1Now the Philistines fought against Israel : and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines , and fell down slain in mount Gilboa . 2And the Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons ; and the Philistines slew Jonathan , and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua , the sons of Saul . 3And the battle went sore against Saul , and the archers overtook him ; and he was distressed by reason of the archers . 4Then said Saul unto his armor-bearer, Draw thy sword , and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me . But his armor-bearer would not ; for he was sore afraid . Therefore Saul took his sword , and fell upon it . 5And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead , he likewise fell upon his sword , and died . 6So Saul died , and his three sons ; and all his house died together . 7And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled , and that Saul and his sons were dead , they forsook their cities , and fled ; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them .
The Philistine Victory and Saul's Suicide
8And 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 . 9And they stripped him , and took his head , and his armor , and sent into the land of the Philistines round about , to carry the tidings unto their idols , and to the people . 10And they put his armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the house of Dagon .
The Aftermath of Saul's Death
11And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul , 12all the valiant men arose , 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 . 13So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against Jehovah , because of the word of Jehovah , which he kept not ; and also for that he asked counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire thereby , 14and inquired not of Jehovah : therefore he slew him , and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse .