1 Samuel 31:1

THE MESSAGE

The Philistines made war on Israel. The men of Israel were in full retreat from the Philistines, falling left and right, wounded on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, Saul's sons.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The Philistines fought against Israel, and Israel’s men fled from them and were killed on Mount Gilboa.

Hebrew Names Version
Now the Pelishtim fought against Yisra'el: and the men of Yisra'el fled from before the Pelishtim, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.

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

Lexham English Bible
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and they fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

English Standard Version
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

New Century Version
The Philistines fought against Israel, and the Israelites ran away from them. Many Israelites were killed on Mount Gilboa.

New English Translation
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. The men of Israel fled from the Philistines and many of them fell dead on Mount Gilboa.

Amplified Bible
Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

New American Standard Bible
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from the Philistines but fell fatally wounded on Mount Gilboa.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Now the Philistims fought against Israel, & the me of Israel fled away from ye Philistims, and they fell downe wounded in mount Gilboa.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

Contemporary English Version
Meanwhile, the Philistines were fighting Israel at Mount Gilboa. Israel's soldiers ran from the Philistines, and many of them were killed.

Complete Jewish Bible
Now the P'lishtim pressed their attack on Isra'el. The men of Isra'el fled before the P'lishtim, leaving their dead on Mount Gilboa.

Darby Translation
And the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on mount Gilboa.

Easy-to-Read Version
Meanwhile, the Philistines fought against the Israelites, and the Israelites ran from them. There were many dead bodies that fell at Mount Gilboa.

George Lamsa Translation
NOW the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and many fell dead on mount Gilboa.

Good News Translation
The Philistines fought a battle against the Israelites on Mount Gilboa. Many Israelites were killed there, and the rest of them, including King Saul and his sons, fled.

Literal Translation
And the Philistines were fighting against Israel. And the men of Israel fled from the face of the Philistines, and they fell down wounded in Mount Gilboa.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Bvt ye Philistynes foughte against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistynes, and fell downe smytten vpon the mount Gilboa.

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

Bible in Basic English
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel: and the men of Israel went in flight before the Philistines, falling down wounded in Mount Gilboa.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled away from the Philistines, and fell downe wounded in mount Gilboa.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

King James Version (1611)
Nowe the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell downe slaine in mount Gilboa.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Philistines fought with Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and they fall down wounded in the mountain in Gelbue.

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

Berean Standard Bible
Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Filisteis fouyten ayens Israel, and the men of Israel fledden bifor the face of Filisteis, and felden slayn in the hil of Gelboe.

Young's Literal Translation
And the Philistines are fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel flee from the face of the Philistines, and fall wounded in mount Gilboa,

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

Webster's Bible Translation
Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

World English Bible
Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa.

New King James Version
1 Chronicles 10:1-14">[xr] Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

New Living Translation
Now the Philistines attacked Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them. Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa.

New Life Bible
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel. And the men of Israel ran from the Philistines and were killed and fell on Mount Gilboa.

New Revised Standard
Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and many fell on Mount Gilboa.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, as, the Philistines, were fighting against Israel, the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain, in Mount Gilboa.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gelboe.

Revised Standard Version
Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilbo'a.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

Contextual Overview

¹The Philistines made war on Israel. The men of Israel were in full retreat from the Philistines, falling left and right, wounded on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, Saul's sons. ³The battle was hot and heavy around Saul. The archers got his range and wounded him badly. Saul said to his weapon bearer, "Draw your sword and put me out of my misery, lest these pagan pigs come and make a game out of killing me." But his weapon bearer wouldn't do it. He was terrified. So Saul took the sword himself and fell on it. When the weapon bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, and his weapon bearer—the men closest to him—died together that day. When the Israelites in the valley opposite and those on the other side of the Jordan saw that their army was in full retreat and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left their cities and ran for their lives. The Philistines moved in and occupied the sites. The next day, when the Philistines came to rob the dead, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. They cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. Then they spread the good news all through Philistine country in the shrines of their idols and among the people. They displayed his armor in the shrine of the Ashtoreth. They nailed his corpse to the wall at Beth Shan. The people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. Their valiant men sprang into action. They traveled all night, took the corpses of Saul and his three sons from the wall at Beth Shan, and carried them back to Jabesh and burned off the flesh. They then buried the bones under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted in mourning for seven days. ⁵Saul and Jonathan, Dead on the Mountain The Philistines made war on Israel. The men of Israel were in full retreat from the Philistines, falling left and right, wounded on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, Saul's sons. The battle was hot and heavy around Saul. The archers got his range and wounded him badly. Saul said to his weapon bearer, "Draw your sword and put me out of my misery, lest these pagan pigs come and make a game out of killing me." But his weapon bearer wouldn't do it. He was terrified. So Saul took the sword himself and fell on it. When the weapon bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, and his weapon bearer—the men closest to him—died together that day. When the Israelites in the valley opposite and those on the other side of the Jordan saw that their army was in full retreat and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left their cities and ran for their lives. The Philistines moved in and occupied the sites. The next day, when the Philistines came to rob the dead, they found Saul and his three sons dead on Mount Gilboa. They cut off Saul's head and stripped off his armor. Then they spread the good news all through Philistine country in the shrines of their idols and among the people. They displayed his armor in the shrine of the Ashtoreth. They nailed his corpse to the wall at Beth Shan. The people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul. Their valiant men sprang into action. They traveled all night, took the corpses of Saul and his three sons from the wall at Beth Shan, and carried them back to Jabesh and burned off the flesh. They then buried the bones under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted in mourning for seven days. ⁶Saul and Jonathan, Dead on the Mountain The Philistines made war on Israel. The men of Israel were in full retreat from the Philistines, falling left and right, wounded on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines caught up with Saul and his sons. They killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, Saul's sons. The battle was hot and heavy around Saul. The archers got his range and wounded him badly. Saul said to his weapon bearer, "Draw your sword and put me out of my misery, lest these pagan pigs come and make a game out of killing me." But his weapon bearer wouldn't do it. He was terrified. So Saul took the sword himself and fell on it. When the weapon bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, and his weapon bearer—the men closest to him—died together that day. ⁷ When the Israelites in the valley opposite and those on the other side of the Jordan saw that their army was in full retreat and that Saul and his sons were dead, they left their cities and ran for their lives. The Philistines moved in and occupied the sites.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the Philistines: 1 Samuel 28:1, 1 Samuel 28:15, 1 Samuel 29:1

