Saul

3Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

By now Samuel had died. All Israel had cried for him. They buried him in Ramah, his own town. Saul had also driven out of the land everyone who claimed to talk with the dead.

4And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.

The Philistines came together and set up their camp at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel and camped at Gilboa.

5And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.

When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid. His heart shook inside him.

6And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

Saul asked the LORD what to do. But the LORD did not answer him. No dream came. The Urim gave nothing. No prophet spoke.

7Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.

So Saul told his servants, "Find me a woman who talks with the dead. I want to go and ask her." His servants said, "There is one at Endor."

8And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.

Saul dressed in different clothes so no one would know him. He took two men and came to the woman at night. He said, "Please call up a spirit for me. Bring up the one I name."

9And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

The woman said, "You know what Saul has done. He has driven all such people out of the land. Why are you setting a trap to get me killed?"

10And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

Saul made a promise to her in the LORD's name. He said, "As surely as the LORD lives, you will not be punished for this."

11Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

The woman asked, "Who should I bring up for you?" He said, "Bring up Samuel."

12And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

When the woman saw Samuel, she screamed. She said to Saul, "Why did you trick me? You are Saul!"

13And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

The king said, "Do not be afraid. What do you see?" She said, "I see a godlike being coming up out of the ground."

14And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.

He asked, "What does he look like?" She said, "An old man is coming up. He is wearing a long robe." Then Saul knew it was Samuel. He bowed low with his face to the ground.

15And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you bothered me and brought me up?" Saul said, "I am in deep trouble. The Philistines are fighting me. God has left me. He does not answer me anymore, not by prophets and not by dreams. So I called you to tell me what to do."

16Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?

Samuel said, "Why ask me? The LORD has left you and has become your enemy.

17And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:

The LORD has done just what he said through me. He has torn the kingdom out of your hand. He has given it to the man near you, to David.

18Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.

This is because you did not obey the LORD. You did not carry out his burning anger against the Amalekites. That is why the LORD has done this to you today.

19Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.

The LORD will hand over Israel and you to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will hand Israel's army over to the Philistines too."

20Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

At once Saul fell flat on the ground. Samuel's words filled him with fear. He had no strength left. He had not eaten all day and all night.

21And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

The woman came to Saul and saw how upset he was. She said, "I did what you asked me to do. I risked my own life to obey your words.

22Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat, that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.

Now please listen to me too. Let me set a little bread in front of you. Eat, so you will have strength for your journey."

23But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

He said no. "I will not eat," he said. But his servants and the woman kept urging him, and he gave in. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

24And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:

The woman had a well-fed calf at her house. She quickly killed it. She took flour, kneaded it, and baked flat bread with no yeast.

25And she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

She set the food in front of Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they got up and left that same night.

1Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

The Philistines fought against Israel. The Philistines were a people who lived nearby. Israel's soldiers ran away from them. Many were killed on Mount Gilboa.

2And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul’s sons.

The Philistines chased Saul, the king, and his sons very closely. They killed three of Saul's sons. Their names were Jonathan, Abinadab, and Melchishua.

3And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.

The fighting around Saul grew worse and worse. Men shooting arrows found him and hit him. He was hurt very badly.

4Then 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.

Saul spoke to the man who carried his weapons. He said, "Take your sword and kill me. If you do not, these Philistines will kill me and hurt me first." But the man was too afraid to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

5And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

The man who carried Saul's weapons saw that Saul was dead. So he fell on his own sword too. He died beside Saul.

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

So Saul died that day. His three sons died. The man who carried his weapons died. All his men died with him, on that same day.

7And 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.

Some Israelites lived across the valley. Others lived across the Jordan River. They saw that Israel's army had run away. They heard that Saul and his sons were dead. So they left their towns and ran. Then the Philistines came and lived in those towns.

8And 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.

The next day the Philistines came back to take things from the dead soldiers. They found Saul and his three sons lying on Mount Gilboa.

