1 E aconteceu que, em combate com os filisteus, os israelitas foram postos em fuga, e muitos caíram mortos no monte Gilboa.2 Os filisteus perseguiram Saul e seus filhos, e mataram Jônatas, Abinadabe e Malquisua, filhos de Saul.3 O combate foi se tornando cada vez mais violento em torno de Saul, até que os flecheiros o alcançaram e o feriram gravemente.4 Então Saul ordenou ao seu escudeiro: "Tire sua espada e mate-me com ela, senão sofrerei a vergonha de cair nas mãos desses incircuncisos". Mas o seu escudeiro estava apavorado e não quis fazê-lo. Saul, então, apanhou a própria espada e jogou-se sobre ela.5 Quando o escudeiro viu que Saul estava morto, jogou-se também sobre sua espada e morreu.6 Dessa maneira Saul e seus três filhos morreram, e, assim, toda a descendência real.7 Quando os israelitas que habitavam no vale viram que o exército tinha fugido e que Saul e seus filhos estavam mortos, fugiram abandonando suas cidades. Depois os filisteus foram ocupá-las.8 No dia seguinte, quando os filisteus foram saquear os mortos, encontraram Saul e seus filhos caídos no monte Gilboa.9 Cortaram a cabeça de Saul, pegaram suas armas e enviaram mensageiros por toda a terra dos filisteus proclamando a notícia entre os seus ídolos e o seu povo.10 Expuseram suas armas num dos templos dos seus deuses e penduraram sua cabeça no templo de Dagom.11 Quando os habitantes de Jabes-Gileade ficaram sabendo o que os filisteus haviam feito com Saul,12 os mais corajosos dentre eles foram e apanharam os corpos de Saul e de seus filhos e os levaram a Jabes. Lá sepultaram seus ossos sob a Grande Árvore, e jejuaram por sete dias.13 Saul morreu porque foi infiel ao Senhor; não guardou a palavra do Senhor e chegou a consultar uma médiun em busca de orientação,14 em vez de consultar o Senhor. Por isso o Senhor o entregou à morte e deu o reino a Davi, filho de Jessé.

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel. And the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.2 And the Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.3 And the battle went hard against Saul, and the archers overtook him. And he was wounded because of the archers.4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armor bearer would not, for he was very afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon i5 And when his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died.6 So Saul died, and his three sons. And all his house died together.7 And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities, and fled. And the Philistines came and dwelt in them.8 And it 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.9 And they stripped him, and took his head, and his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about to carry the news to their idols, and to the people.10 And they put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon.11 And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that 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 buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.13 So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against LORD, because of the word of LORD, which did not keep, and also because he asked counsel of a spiritist, to inquire [thereby],14 and did not inquire of LORD. Therefore he killed him, and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse.