1 The Philistines attacked Israel and all the Israelites soldiers ran away from them. Many Israelites were cut down on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines chased down Saul and his sons. The killed Saul's sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. 3 The battle raged intensely around Saul. The enemy archers saw where he was, and they wounded him. 4 Saul told his armor bearer, “Take out your sword and kill me before these heathen come and torment me.” But his armor bearer refused—he was too afraid to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died. 6 So Saul and three of his sons died there, along with his royal line.* 7 When all the Israelites in the valley saw that their army had run away, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and they also ran away. The Philistines came and occupied them.

8 The following day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they discovered the bodies of Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa. 9 They stripped him, cut off his head, and took his armor. Then they sent the news throughout the land of Philistia, to their idols and their people. 10 They put Saul's armor in the temple of their idols and fixed his head to the temple of Dagon. 11 However, when everyone in Jabesh-gilead heard everything the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their fighting men went and recovered the bodies of Saul and his sons. They brought them back and buried them under the large tree in Jabesh. Then they fasted for seven days.

13 Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He did not keep the Lord's commands, and he also went to consult a medium. 14 He did not consult the Lord, so the Lord put him to death and he handed over the kingship to David, son of Jesse.