Defeat and Death of Saul and His Sons

1Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from the Philistines but fell fatally wounded on Mount Gilboa. 2And the Philistines also overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines [a]killed Jonathan, [b]Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3The battle became severe against Saul, and the archers found him; and he was wounded by the archers. 4Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised Philistines will come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was very afraid. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he likewise fell on his sword and died. 6So Saul died with his three sons, and all those of his house died together.

7When all the people 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.

8It came about the next day, when the Philistines came to strip those killed, that they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9So they stripped him and took his head and his armor and sent messengers around the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. 10They put his armor in the house of their gods and [c]impaled his head in the house of Dagon.

Jabesh-gilead’s Tribute to Saul