1Saul's overthrow and death. 8The Philistines triumph. 11The kindness shewn by the men of Jabesh-gilead toward Saul and his sons. 13Saul's sin: for which the kingdom was translated from him to David.
1NOW the aPhilistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down 1slain in mount Gilboa.
1Heb. wounded.
a 1Sa. 28.1; 31. 2Sa. 1.1-10.
2And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew bJonathan, and 2Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.
2Or, Ishui, 1Sa. 14.49.
b 1Sa. 31.2. 2Ki. 23.29. Ec. 9.1.
3And the battle went *sore against Saul, and the 3archers 4hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.
*sore-very great or severe. Extremely.
3Heb. shooters with bows.
4Heb. found him, 1Sa. 31.3.
4Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and 5abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was *sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
5Or, mock me, Ju. 16.21; 9.54. 1Sa. 31.4.
*sore-very great or severe. Extremely.
5And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.
6So Saul cdied, and his three sons, and all his house died together.
c 1Sa. 31.6,7. Ex. 20.5; 34.7. Nu. 14.18.
7And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8¶And dit came to pass on the *morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
*morrow-morning.
d 1Sa. 31.8-10. 2Sa. 1.20.
9And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto etheir idols, and to the people.
e Ju. 16.24. 2Sa. 1.20. Is. 48.5.
10And they put his armour in the house of ftheir gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.
f 1Sa. 5.2. 1Ki. 11.5. Is. 48.5.
11¶And when all gJabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
g 1Sa. 11.1-11; 31.11-13. 2Sa. 2.5,6. Ju. 21.8-12.
12They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the hoak in Jabesh, and ifasted seven days.
h Ge. 35.8. 1Sa. 31.13. i Ge. 50.10. 2Sa. 1.12; 3.35.
13¶So Saul died for his transgression which he 6committed against the LORD, jeven against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a *familiar spirit, to kenquire of it ;
6Heb. transgressed.
*familiar spirit-demon supposed to be in, or under the power of, a man.
j 1Sa. 13.13; 15.3,23. k 1Sa. 28.7-20. 2Ki. 21.6; 1.2. Ex. 22.18. Le. 19.26,31; 20.6. De. 18.10-14. Is. 8.19.
14And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and lturned the kingdom unto David the son of 7Jesse.
7Heb. Isai.
l 1Sa. 13.14; 15.28; 28.17. 2Sa. 2-5. ch. 11; 12.