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The Death of King Saul(A)

10 The Philistines ·fought against [attacked] Israel, and the Israelites ran away from them. Many Israelites ·were killed [were slaughtered; L fell dead] on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines ·fought hard against [hotly pursued; closed in on] Saul and his sons, killing his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. The fighting was ·heavy [fierce] around Saul, and the archers ·shot him with their arrows [L found him] and wounded him.

Then Saul said to ·the officer who carried his armor [his armor bearer], “·Pull out [Draw; Take] your sword and ·stab me [run me through]. If you don’t, these Philistines who are not circumcised will come and ·hurt [abuse] me.” But Saul’s ·officer [armor bearer] refused, because he was ·afraid [terrified]. So Saul took his own sword and ·threw himself [fell] on it. When the officer saw that Saul was dead, he ·threw himself [fell] on his own sword and died. So Saul and three of his sons died; all his ·family [L house] died together.

When the Israelites living in the valley saw that their army had ·run away [fled] and that Saul and his sons were dead, they ·left [abandoned] their towns and ·ran away [fled]. Then the Philistines came and ·settled in [occupied] them.

The next day when the Philistines came to strip the dead soldiers, they found Saul and his sons ·dead [fallen] on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines stripped Saul’s body and took his head and his armor. Then they sent messengers through ·all their country [the land of the Philistines] to tell the good news to their idols and to their people. 10 The Philistines put Saul’s armor in the ·temple [L house] of their ·idols [L gods] and hung his head in the ·temple [L house] of Dagon.

11 All the people in Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. 12 So the ·brave [valiant] men of Jabesh went and got the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak tree in Jabesh [C evidently a major landmark]. Then the people of Jabesh fasted for seven days.

13 Saul died because he was not faithful to the Lord and ·did not obey [L acted unfaithfully against the word of] the Lord. He even went to a medium and asked her for ·advice [counsel] 14 instead of asking the Lord. This is why the Lord put Saul to death and ·gave [turned over] the kingdom to Jesse’s son David.

Saul Takes His Life(A)

10 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him.

Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.”

But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together.

When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.

The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news among their idols and their people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon.(B)

11 When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead(C) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their valiant men went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

13 Saul died(D) because he was unfaithful(E) to the Lord; he did not keep(F) the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium(G) for guidance, 14 and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned(H) the kingdom(I) over to David son of Jesse.