I Samuel

aCf. 1 Chron. 10, which reproduces this chapter with minor variations. The Philistines attacked Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and [many] fell on Mount Gilboa.

The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, sons of Saul.

The battle raged around Saul, and some of the archersbsome of the archers Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Lit. “the archers, men with the bow.” hit him, and he was severely woundedcwas severely wounded Construed as a hophal stem; cf. 1 Kings 2.34. by the archers.

Saul said to his arms-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, so that the uncircumcised may not run me through and make sport of me.” But his arms-bearer, in his great awe, refused; whereupon Saul grasped the sword and fell upon it.

When his arms-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him.

Thus Saul and his three sons and his arms-bearer, as well as all his men,das well as all his men Lacking in the Septuagint; 1 Chron. 10.6 reads “and all his house.” died together on that day.

And when the Israelite inhabitants on the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordaneon the other side of the valley and on the other side of the Jordan Meaning of Heb. uncertain. 1 Chron. 10.7 reads “in the valley.” saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the towns and fled; the Philistines then came and occupied them.

The next day the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa.

They cut off his head and stripped him of his armor, and they sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to spread the news in the temples of their idolsfin the temples of their idols Septuagint and 1 Chron. 10.9 read “among their idols.” and among the people.

They placed his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they impaled his body on the wall of Beth-shan.

When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard about it—whatgthe inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard about it—what Cf. 1 Chron. 10.11 “all [the inhabitants of] Jabesh-gilead heard all that.” the Philistines had done to Saul—

the stalwarts among them set out and marched all night; they removed the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan and camehcame Cf. 1 Chron. 10.12 “brought them.” to Jabesh and burned them there.

Then they took the bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.