1: Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men
of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount
Gilboa. |
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2: And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons;
and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul's
sons. |
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3:
And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit
him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. |
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4: Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and
thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me
through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore
afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. |
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5: And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell
likewise upon his sword, and died with him. |
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6: So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and
all his men, that same day together. |
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7: And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the
valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of
Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the
cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. |
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8: And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came
to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in
mount Gilboa. |
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9: And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and
sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the
house of their idols, and among the people. |
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10: And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they
fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. |
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11: And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which
the Philistines had done to Saul; |
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12: All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the
body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and
came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. |
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13: And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at
Jabesh, and fasted seven days. |