1 Samuel 31 - Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The Death of Saul and His Sons

31 The Philistines fought against Israel,(A) and Israel’s men fled from them. Many were killed on Mount Gilboa.(B) 2 The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons and killed his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. 3 When the battle intensified against Saul,(C) the archers caught up with him and severely wounded him.[a] 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer,(D) “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men(E) will come and run me through and torture me.” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it.(F) 5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died with him. 6 So on that day, Saul died together with his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men.

7 When the men of Israel on the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordan saw that Israel’s men had run away and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them.

8 The next day when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off Saul’s head, stripped off his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news(G) in the temples of their idols(H) and among the people. 10 Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths(I) and hung his body(J) on the wall of Beth-shan.(K)

11 When the residents of Jabesh-gilead(L) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their brave men(M) set out, journeyed all night, and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. When they arrived at Jabesh, they burned the bodies there.(N) 13 Afterward, they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree(O) in Jabesh(P) and fasted seven days.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 31:3 LXX reads and he was wounded under the ribs

Cross references

  1. 31:1-13 : 2Sm 1:12; 1Ch 10:1-12
  2. 31:1 : 1Sm 28:4
  3. 31:3 : 2Sm 1:6
  4. 31:4 : Jdg 9:54
  5. 31:4 : Jdg 14:3
  6. 31:4 : 2Sm 1:6, 10
  7. 31:9 : 2Sm 1:20
  8. 31:9 : Jdg 16:23-24
  9. 31:10 : Jdg 2:13; 1Sm 7:3
  10. 31:10 : 1Sm 31:12; 2Sm 21:14
  11. 31:10 : Jos 17:11
  12. 31:11 : 1Sm 11:1-13
  13. 31:12 : 2Sm 2:4-7
  14. 31:12 : 2Ch 16:14
  15. 31:13 : 1Sm 22:6
  16. 31:13 : 2Sm 2:4-7; 21:12-14

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1 Samuel 31 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

31 And the Philistines are fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel flee from the face of the Philistines, and fall wounded in mount Gilboa, 2 and the Philistines follow Saul and his sons, and the Philistines smite Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, sons of Saul. 3 And the battle is hard ...
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1 Samuel 31 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

31 Forsooth the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the face of Philistines, and they fell down slain in the hill of Gilboa. (Then the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from the Philistines, and they fell down dead on Mount Gilboa.) 2 And ...
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1 Samuel 31 - World English Bible (WEB)

31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle went hard against S...
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1 Samuel 31 - The Voice (VOICE)

31 Meanwhile the Philistine and Israelite armies had clashed. The men of Israel ran away, but many of them were killed on the heights of Gilboa. 2 The Philistines even followed Saul and his sons and closed in on them; there they killed his sons, Jonathan (the beloved friend of David), Abinadab, and...
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1 Samuel 31 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Saul Killed on Mt. Gilboa31 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. Israel’s men fled before the Philistines and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3...
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1 Samuel 31 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Death of Saul and His Sons31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilbo′a. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abin′adab and Mal′chishu′a, the sons of Saul. 3 Th...
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1 Samuel 31 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Death of Saul and His Sons31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilbo′a. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Abin′adab and Mal′chishu′a, the sons of Saul. 3 Th...
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1 Samuel 31 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Death of Saul and His Sons31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and many fell[a] on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3 The ba...
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1 Samuel 31 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Death of Saul and His Sons31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and many fell[a] on Mount Gilboa.(A)2 The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3 The ba...
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1 Samuel 31 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Death of Saul31 Now the Philistines attacked Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them. Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines closed in on Saul and his sons, and they killed three of his sons—Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua. 3 The fighting grew very fierce...
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1 Samuel 31 - New Life Version (NLV)

Saul Kills Himself31 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....
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1 Samuel 31 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Tragic End of Saul and His Sons(A)31 Now (B)the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount (C)Gilboa. 2 Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed (D)Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malch...
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1 Samuel 31 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Saul takes his life31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. 3 The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and ...
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1 Samuel 31 - New International Version (NIV)

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 arou...
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1 Samuel 31 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Saul Takes His Own Life31 The Philistines fought against the Israelites. The Israelites ran away from them. But many Israelites were killed on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines kept chasing Saul and his sons. They killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. 3 The fighting was heavy around Sau...
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1 Samuel 31 - New English Translation (NET)

The Death of Saul31 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. The men of Israel fled from the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines stayed right on the heels[a] of Saul and his sons. They[b] struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. 3 S...
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