Saul’s Overthrow and Death
(1 Samuel 31:1–6; 2 Samuel 1:1–16)

1  וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים (And the Philistines) נִלְחֲמ֣וּ (fought) בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (against Israel), וַיָּ֑נָס (and fled) אִֽישׁ־ (the men) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (of Israel) מִפְּנֵ֣י (from before) פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (the Philistines), וַיִּפְּל֥וּ (and they fell) חֲלָלִ֖ים (slain) בְּהַ֥ר (on Mount) גִּלְבֹּֽעַ׃ (Gilboa).

2  וַיַּדְבְּק֣וּ (And followed hard) פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (the Philistines) אַחֲרֵ֥י (after) שָׁא֖וּל (Saul) וְאַחֲרֵ֣י (and) בָנָ֑יו (his sons), וַיַּכּ֣וּ (and killed) פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים (the Philistines) אֶת־ (-) יוֹנָתָ֧ן (Jonathan), וְאֶת־ (and) אֲבִינָדָ֛ב (Abinadab), וְאֶת־ (and) מַלְכִּי־ (Malchi-) שׁ֖וּעַ (shua), בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) שָׁאֽוּל׃ (of Saul). 3  וַתִּכְבַּ֤ד (And was heavy) הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ (the battle) עַל־ (against) שָׁא֔וּל (Saul), וַיִּמְצָאֻ֖הוּ (and found him) הַמּוֹרִ֣ים (those shooting) בַּקָּ֑שֶׁת (with the bow), וַיָּ֖חֶל (and he was wounded) מִן־ (by) הַיּוֹרִֽים׃ (those shooting).

4  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) שָׁאוּל֩ (Saul) אֶל־ (to) נֹשֵׂ֨א (the bearer) כֵלָ֜יו (of his armor), שְׁלֹ֥ף (Draw) חַרְבְּךָ֣׀ (your sword) וְדָקְרֵ֣נִי (and thrust me through) בָ֗הּ (with it), פֶּן־ (lest) יָבֹ֜אוּ (come) הָעֲרֵלִ֤ים (uncircumcised men) הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ (these) וְהִתְעַלְּלוּ־ (and abuse) בִ֔י (me).

וְלֹ֤א (Not) אָבָה֙ (was willing) נֹשֵׂ֣א (the bearer) כֵלָ֔יו (of his armor), כִּ֥י (for) יָרֵ֖א (he was afraid) מְאֹ֑דס (exceedingly). וַיִּקַּ֤ח (And took) שָׁאוּל֙ (Saul) אֶת־ (-) הַחֶ֔רֶב (a sword) וַיִּפֹּ֖ל (and fell) עָלֶֽיהָ׃ (on it).

5  וַיַּ֥רְא (And saw) נֹשֵֽׂא־ (the bearer) כֵלָ֖יו (of his armor) כִּ֣י (that) מֵ֣ת (was dead) שָׁא֑וּל (Saul), וַיִּפֹּ֥ל (and he fell) גַּם־ (likewise) ה֛וּא (himself) עַל־ (on) הַחֶ֖רֶב (the sword) וַיָּמֹֽת׃ס (and he died). 6  וַיָּ֤מָת (And died) שָׁאוּל֙ (Saul) וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת (and three) בָּנָ֔יו (his sons), וְכָל־ (and all) בֵּית֖וֹ (his house) יַחְדָּ֥ו (together) מֵֽתוּ׃ (they died).

The Philistines Possess the Towns
(1 Samuel 31:7–10)

7  וַ֠יִּרְאוּ (And saw) כָּל־ (all) אִ֨ישׁ (the men) יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל (of Israel) אֲשֶׁר־ (who were) בָּעֵ֙מֶק֙ (in the valley) כִּ֣י (that) נָ֔סוּ (they had fled), וְכִי־ (and that) מֵ֖תוּ (were dead) שָׁא֣וּל (Saul) וּבָנָ֑יו (and his sons), וַיַּעַזְב֤וּ (and they abandoned) עָרֵיהֶם֙ (their cities) וַיָּנֻ֔סוּ (and fled). וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ (And came) פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (the Philistines) וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ (and dwelt) בָּהֶֽם׃ס (in them).

