1 N ow the Philistines were fighting against Israel. And the men of Israel ran from the Philistines and were killed and fell 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 T he Philistines came after Saul and his sons. They killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua.

And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul's sons.

3 T he battle went against Saul. The men who used the bow hit him with arrows and hurt him very much.

And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.

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

Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

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

And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

6 S o Saul, his three sons, the one who carried his battle-clothes, and all his men, died that day together.

So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

7 T he men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, on the other side of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had run away and that Saul and his sons were dead. So they left the cities and ran away. Then the Philistines came and lived in them.

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

8 W hen the Philistines came to rob the dead the next day, they found Saul and his three sons lying 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 three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.

9 T hey cut off Saul’s head and took his sword and battle-clothes, and sent them through the land of the Philistines. They sent them to carry the good news to the house of their gods and to the people.

And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.

10 T hey put his sword and battle-clothes in the house of their god Ashtaroth. And they tied his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

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

And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;

12 a ll the men with strength of heart went and walked all night. They took the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh. There they burned them.

All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.

13 T hey took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh. And they did not eat for seven days.

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