Lexham English Bible

1 Samuel 31:1-7 Lexham English Bible (LEB)

1. Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and they fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

2. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malki-Shua, the sons of Saul.

3. Saul was in the thick of the battle, and the archers spotted him, and he was badly wounded by the archers.

4. Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, so that these uncircumcised do not come and thrust me through and make a fool of me!” But his armor bearer was not willing to do so because he was very afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.

5. And when his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.

6. So Saul died, and his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men together that same day.

7. And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those who were beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the towns and fled. Thus the Philistines came and lived in them.