Chapter 10

King Saul with his three sons are slain by the Philistians, ℣.8 who spoils the army and carry away Saul's head. ℣.11 The men of Jabes Galaad bury his body and his sons, fasting for them seven days. And the Kingdom is translated to David.

1. 1

   And the Philisthiims fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from the Palesthines, and they fell wounded in mount Gelboe.

2. 2

   And when the Philisthians were come near pursuing Saul and his sons, they struck Jonathas, and Abinadab, and Melchisua the sons of Saul.

3. 3

   And the battle grew sore against Saul, and the archers found him, and wounded him with arrows.

4. 4

   And Saul said to his esquire: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest perhaps these uncircumcised come, and deride me. But his harness-bearer would not, being frighted with fear: Saul therefore caught his sword, and fell upon it.

5. 5

   Which when his harness- bearer had seen, to wit, that Saul was dead, himself also fell upon his sword, and died.

6. 6

   Saul therefore died, and his three sons, and all his house fell together.

7. 7

   Which when the men of Israel had seen that dwelt in the champion, they fled: and Saul and his sons being dead, they forsook their cities, and were dispersed hither and thither: and the Philisthiims came, and dwelt in them.

8. 8

   The next day therefore the Philisthiims taking away the spoils of them that were slain, found Saul and his sons lying on mount Gelboe.

9. 9

   And when they had spoiled him, and cut off his head, and stripped him of his armour, they sent into their land, that it should be carried about, & should be shewed in the temples of the idols, and to the people:

10. 10

    & his armour they dedicated in the temple of their god, and the head they nailed up in the temple of Dagon.

11. 11

    When the men of Jabes Galaad had heard this, to wit, all things that the Philisthiims had done upon Saul,

12. 12

    every one of the valiant men arose, and took the bodies of Saul and of his sons, and brought them into Jabes, & buried their bones under an oak, that was in Jabes, and they fasted seven days.

13. 13

    Saul therefore died for his iniquities, for that he transgressed the commandment of our Lord which he had commanded, and kept it not: yea and besides also consulted the Pythoness,

14. 14

    and trusted not in our Lord: for the which he slew him, and transferred his Kingdom to David the son of Isai.