9And 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.

They cut off Saul's head. They took off the metal clothes he wore for fighting. They sent the news all over the land of the Philistines. They told it in the temples of their idols and to all their people.

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

They put Saul's armor in the temple of Ashtaroth. Ashtaroth was a goddess the Philistines worshiped. They hung Saul's body on the city wall of Bethshan.

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

The people of the town called Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul.

12All 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.

All their brave men got up and walked all night long. They took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall of Bethshan. They carried them back to Jabesh and burned them there.

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

Then they took the bones and buried them under a tree at Jabesh. For seven days they did not eat, because they were sad.

1Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;

Saul the king had died. David had just come back from fighting the Amalekites. He had been staying in the town of Ziklag for two days.

2It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

On the third day a man came from Saul's army camp. His clothes were torn and there was dirt on his head. He came to David, bowed low, and put his face to the ground.

3And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

David asked him, "Where have you come from?" The man said, "I got away from Israel's camp."

4And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

David asked, "What happened? Please tell me." The man said, "Our soldiers ran away from the fight. Many of them fell and died. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too."

5And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

David asked the young man who told him this, "How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"

6And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

The young man said, "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. Saul was there, leaning on his spear. Enemy chariots and men on horses were coming closer and closer.

7And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.

Then Saul turned around and saw me. He called out to me. I answered, 'I am here.'

8And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

He asked me, 'Who are you?' I told him, 'I am an Amalekite.'

9He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.

Then he said to me, 'Please stand over me and kill me. I am in great pain, but I am still alive.'

10So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

So I stood over him and killed him. I knew he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown off his head and the gold band off his arm. I brought them here to you, my master."

11Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:

Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them. All the men who were with him tore their clothes too.

12And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

They cried and were very sad. They ate no food until evening. They grieved for Saul, for his son Jonathan, for the LORD's people, and for all Israel. So many of them had died in the battle.

13And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

David asked the young man who told him this, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I am the son of a foreigner. I am an Amalekite."

14And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?

David said to him, "Saul was the king the LORD chose. Why were you not afraid to lift your hand and kill him?"

15And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.

Then David called one of his young men over. He said, "Go and put him to death." So the young man struck him down, and he died.

16And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’s anointed.

David said to the Amalekite, "What has happened to you is your own fault. Your own mouth said you killed the king the LORD chose."

17And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

Then David sang a sad song about Saul and about his son Jonathan.

18(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

He said the people of Judah should be taught this song. It is called the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jasher.

19The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!

"Israel, your best and finest men lie dead on your hills. See how the strong ones have fallen!

20Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Do not tell the news in the town of Gath. Do not say it in the streets of Ashkelon. The women of the Philistines must not be glad. The daughters of our enemies must not cheer.

21Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

Mountains of Gilboa, may no dew or rain fall on you. May no grain grow in your fields for gifts to God. There a strong man's shield was thrown down and left in the dirt. It was Saul's shield, and no one rubbed it with oil anymore.

22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

Jonathan's bow did not turn back from the enemies it struck. Saul's sword never came home without doing its work. They fought the strongest men and won.

23Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

People loved Saul and Jonathan and were glad to be near them. In life and in death, the two of them stayed together. They were faster than eagles. They were stronger than lions.

24Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

Women of Israel, cry for Saul. He gave you fine red clothes and other good things. He put gold on the clothes you wore.

25How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.

See how the strong ones have fallen right in the middle of the fight! Jonathan lies dead on your hills.

26I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

I am very sad for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful. It meant more to me than the love of women.

27How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

See how the strong ones have fallen! The weapons of war are broken and gone."

1Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

While David was king, there was no food for three years in a row. Crops failed year after year. David asked the LORD why. The LORD said, "It is because of Saul and his family. Saul killed the people of Gibeon."

2And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)

So King David called the people of Gibeon and talked with them. The Gibeonites were not Israelites. They were the last of a people called the Amorites. Long ago Israel had made a solemn promise to let them live. But Saul had tried to kill them, because he cared only for Israel and Judah.

3Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?

David asked them, "What can I do for you? How can I make this wrong right? Then you can ask God to bless the people who belong to him."

4And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you.

The Gibeonites said, "We do not want silver or gold from Saul's family. And we may not just kill any man in Israel." David said, "Tell me what you want, and I will do it."

5And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel,

They said to the king, "Saul was the man who destroyed us. He made a plan to wipe us out so none of us would be left anywhere in Israel.

6Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.

So give us seven men from his family. We will hang them before the LORD at Gibeah, Saul's own town. Saul was the man the LORD once chose to be king." The king said, "I will give them to you."

7But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

But the king kept Mephibosheth safe. He was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul. David saved him because of the promise he and Jonathan had made before the LORD.

8But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

The king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons Rizpah had borne to Saul. Rizpah was the daughter of Aiah. He also took five sons of Saul's daughter, whom she had raised for Adriel. Adriel was the son of Barzillai from Meholah.

9And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

He handed the seven men over to the Gibeonites. They hanged them on the hill before the LORD. All seven died together. It happened at the start of harvest time, when the barley was first cut.

10And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, took rough cloth and spread it on a rock. She stayed there from the start of harvest until rain fell from the sky. She would not let birds land on the bodies by day. She would not let wild animals near them by night.

11And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.

Someone told David what Rizpah had done. She had been one of Saul's wives, but with a lower place in his house.

12And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:

Then David went and got the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. He got them from the men of Jabesh-gilead. Those men had taken the bodies from the town square of Beth-shan. The Philistines had hung them there after they killed Saul at Mount Gilboa.

13And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.

David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan back from that place. They also gathered the bones of the seven men who had been hanged.

14And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was intreated for the land.

They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan in the land of Benjamin, at a town called Zelah. They laid them in the grave of Kish, Saul's father. They did everything the king had told them to do. After that, God answered the prayers for the land.

1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

The Philistines went to war against Israel. The men of Israel ran away from them. Many were killed on Mount Gilboa.

2And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

The Philistines chased hard after Saul, the king, and his sons. They killed Saul's sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua.

3And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers.

The fighting around Saul grew worse. Men with bows caught up to him. Their arrows wounded him.

4Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

Saul said to the man who carried his weapons, "Take your sword and kill me. If you do not, these Philistines will come and hurt me." But the man was too afraid to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

5And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.

The man who carried Saul's weapons saw that Saul was dead. So he fell on his own sword and died too.

6So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.

So Saul died. His three sons died. Everyone in his house died with him.

7And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

The men of Israel in the valley saw that the army had run away. They saw that Saul and his sons were dead. So they left their towns and ran away. Then the Philistines came and lived in those towns.

8And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa.

The next day the Philistines came to take things from the dead. They found Saul and his sons lying on Mount Gilboa.

9And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people.

They took Saul's things. They cut off his head and took his armor. Then they sent men all through Philistine country with the news. The news was told in the houses of their idols and to the people.

10And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.

They put Saul's armor in the house of their gods. They hung his head in the temple of Dagon, one of their gods.

11And when all Jabeshgilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,

The people of Jabesh-gilead heard everything the Philistines had done to Saul.

12They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

All their brave men went and got the bodies of Saul and his sons. They carried them back to Jabesh. They buried the bones under the big oak tree there. Then they went seven days without eating.

13So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;

So Saul died because he was not faithful to the LORD. He did not obey what the LORD said. He also went to a woman who said she could talk to the dead, and he asked her for advice.

14And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

He did not ask the LORD what to do. So the LORD put him to death. The LORD gave the kingdom to David, the son of Jesse.

21And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

Then the people asked for a king. God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, from the family group of Benjamin. Saul was king for forty years.

22And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

God took Saul away and made David their king. God said about him, "I have found David, the son of Jesse. He is a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want."