8  וַיְהִי֙ (And it came to pass) מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת (the next day) וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ (that came) פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (the Philistines) לְפַשֵּׁ֖ט (to strip) אֶת־ (-) הַֽחֲלָלִ֑ים (the slain), וַֽיִּמְצְא֤וּ (and they found) אֶת־ (-) שָׁאוּל֙ (Saul) וְאֶת־ (and) בָּנָ֔יו (his sons) נֹפְלִ֖ים (fallen) בְּהַ֥ר (on Mount) גִּלְבֹּֽעַ׃ (Gilboa). 9  וַיַּ֨פְשִׁיטֻ֔הוּ (And they stripped him) וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ (and lifted up) אֶת־ (-) רֹאשׁ֖וֹ (his head), וְאֶת־ (and) כֵּלָ֑יו (his armor), וַיְשַׁלְּח֨וּ (and they sent) בְאֶֽרֶץ־ (into the land) פְלִשְׁתִּ֜ים (of the Philistines) סָבִ֗יב (round about), לְבַשֵּׂ֛ר (to proclaim tidings) אֶת־ (-) עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֖ם (to their idols) וְאֶת־ (and) הָעָֽם׃ (the people). 10  וַיָּשִׂ֙ימוּ֙ (And they put) אֶת־ (-) כֵּלָ֔יו (his armor) בֵּ֖ית (in the temple) אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם (of their gods), וְאֶת־ (and) גֻּלְגָּלְתּ֥וֹ (his head) תָקְע֖וּ (they fastened) בֵּ֥ית (in the house) דָּגֽוֹן׃ס (of Dagon).

Jabesh-gilead’s Tribute to Saul
(1 Samuel 31:11–13)

11  וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ (And heard) כֹּ֖ל (all) יָבֵ֣ישׁ (Jabesh-) גִּלְעָ֑ד (gilead) אֵ֛ת (-) כָּל־ (of all) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשׂ֥וּ (had done) פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים (the Philistines) לְשָׁאֽוּל׃ (to Saul), 12  וַיָּקוּמוּ֮ (and arose) כָּל־ (all) אִ֣ישׁ (the men) חַיִל֒ (of valor) וַיִּשְׂא֞וּ (and lifted up) אֶת־ (-) גּוּפַ֣ת (the body) שָׁא֗וּל (of Saul), וְאֵת֙ (and) גּוּפֹ֣ת (the bodies) בָּנָ֔יו (of his sons), וַיְבִיא֖וּם (and they brought them) יָבֵ֑ישָׁה (to Jabesh), וַיִּקְבְּר֨וּ (and they buried) אֶת־ (-) עַצְמוֹתֵיהֶ֜ם (their bones) תַּ֤חַת (under) הָאֵלָה֙ (the oak) בְּיָבֵ֔שׁ (in Jabesh), וַיָּצ֖וּמוּ (and they fasted) שִׁבְעַ֥ת (seven) יָמִֽים׃ (days).

13  וַיָּ֣מָת (And died) שָׁא֗וּל (Saul) בְּמַֽעֲלוֹ֙ (for his unfaithfulness) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) מָעַ֣ל (he trespassed) בַּֽיהוָ֔ה (against YHWH), עַל־ (against) דְּבַ֥ר (the word) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (because) לֹא־ (not) שָׁמָ֑ר (he did keep it), וְגַם־ (and also) לִשְׁא֥וֹל (because he consulted) בָּא֖וֹב (a medium) לִדְרֽוֹשׁ׃ (to inquire). 14  וְלֹֽא־ (Not) דָרַ֥שׁ (he did inquire) בַּֽיהוָ֖ה (of YHWH). וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ (And He killed him) וַיַּסֵּב֙ (and turned over) אֶת־ (-) הַמְּלוּכָ֔ה (the kingdom) לְדָוִ֖יד (to David) בֶּן־ (son) יִשָֽׁי׃פ (of Jesse).