1 And Philistines were fighting against Israel. And men of Israel fled from before Philistines, and fell slain on mount Gilboa. 2 And Philistines followed hard after i Saul and his sons, and Philistines struck Jonathan and Abinadab and Melchi-Shua, Saul's sons. 3 And the battle was heavy to Saul, and the men shooting with the bow found him, and he was severely pained ii from the archers.
4 And Saul said to his equipment bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me with her, lest these foreskined come and pierce me and abuse me.” And his equipment bearer was unwilling, for he was very afraid. So, Saul took the sword and fell upon her. 5 And his equipment bearer saw that he was dead, and he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6 So, Saul died, and his three sons, and his equipment bearer, also all his men on that day together.
7 And men of Israel who were beyond the valley and who were beyond the Jordan saw that men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead. So, they left the cities and fled. And Philistines came in and dwelt in them. 8 And it was on the next day, so Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen on mount Gilboa. 9 And they cut off his head and stripped off his equipment and sent throughout Philistines' land to proclaim the news roundabout among the house of their idols and the people. 10 And they put his equipment at the house of Ashtoreths, and his body they fastened on House of Shan's iii wall.
11 And inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard about him, what Philistines did to Saul. 12 And every valiant man arose and walked all night, and took Saul's body and his sons' bodies from House of Shan's wall, and came into Jabesh and burnt them there. 13 And they took their bones and buried under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.
Translated by Darwin Fish. See original pdf.
- יַּדְבְּקוּ (yadbequ) “followed hard after” - same root word for “cling” in Genesis 2:24 (see footnote), except here Hiphil. ^
- יָּחֶל (yâchel) “pained” YLT; “wounded” NKJV, KJV, NAS – this verb is used for the pain of childbirth (e.g. Isaiah 51:2), for dancing (e.g. Judges 21:23), and for waiting longingly (e.g. Job 35:14). ^
- בֵּית שָׁן (bêyt shân) “House of Shan” (means “ease” i.e. house of ease) - found also in 1 Samuel 31:10, 12; 2 Samuel 21:12. See also “House of Shean” in Joshua 17:11. ^
Tell not in Winepress. Proclaim no news in Asheklon's streets, lest Philistine's daughters rejoice; lest the daughters of the foreskinned triumph. -- רשךרו תךב) tevasseru) “Proclaim . . . news” - same verb and idea (contextually) in 1 Samuel 31:9.
May it whirl upon Joab's head and to all his father's house. And from Joab's let there not be cut off a discharge and a leper and one who grabs on the spindle and who falls by the sword, and lacks bread.” -- ו י) yâchlu) “whirl” Green, NET, TLV; “rest” NKJV; “fall” NAS; “stay” YLT – this verb is also used for dancing (e.g. Judges 21:23), for pain (e.g. 1 Samuel 31:3), and for waiting longingly (e.g. Job 35:14).