Study Desk

And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and those that were beyond the 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 next day, 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 armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry the tidings to the house of their idols, and to the people.

And they put his armor in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

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 Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.

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

And David said to him, How did it go? I pray you, tell me. And he answered, The people fled from the battle, and many of the people also fell and have died; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

And David said to the young man that told him, How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance on mount Gilboa, I saw that Saul was leaning on his spear; and that the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.

So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after he fell: and I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.

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

and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel; because they fell by the sword.

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

So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

And his men that were with him David brought up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

And Abner said to him, Turn yourself aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay yourself hold on one of the young men, and take yourself his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

And Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed every one his brother.

And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.

And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.