Saul’s Overthrow and Death
(1 Samuel 31:1–6; 2 Samuel 1:1–16)

1And the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and they fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

2And the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons, and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3And the battle was heavy against Saul, and those shooting with the bow found him, and he was wounded by those shooting.

4And Saul said to the bearer of his armor, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and abuse me.”

And the bearer of his armor was not willing, for he was exceedingly afraid. And Saul took a sword and fell on it.

5And the bearer of his armor saw that Saul was dead, and he fell himself likewise on the sword, and he died. 6And Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house—they died together.

The Philistines Possess the Towns
(1 Samuel 31:7–10)

7And all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that they had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, and they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

8And it came to pass the next day that the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9And they stripped him and lifted up his head, and his armor, and they sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to proclaim tidings to their idols and the people. 10And they put his armor in the temple of their gods, and his head they fastened in the house of Dagon.

Jabesh-gilead’s Tribute to Saul
(1 Samuel 31:11–13)

11And all Jabesh-gilead heard of all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12and all the men of valor arose and lifted up the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and they brought them to Jabesh, and they buried their bones under the oak† in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

13And Saul died for his unfaithfulness that he trespassed against YHWH, against the word of YHWH, because he did not keep it, and also because he consulted a medium to inquire. 14He inquired not of YHWH. And He killed him and turned over the kingdom to David son of Jesse.