1 Samuel 31

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The Philistines gave battle to Israel, and the Israelites, fleeing from the Philistines, fel and wereslaughtered 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 bore down on Saul and his sons, and they killed Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchishua,Saul's sons.	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 fighting grew fiercer round Saul; the archers came upon him, and he was severely wounded	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 by the archers. Saul then said to his armour-bearer, 'Draw your sword and run me through with it; I donot want these uncircumcised men to come and make fun of me.' But his armour-bearer was very much afraidand would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on 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 His armour-bearer, seeing that Saul was dead, fel on his sword too 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 died Saul, his three sons and his armour-bearer, together on the 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 who were on the other side of the Jordan saw that the Israelites had been routedand that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. The Philistines then came andoccupied them.	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 When the Philistines came on the fol owing day to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sonslying 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 his head and, stripping him of his armour, had these carried round the territory of thePhilistines to proclaim the good news to their idols and their 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 armour in the temple of Astarte; and his body they fastened to the wal s of Beth-Shean.	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 in 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 the warriors al set out and, having marched al night, took the bodies of Saul and his sons off thewal s of Beth-Shean; they brought them to Jabesh and burned them there.	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 They then took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk of Jabesh, and fasted for sevendays.	13 And they took their bones, and they buried them in the forest of Jabesh. And they fasted for seven days.