Revised Standard Version RSV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilbo'a.
1
The Philistines went to war against Israel; the Israelites ran for their lives from the Philistines but fell, slaughtered on Mount Gilboa.
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.
2
The Philistines zeroed in on Saul and his sons and killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua.
3 The battle pressed hard upon Saul, and the archers found him; and he was wounded by the archers.
3
The battle went hard against Saul - the archers found him and wounded him.
4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and make sport of me." But his armor-bearer would not; for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword, and fell upon it.
4
Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and finish me off before these pagan pigs get to me and make a sport of my body." But his armor bearer, restrained by both reverence and fear, wouldn't do it.
5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword, and died.
5
The armor bearer, panicked because Saul was dead, then killed himself.
6 Thus Saul died; he and his three sons and all his house died together.
6
So Saul and his three sons - all four the same day - died.
7 And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
7
When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and ran off; the Philistines came and moved in.
8 On the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilbo'a.
8
The next day the Philistines came to plunder the dead bodies and found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa.
9 And they stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to their idols and to the people.
9
They stripped Saul, removed his head and his armor, and put them on exhibit throughout Philistia, reporting the victory news to their idols and the people.
10 And they put his armor in the temple of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.
10
Then they put Saul's armor on display in the temple of their gods and placed his skull as a trophy in the temple of their god Dagon.
11 But when all Ja'besh-gil'ead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
11
The people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul.
12 all the valiant men arose, and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
12
All of their fighting men went into action - retrieved the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh, gave them a dignified burial under the oak at Jabesh, and mourned their deaths for seven days.
13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness; he was unfaithful to the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance,
13
Saul died in disobedience, disobedient to God. He didn't obey God's words. Instead of praying, he went to a witch to seek guidance.
14 and did not seek guidance from the LORD. Therefore the LORD slew him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
14
Because he didn't go to God for help, God took his life and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.