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1 Samuel 31
New Life Version
1 Samuel 31
New Life Version
Saul Kills Himself
31 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. And the men of Israel ran from the Philistines and were killed and fell on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines came after Saul and his sons. They killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua. 3 The battle went against Saul. The men who used the bow hit him with arrows and hurt him very much. 4 Then 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. 5 When the one who carried his battle-clothes saw that Saul was dead, he fell on his sword also, and died with him. 6 So Saul, his three sons, the one who carried his battle-clothes, and all his men, died that day together.
7 The 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. 8 When the Philistines came to rob the dead the next day, they found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa. 9 They 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. 10 They put his sword and battle-clothes in the house of their god Ashtaroth. And they tied his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11 When the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all 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. 13 They took
their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh. And they did not eat for seven days.
1 Samuel 31
New International Version
1 Samuel 31
New International Version
Saul Takes His Life(A)
31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa.(B) 2 The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons,(C) and they killed his sons Jonathan,(D) Abinadab and Malki-Shua.(E) 3 The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded(F) him critically.
4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through,(G) or these uncircumcised(H) fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.”
But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5 When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. 6 So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died(I) together that same day.
7 When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.
8 The next day, when the Philistines(J) came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news(K) in the temple of their idols and among their people.(L) 10 They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths(M) and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.(N)
11 When the people of Jabesh Gilead(O) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their valiant men(P) marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned(Q) them. 13 Then they took their bones(R) and buried them under a tamarisk(S) tree at Jabesh, and they fasted(T) seven days.(U)
New Life Version (NLV)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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