1 Samuel 31
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1 Samuel 31:1-8

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

2And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul.

3The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers.

4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me." But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.

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

6Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.

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

8The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

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Commentaries on 1 Samuel 31

English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles