1 The Philistines fought against Israel. The men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they struck down Jonathan, Abinadab and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons. 3 The battle grew fierce around Saul. The archers found him, and he trembled greatly because of the archers. 4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come, thrust me through and abuse me.” But his armor-bearer refused, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. 6 So Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer and all his men died together that day. 7 When the Israelites across the valley and across the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. The Philistines came and settled in them.

8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head, stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to announce the news in the house of their idols and among the people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth and fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11 When the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men set out and walked all night. They took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, brought them to Jabesh and burned them there. 13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.