The Death of Saul
1 Samuel 31
The Philistines defeat Israel on Mount Gilboa, killing Saul's sons including Jonathan, and when Saul is wounded by archers he falls on his own sword rather than be captured, and his armor-bearer follows him in death. The Philistines strip Saul's body, fasten it to the wall of Bethshan, and set up his armor in the temple of Astarte, but the men of Jabesh-gilead retrieve the bodies by night, burn them, bury the bones, and fast seven days.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonNOW when the Philistines attacked Israel, the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and the wounded fell on the mountain Gelbua,
BrentonAnd the Philistines fought with Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and they fall down wounded in the mountain of Gelbue.
GreekΚαὶ οἱ ἀλλόφύλοι ἐπολέμουν ἐπὶ Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ἔφυγον οἱ ἄνδρες Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ προσώπου τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ πίπτουσι τραυματίαι ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Γελβουέ.
KJVNow the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
JPSNow the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
2
Thomsonand the Philistines came to a close engagement with Saul and his sons, and the Philistines smote Jonathan, and Aminadab, and Melchisa, sons of Saul.
BrentonAnd the Philistines press closely on Saul and his sons, and the Philistines smite Jonathan, and Aminadab, and Melchisa son of Saul.
GreekΚαὶ συνάπτουσιν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι τῷ Σαοὺλ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τύπτουσιν ἀλλόφυλοι τὸν Ἰωναθάν, καὶ τὸν Ἀμιναδὰβ, καὶ τὸν Μελχισᾶ υἱὸν Σαούλ.
KJVAnd the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul’s sons.
JPSAnd the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3
ThomsonAnd the battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded under the breastbone,
BrentonAnd the battle prevails against Saul, and the shooters with arrows, even the archers find him, and he was wounded under the ribs.
GreekΚαὶ βαρύνεται ὁ πόλεμος ἐπὶ Σαοὺλ, καὶ εὑρίσκουσιν αὐτὸν οἱ ἀκοντισταὶ ἄνδρες τόξοται, καὶ ἐτραυματίσθη εἰς τὰ ὑποχόνδρια.
KJVAnd the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.
JPSAnd the battle went sore against Saul, an the archers overtook him; and he was in great anguish by reason of the archers.
4
Thomsonwhereupon Saul said to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and run me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and stab me, and insult me. But his armour-bearer would not, for he was struck with horror. Therefore Saul took the sword, and fell on it.
BrentonAnd Saul said to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword and pierce me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and pierce me through, and mock me. But his armour-bearer would not, for he feared greatly: so Saul took his sword and fell upon it.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ πρὸς τὸν αἴροντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, σπάσαι τὴν ῥομφαίαν σου καὶ ἀποκέντησόν με ἐν αὐτῇ, μὴ ἔλθωσιν οἱ ἀπερίτμητοι οὗτοι καὶ ἀποκεντήσωσί με καὶ ἐμπαίξωσιν ἐμοί· καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐφοβήθη σφόδρα· καὶ ἔλαβε Σαοὺλ τὴν ῥομφαίαν, καὶ ἐπέπεσεν ἐπʼ αὐτήν.
KJVThen 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.
JPSThen said Saul to his armour-bearer: ‘Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and make a mock of me.’ But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
5
ThomsonAnd when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword, and died with him.
BrentonAnd his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, and he fell also himself upon his sword, and died with him.
GreekΚαὶ εἶδεν ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ὅτι τέθνηκε Σαοὺλ, καὶ ἐπέπεσε καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπέθανε μετʼ αὐτοῦ.
KJVAnd when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
JPSAnd when his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell upon his sword, and died with him.
6
ThomsonThus Saul, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, died on the same day in the same place.
BrentonSo Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, in that day together.
GreekΚαὶ ἀπέθανε Σαοὺλ, καὶ οἱ τρεῖς υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ αἴρων τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ κατὰ τὸ αὐτό.
KJVSo Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.
JPSSo Saul died, and his three sons, and his armour-bearer, and all his men, that same day together.
7
ThomsonAnd when the men of Israel who were on this side the vale, and they who were on the bank of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled; and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left their cities, and fled, and the Philistines came and dwelt therein.
