Saul’s Overthrow and Death
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell down slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons, and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle was heavy around Saul, and the archers overtook him and wounded him.
4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me.”
But his armor bearer would not, for he was terrified. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword and died. 6 So Saul died with his three sons, and all his house died together.
The Philistines Possess the Towns
7 When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled, and the Philistines came and lived in them.
8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They stripped him, took his head and his armor, and sent them into the land of the Philistines to carry the news everywhere to their idols and to the people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of their gods and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.
Jabesh-Gilead’s Tribute to Saul
11 When all of Jabesh Gilead heard everything that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose and took Saul’s body and the bodies of his sons, brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.
13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he committed against the Lord, because of the word of the Lord, which he did not keep, and also because he asked for counsel from a medium, 14 and did not inquire of the Lord. Therefore he killed him and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.