| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. | 1The Philistines fought against Israel, and Israel's men fled from them and were killed on Mount Gilboa. |
| 2Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons. | 2The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and killed Saul's sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. |
| 3The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was wounded by the archers. | 3When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers found him and severely wounded him. |
| 4Then Saul said to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and abuse me.” But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. | 4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!" But his armor-bearer wouldn't do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it. |
| 5And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died. | 5When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his own sword and died. |
| 6So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together. | 6So Saul and his three sons died--his whole house died together. |
| 7And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their cities and fled; then the Philistines came and dwelt in them. | 7When all the men of Israel in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. So the Philistines came and settled in them. |
| 8So it happened the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. | 8The next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa. |
| 9And they stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent word throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among the people. | 9They stripped Saul, cut off his head, took his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the good news to their idols and their people. |
| 10Then they put his armor in the temple of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. | 10Then they put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his skull in the temple of Dagon. |
| 11And when all Jabesh Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, | 11When all Jabesh-gilead heard of everything the Philistines had done to Saul, |
| 12all the valiant men arose and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons; and they brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. | 12all their brave men set out and retrieved the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days. |
| 13So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. | 13Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD because he did not keep the LORD's word. He even consulted a medium for guidance, |
| 14But he did not inquire of the LORD; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse. | 14but he did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse. |
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