1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of
Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
2 And
the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the
Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.
3 And
the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded
of the archers.
4 Then
said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith;
lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for
he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
5 And
when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword,
and died.
6 So
Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.
7 And
when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and
that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and
the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 And
it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain,
that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
9 And
when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into
the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and
to the people.
10 And
they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the
temple of Dagon.
11 And
when all Jabeshgilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul,
12 They
arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of
his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in
Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
13 So
Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against
the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a
familiar spirit, to enquire of it;
14 And
enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto
David the son of Jesse.
