31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of
Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in
mount Gilboa.
31:2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his
sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and
Malchi-shua, Saul's sons.
31:3 And the battle was severe against Saul, and the archers hit
him; and he was severely wounded by the archers.
31:4 Then said Saul to his armor-bearer, Draw thy sword, and
thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised should come
and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armor-bearer would
not; for he was exceedingly afraid. Therefore Saul took a
sword, and fell upon it.
31:5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell
likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
31:6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and
all his men, that same day together.
31:7 And when the men of Israel that [were] on the other side of
the valley, and [they] that [were] on the other side of 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.
31:8 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.
31:9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and
sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish
[it in] the house of their idols, and among the people.
31:10 And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth: and they
fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
31:11 And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that
which the Philistines had done to Saul,
31:12 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
Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
31:13 And they took their bones, and buried [them] under a tree
at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
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