1 Os filisteus lutaram contra Israel. E os homens de Israel, fugindo da presença dos filisteus, caíram mortos no monte Gilboa. 2 Os filisteus seguiram de perto Saul e seus filhos e mataram Jônatas, Abinadabe e Malquisua, filhos de Saul. 3 A batalha se intensificou contra Saul. Os flecheiros o avistaram e ele foi ferido gravemente. 4 Então Saul disse ao seu escudeiro:

— Arranque a sua espada e atravesse-me com ela, para que não venham esses incircuncisos, me atravessem com a espada e zombem de mim.

Mas o seu escudeiro não quis fazer isso, porque estava com muito medo. Então Saul pegou a sua própria espada e se lançou sobre ela. 5 Quando o escudeiro viu que Saul estava morto, também se lançou sobre a sua espada e morreu com ele. 6 E assim morreram juntamente naquele dia Saul, os seus três filhos, o seu escudeiro e todos os seus soldados. 7 Quando os homens de Israel que estavam no outro lado do vale e no outro lado do Jordão viram que o exército de Israel fugiu e que Saul e seus filhos estavam mortos, abandonaram as cidades e fugiram. E vieram os filisteus e habitaram nelas.

8 E aconteceu que no dia seguinte, quando os filisteus foram tirar os despojos dos mortos, encontraram Saul e os seus três filhos caídos no monte Gilboa. 9 Cortaram a cabeça de Saul e o despojaram das suas armas. Enviaram mensageiros pela terra dos filisteus, ao redor, para levar as boas-novas ao templo dos seus ídolos e ao povo. 10 Puseram as armas de Saul no templo de Astarote, e o seu corpo afixaram na muralha de Bete-Seã.

11 Quando os moradores de Jabes-Gileade ouviram o que os filisteus haviam feito com Saul, 12 todos os homens valentes se levantaram, caminharam toda a noite, tiraram o corpo de Saul e os corpos de seus filhos da muralha de Bete-Seã e os levaram a Jabes, onde os queimaram. 13 Depois pegaram os ossos deles e os sepultaram debaixo de um arvoredo, em Jabes. E jejuaram sete dias.

1 Now, as, the Philistines, were fighting against Israel, the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain, in Mount Gilboa.

2 And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons,and the Philistines smote Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, sons of Saul.

3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers discovered him,and he was terrified at the archers.

4 Then said Saul to his armour-bearerDraw thy sword and pierce me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come, and pierce me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer was not willing, for he was sore afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell thereon.

5 And, when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also, fell upon his sword, and died with him.

6 Thus died Saul, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, yea all his men, on that day, together.

7 And, when the men of Israel who were across the vale, and who were across the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled, and the Philistines entered, and took up their abode therein.

8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul, and his three sons, lying prostrate in Mount Gilboa.

9 So they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour,and sent throughout the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and unto the people.

10 And they put his armour in a house of Ashtoreths,and, his dead body, fastened they on the wall of Beth-shan.

11 And, when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him, what the Philistines had done unto Saul,

12 then arose all the men of valour, and journeyed all the night, and took the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, from the wall of Beth-shan,and came to Jabesh, and burned them there;

13 and took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh,and fasted seven days.