掃羅之死

31 非利士人與以色列人交戰,以色列人敗逃,許多人在基利波山被殺。 非利士人窮追掃羅及其眾子,殺了掃羅的兒子約拿單、亞比拿達和麥基舒亞。 掃羅周圍戰事激烈,他被弓箭手發現、射成重傷, 就對為他拿兵器的人說:「拔出你的刀來刺死我吧,免得那些未受割禮的人來刺殺和凌辱我。」但拿兵器的人非常害怕,不敢動手,掃羅就自己伏刀自盡了。 侍從看見掃羅已死,也伏刀自盡了。 這樣,掃羅和他三個兒子,以及為他拿兵器的人和他的軍隊都死了。 平原一帶和約旦河對面的以色列人見以色列軍敗逃、掃羅及其眾子已死,都棄城而逃。於是,非利士人佔據了那些城邑。

次日,非利士人來剝陣亡者的衣物,發現掃羅和他的三個兒子橫屍基利波山, 就割下了掃羅的頭顱,剝下他的盔甲,並派人走遍非利士全境,在他們偶像的廟裡及民眾中通告消息。 10 非利士人把掃羅的盔甲放在亞斯她錄神廟裡,把他的屍體釘在伯·珊城牆上。 11 基列·雅比人聽說非利士人對掃羅的所作所為, 12 他們所有的勇士就連夜趕到伯·珊,從牆上取下掃羅和他兒子們的屍體,帶到雅比火化, 13 把骨灰葬在雅比的垂絲柳樹下,又為他們禁食了七天。

Saul Takes His Life(A)

31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa.(B) The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons,(C) and they killed his sons Jonathan,(D) Abinadab and Malki-Shua.(E) The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded(F) him critically.

Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through,(G) or these uncircumcised(H) fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.”

But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died(I) together that same day.

When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.

The next day, when the Philistines(J) came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news(K) in the temple of their idols and among their people.(L) 10 They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths(M) and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.(N)

11 When the people of Jabesh Gilead(O) heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their valiant men(P) marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned(Q) them. 13 Then they took their bones(R) and buried them under a tamarisk(S) tree at Jabesh, and they fasted(T) seven days.(U)

31 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul's sons.

And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.

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.

And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

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.

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.

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.

10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

11 And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;

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 Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.

13 And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.