord. He had asked a woman who spoke with spirits what he should do.

So Saul died for his trespass against the Lord, for his unfaithfulness in not keeping God’s word, and also for consulting a spirit of the dead to inquire pleadingly of it,

14 H e did not ask the Lord. So the Lord killed him, and gave the nation to David the son of Jesse.

And inquired not so of the Lord. Therefore the Lord slew him and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.