fell down: 1 Samuel 12:25, 1 Chronicles 10:1-12

slain: Heb. wounded

Gilboa: Eusebius and Jerome place this mountain six miles west from Bethshan, where was a large place called Gelbus. The natives still call it Djebel Gilbo. 1 Samuel 28:4, 2 Samuel 1:21

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:17 - ye shall be 1 Samuel 7:13 - against 1 Samuel 28:19 - the Lord 2 Samuel 1:4 - the people 2 Samuel 1:6 - mount 2 Samuel 1:23 - they were 2 Samuel 4:4 - when the tidings 2 Samuel 21:12 - in Gilboa 1 Chronicles 13:2 - left 1 Chronicles 17:8 - have cut off Psalms 44:10 - Thou Psalms 60:1 - scattered Psalms 63:10 - They shall fall Psalms 75:3 - earth Psalms 78:9 - The children Psalms 141:6 - When their judges Proverbs 24:22 - their Hosea 13:11 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 31:3
That's when God said to Jacob, "Go back home where you were born. I'll go with you."

Genesis 31:4
So Jacob sent word for Rachel and Leah to meet him out in the field where his flocks were. He said, "I notice that your father has changed toward me; he doesn't treat me the same as before. But the God of my father hasn't changed; he's still with me. You know how hard I've worked for your father. Still, your father has cheated me over and over, changing my wages time and again. But God never let him really hurt me. If he said, ‘Your wages will consist of speckled animals' the whole flock would start having speckled lambs and kids. And if he said, ‘From now on your wages will be streaked animals' the whole flock would have streaked ones. Over and over God used your father's livestock to reward me.

Genesis 31:17
Jacob did it. He put his children and his wives on camels and gathered all his livestock and everything he had gotten, everything acquired in Paddan Aram, to go back home to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

Genesis 31:25
When Laban reached him, Jacob's tents were pitched in the Gilead mountains; Laban pitched his tents there, too.

Job 31:31
"Didn't those who worked for me say, ‘He fed us well. There were always second helpings'? And no stranger ever had to spend a night in the street; my doors were always open to travelers. Did I hide my sin the way Adam did, or conceal my guilt behind closed doors Because I was afraid what people would say, fearing the gossip of the neighbors so much That I turned myself into a recluse? You know good and well that I didn't.

Psalms 57:4
I find myself in a pride of lions who are wild for a taste of human flesh; Their teeth are lances and arrows, their tongues are sharp daggers.

Proverbs 14:30
A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones.

Proverbs 27:4
We're blasted by anger and swamped by rage, but who can survive jealousy?

Ecclesiastes 4:4
Then I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting into the wind.

Jeremiah 9:23
God 's Message: "Don't let the wise brag of their wisdom. Don't let heroes brag of their exploits. Don't let the rich brag of their riches. If you brag, brag of this and this only: That you understand and know me. I'm God , and I act in loyal love. I do what's right and set things right and fair, and delight in those who do the same things. These are my trademarks." God 's Decree.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now the Philistines fought against Israel,.... Being come to Jezreel where Israel pitched, 1 Samuel 29:1; they fell upon them, began the battle:

and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines; at the first onset, as it should seem:

and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa; which was near, and whither fleeing they were pursued and slain, at least great numbers of them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XXXI

A battle in Mount Gilboa between Israel and the Philistines; in

which the former are defeated, and Saul's three sons slain,

1, 2.

Saul, being mortally wounded, and afraid to fall alive into the

hands of the Philistines, desires his armour-bearer to despatch

him; which he refusing, Saul falls on his sword, and his

armour-bearer does the same, 3, 6.

The Israelites on the other side of the valley forsake their

cities, and the Philistines come and dwell in them, 7.

The Philistines, finding Saul and his three sons among the

slain, strip them of their armour, which they put in the house

of Ashtaroth, cut of their heads, send the news to all the

houses of their idols, and fasten the bodies of Saul and his

three sons to the walls of Beth-shan, 8-10.

Valiant men of Jabesh-gilead go by night, and take away the

bodies; burn them at Jabesh; bury their bones under a tree;

and fast seven days, 11-13.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXI

Verse 1 Samuel 31:1. Now the Philistines fought — This is the continuation of the account given in 1 Samuel 29:1-11.

The men of Israel fled — It seems as if they were thrown into confusion at the first onset, and turned their backs upon their enemies.