1 Samuel 31

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 As they pressed their attack on Israel, with the Israelites fleeing before them and falling mortally wounded on Mount Gilboa,	1 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. And the men of Israel fled before the face of the Philistines, and they fell down slain on mount Gilboa.
2 the Philistines pursued Saul and his sons closely, and slew Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, sons of Saul.	2 And the Philistines rushed upon Saul, and upon his sons, and they struck down Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3 The battle raged around Saul, and the archers hit him; he was pierced through the abdomen.	3 And the entire weight of the battle was turned against Saul. And the men who were archers pursued him. And he was severely wounded by the archers.
4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, lest these uncircumcised come and make sport of me." But his armor-bearer, badly frightened, refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.	4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and strike me, otherwise these uncircumcised may come and kill me, mocking me.” And his armor bearer was not willing. For he had been struck with an exceedingly great fear. And so, Saul took his own sword, and he fell upon it.
5 When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell upon his sword and died with him.	5 And when his armor bearer had seen this, namely, that Saul had died, he too fell upon his sword, and he died with him.
6 Thus Saul, his three sons, and his armor-bearer died together on that same day.	6 Therefore, Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.
7 When the Israelites on the slope of the valley and those along the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they too abandoned their cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and lived in those cities.	7 Then, seeing that the men of the Israelites had fled, and that Saul had died with his sons, the men of Israel who were across the valley or beyond the Jordan abandoned their cities, and they fled. And the Philistines went and lived there.
8 The day after the battle the Philistines came to strip the slain, and found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa.	8 Then, when the next day arrived, the Philistines came, so that they might despoil the slain. And they found Saul and his three sons lying on mount Gilboa.
9 They cut off Saul's head and stripped him of his armor, and then sent the good news throughout the land of the Philistines to their idols and to the people.	9 And they cut off the head of Saul. And they despoiled him of the armor, and they sent it into the land of the Philistines all around, so that it might be announced in the temples of the idols and among their people.
10 They put his armor in the temple of Astarte, but impaled his body on the wall of Bethshan.	10 And they placed his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth. But his body they suspended on the wall of Bethshan.
11 When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,	11 And when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead had heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 all their warriors set out, and after marching throughout the night, removed the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and brought them to Jabesh, where they cremated them.	12 all the most valiant men rose up, and they walked all night, and they took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan. And they went to Jabesh Gilead, and they burned them there.
13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.	13 And they took their bones, and they buried them in the forest of Jabesh. And they fasted for seven days.