Verse 1: AmaFilisti alwa no-Israyeli; abantu bakwa-Israyeli babaleka phambi kwamaFilisti, bawa begwaziwe entabeni yaseGilibowa.
Verse 2: AmaFilisti axosha uSawule namadodana akhe; amaFilisti abulala oJonathani, no-Abinadaba, noMaliki Shuwa, amadodana kaSawule.
Verse 3: Impi yaba nzima kuSawule; abacibishelayo bamfica, wakhathazeka kakhulu ngenxa yabacibishelayo.
Verse 4: USawule wayesethi odibini lwezikhali zakhe: “Hosha inkemba yakho, ungigwaze ngayo, funa labo abangasokile bafike, bangigwaze, bangone.” Kepha aluvumanga udibi lwezikhali zakhe, ngokuba lwesaba kakhulu. Ngalokho uSawule wayithatha inkemba, wawela phezu kwayo.
Verse 5: Udibi lwezikhali zakhe selubonile ukuthi uSawule ufile, lwawela nalo phezu kwenkemba yalo, lwafa kanye naye.
Verse 6: Wafa-ke uSawule namadodana akhe omathathu, nodibi lwakhe, nabo bonke abantu bakhe ngalolo suku kanyekanye.
Verse 7: Lapho abantu bakwa-Israyeli ababe ngaphesheya kwesigodi nalabo ababe ngaphesheya kweJordani bebona ukuthi abantu bakwa-Israyeli babaleka nokuthi uSawule namadodana akhe bafile, bashiya imizi, babaleka; amaFilisti afika, ahlala kuyo.
Verse 8: Kwathi ngangomuso, lapho amaFilisti efika ukuphanga ababuleweyo, afumana uSawule namadodana akhe omathathu bewile entabeni yaseGilibowa.
Verse 9: Amnquma ikhanda, athatha izikhali zakhe, azithuma ezweni lamaFilisti nxazonke ukukumemezela endlini yezithombe zawo nakubantu.
Verse 10: Azibeka izikhali zakhe endlini ka-Ashitaroti, abethela isidumbu sakhe ogangeni lwaseBeti Shani.
Verse 11: Sebezwile abakhe eJabeshi Gileyadi lokho amaFilisti ayekwenzile kuSawule,
Verse 12: kwasuka onke amadoda anamandla, ahamba ubusuku bonke, asithatha isidumbu sikaSawule, nezidumbu zamadodana akhe ogangeni lwaseBeti Shani, afika eJabeshi, azishisa khona.
Verse 13: Athatha amathambo abo, awembela phansi komtamariske eJabeshi, azila ukudla izinsuku eziyisikhombisa.