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1 Samuel 31
International Standard Version
1 Samuel 31
International Standard Version
Saul Killed by the Philistines(A)
31 The Philistines fought against Israel, and the army[a] of Israel fled before the Philistines. They fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons. The Philistines struck down Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons. 3 The heaviest fighting was directed toward Saul,[b] and when the bowmen who were shooting located Saul, he was severely wounded by them.[c]
4 Saul told his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised people will come and run me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer did not want to do it[d] because he was very frightened, so Saul took the sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. 6 As a result, Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men died together that day. 7 When the men of Israel who were across the valley and who were across the Jordan saw that the army[e] of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled, and the Philistines came and occupied them.
The Philistines Desecrate Saul’s Body(B)
8 The next day, the Philistines came to strip the dead, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head and stripped him of his weapons. They sent people throughout the territory of the Philistines to report the good news in the temples of their idols and to the people. 10 They put Saul’s[f] weapons in the temple of Asherah[g] and fastened his corpse to the wall of Beth-shan.
The People of Jabesh-gilead Give Saul a Proper Burial(C)
11 When the residents of Jabesh-gilead heard what[h] the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 every valiant soldier[i] got up, traveled all night, and removed Saul’s body and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. Then they went to Jabesh and cremated the bodies[j] there. 13 They took their bones, buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 31:1 Lit. and the men
- 1 Samuel 31:3 Lit. was heavy toward
- 1 Samuel 31:3 Lit. the archers
- 1 Samuel 31:4 The Heb. lacks to do it
- 1 Samuel 31:7 Lit. men
- 1 Samuel 31:10 Lit. his
- 1 Samuel 31:10 Asherah was a female deity worshipped by the Canaanites and the Philistines
- 1 Samuel 31:11 Lit. heard about it, what
- 1 Samuel 31:12 Lit. man
- 1 Samuel 31:12 Lit. them
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)
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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