The Death of Saul and His Sons
1 Kingdoms 31, verse 1. Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines. They fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 2. Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 3. The battle weighed heavily against Saul. The javelin-throwers and the archers hit him, and he was wounded in the belly. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 4. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it. Do not let these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.” But his armor-bearer would not do it, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 5. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell on his sword and died with him. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 6. So Saul, his three sons, and his armor-bearer died together that same day. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 7. And when the men of Israel, those on the other side of the valley and those on the other side of the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled. The Philistines came and settled in them. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 8. So the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 9. And they turned him over and stripped off his armor. They then sent them and his armor into the land of the Philistines, proclaiming the good news to their idols and to the people. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 10. Then they placed his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and fastened his body onto the wall of Beth Shan. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 11. And the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines did to Saul. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 12. And all the valiant men arose and traveled all night in order to remove the body of Saul and the body of Jonathan his son from the wall of Beth Shan. They carried them to Jabesh and buried them there. 1 Kingdoms 31, verse 13. Then they took their bones and buried them under the field at Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.