BrentonAnd the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those beyond Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead; and they leave their cities and flee: and the Philistines come and dwell in them.
GreekΚαὶ εἶδον οἱ ἄνδρες Ἰσραὴλ οἱ ἐν τῷ πέραν τῆς κοιλάδος καὶ οἱ ἐν τῷ πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ὅτι ἔφυγον οἱ ἄνδρες Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ὅτι τέθνηκε Σαοὺλ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ καταλείπουσι τὰς πόλεις αὐτῶν καὶ φεύγουσι· καὶ ἔρχονται οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι καὶ κατοικοῦσιν ἐν αὐταῖς.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were beyond the 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.
8
ThomsonNow on the morrow when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul, and his three sons, fallen on the mountains of Gelbua.
BrentonAnd it came to pass on the morrow that the Philistines come to strip the dead, and they find Saul and his three sons fallen on the mountains of Gelbue.
GreekΚαὶ ἐγενήθη τῇ ἐπαύριον ἔρχονται οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι ἐκδιδύσκειν τοὺς νεκροὺς, καὶ εὑρίσκουσι τὸν Σαοὺλ καὶ τοὺς τρεῖς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ πεπτωκότας ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη Γελβούε.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd 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.
9
ThomsonAnd they treated him scornfully, and stripped off his armour, and sent it to the land of the Philistines, proclaiming the good news all around to their idols, and to the people.
BrentonAnd they turned him, and stripped off his armour, and sent it into the land of the Philistines, sending round glad tidings to their idols and to the people.
GreekΚαὶ ἀποστρέφουσιν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐξέδυσαν τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτὰ εἰς γῆν ἀλλοφύλων, κύκλῳ εὐαγγελίζοντες τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν καὶ τῷ λαῷ.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings unto the house of their idols, and to the people.
10
ThomsonAnd they hung up his arms in the temple of Astarte, and fixed up his body on the wall of Baithsam.
BrentonAnd they set up his armour at the temple of Astarte, and they fastened his body on the wall of Bæthsam.
GreekΚαὶ ἀνέθηκαν τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ Ἀσταρτεῖον, καὶ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ κατέπηξαν ἐν τῷ τείχει Βαιθσάμ.
KJVAnd they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.
JPSAnd they put his armour in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
11
ThomsonBut when the inhabitants of Jabis Galaad heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,
BrentonAnd the inhabitants of Jabis Galaad hear what the Philistines did to Saul.
GreekΚαὶ ἀκούουσιν οἱ κατοικοῦντες Ἰαβὶς τῆς Γαλααδίτιδος ἃ ἐποίησαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι τῷ Σαούλ.
KJVAnd when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;
JPSAnd when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard concerning him that which the Philistines had done to Saul,
12
Thomsonthey arose, even all the men of valour, and marched the whole night, and took the body of Saul, and the body of Jonathan his son, from the wall of Baithsam, and carried them to Jabis and there burned them.
BrentonAnd they rose up, even every man of might, and marched all night, and took the body of Saul and the body of Jonathan his son from the wall of Bæthsam; and they bring them to Jabis, and burn them there.
GreekΚαὶ ἀνέστησαν πᾶς ἀνὴρ δυνάμεως, καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν ὅλην τὴν νύκτα, καὶ ἔλαβον τὸ σῶμα Σαοὺλ καὶ τὸ σῶμα Ἰωνάθαν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους Βαιθσὰμ, καὶ φέρουσιν αὐτοὺς εἰς Ἰαβὶς, καὶ κατακαίουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ.
KJVAll the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
JPSall 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 they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
13
ThomsonThen they took their bones, and buried them in the field at Jabis, and fasted seven days.
BrentonAnd they take their bones, and bury them in the field that is in Jabis, and fast seven days.
GreekΚαὶ λαμβάνουσιν τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτῶν, καὶ θάπτουσιν ὑπὸ τὴν ἄρουραν τὴν ἐν Ἰαβὶς, καὶ νηστεύουσιν ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας.
KJVAnd they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
JPSAnd they took their bones, and buried them under the tamarisk-tree in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.