| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. | 1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. |
| 2The Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons, and they 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 overtook him and 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 it through me, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own 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 too 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 died together with his three sons and all his house. | 6So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together. |
| 7When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their cities and ran away. So the Philistines came and occupied their cities. | 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 dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen 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 proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among 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. |
| 10They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his head 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 the people of Jabesh-gilead heard about everything the Philistines had done to Saul, | 11When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, |
| 12all their men of valor set out and retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. And 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. |
| 13So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and 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, |
| 14and he failed to 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. |
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