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 slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers. 4 Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the 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 that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then 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 when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people. 10 And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.
11 ¶ And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 They arose, all the valiant men, 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 transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; 14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.
Saula un viņa dēlu nāve
(1Sam 31:1–13)1 Filistieši karoja ar Israēlu, Israēla vīri bēga no filistiešiem un nokauti krita Gilboas kalnā. 2 Filistieši cieši sekoja Saulam un viņa dēliem. Filistieši nokāva Jonatānu, Abīnādāvu un Malkī-Šūu – Saula dēlus. 3 Kauja ap Saulu kļuva arvien sīvāka, loka šāvēji tika viņam klāt un viņu ievainoja. 4 Tad Sauls sacīja savam ieroču nesējam: “Izvelc savu zobenu un nodur mani, lai nenāk šie neapgraizītie un neizsmej mani.” Bet viņa ieroču nesējs nespēja to izdarīt, jo ļoti baidījās. Tad Sauls ņēma zobenu un krita uz tā. 5 Kad ieroču nesējs redzēja, ka Sauls ir miris, arī viņš krita uz zobena un nomira.
6 Tā nomira Sauls un viņa trīs dēli, viss viņa nams nomira vienlaikus. 7 Visi Israēla vīri redzēja, kas notiek ielejā – ka viņi bēg, ka Sauls un viņa dēli ir miruši, tāpēc tie pameta savas pilsētas un bēga, bet filistieši nāca un apmetās tajās.
8 Nākamajā dienā, kad filistieši nāca aplaupīt nokautos, tie atrada Saulu un viņa dēlus kritušus Gilboas kalnā. 9 Tie viņu izģērba, paņēma viņa galvu un ieročus un sūtīja tos visapkārt pa filistiešu zemi kā prieka vēsti viņu elkiem un tautai. 10 Viņa ieročus tie nolika savu dievu namā, bet viņa galvu pienagloja Dāgona namā.
11 Kad visi Jābēš-Gileādā dzirdēja, ko filistieši izdarījuši Saulam, 12 cēlās visi stiprie vīri, paņēma Saula un viņa dēlu miesas, atnesa tās uz Jābēšu un apbedīja viņu kaulus zem terebintes koka Jābēšā, un gavēja septiņas dienas.
13 Tā Sauls nomira, būdams neuzticīgs Kungam, neklausīdams Kunga vārdam, turklāt viņš bija iztaujājis mirušo garu izsaucēju, 14 nevis meklējis Kungu – tādēļ viņš tam lika mirt un piešķīra valsti Dāvidam, Jišaja dēlam.
