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 upon Saul and upon his sons ; and the Philistines slew Jonathan , and Abinadab , and Malchi-shua , Saul’s sons . 3And the battle went sore against Saul , and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers . 4Then said Saul unto his armourbearer , Draw thy sword , and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through , and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid . Therefore Saul took a sword , and fell upon it. 5And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead , he fell likewise upon his sword , and died with him. 6So Saul died , and his three sons , and his armourbearer , and all his men , that same day together .
The Philistines' Triumph and Desecration
7And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley , and they that were on the other side Jordan , saw that the men of Israel fled , and that Saul and his sons were dead , they forsook the cities , and fled ; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. 8And it came to pass on the morrow , when the Philistines came to strip the slain , that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa . 9And they cut off his head , and stripped off his armour , and sent into the land of the Philistines round about , to publish it in the house of their idols , and among the people . 10And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth : and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan . 11And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul ; 12All the valiant men arose , and went all night , and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan , and came to Jabesh , and burnt them there. 13And they took their bones , and buried them under a tree at Jabesh , and fasted seven days .