²⁵ But when the plot came to the king’s attention,^[a] he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head,^(A) and that he and his sons should be impaled^(B) on poles.^(C)

³² The Lord will repay^(A) him for the blood he shed,^(B) because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa^(C) son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better^(D) men and more upright than he.

³ The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded^(A) him critically.

⁴ Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through,^(B) or these uncircumcised^(C) 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.

¹⁹ The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons^(A) will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”

¹⁰ As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike^(A) him, or his time^(B) will come and he will die,^(C) or he will go into battle and perish.

¹² May the Lord judge^(A) between you and me. And may the Lord avenge^(B) the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. ¹³ As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,^(C)’ so my hand will not touch you.