| Holman Christian Standard Bible | New International Version |
| 1The Philistines fought against Israel, and Israel's men fled from them and were killed on Mount Gilboa. | 1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. |
| 2The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed Saul's sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. | 2The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. |
| 3When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers found him and severely wounded him. | 3The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him. |
| 4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!" But his armor-bearer wouldn't do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it. | 4Saul 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. |
| 5When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died. | 5When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. |
| 6So Saul and his three sons died--his whole house died together. | 6So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together. |
| 7When all the men of Israel in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them. | 7When 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. |
| 8The next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa. | 8The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. |
| 9They stripped Saul, cut off his head, took his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news to their idols and their people. | 9They 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. |
| 10Then they put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his skull in the temple of Dagon. | 10They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon. |
| 11When all Jabesh-gilead heard of everything the Philistines had done to Saul, | 11When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, |
| 12all their brave men set out and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days. | 12all 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. |
| 13Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD because he did not keep the LORD's word. He even consulted a medium for guidance, | 13Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, |
| 14but he did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse. | 14and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse. |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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