aNow the Philistines fought
against Israel
; and the men
of Israel
fled
before
the Philistines
and fell
slain
on Mount
Gilboa
.
The Philistines closely
pursued
Saul
and his sons
, and the Philistines
struck
down
Jonathan
, 1 aAbinadab
and Malchi-shua
, the sons
of Saul
.
The battle became
heavy
against
Saul
, and the archers
1overtook
him; and he was wounded
by the archers
.
Then Saul said
to his armor
bearer
, "Draw
your sword
and thrust
me through
with it, otherwise
these
uncircumcised
will come
and abuse
me." But his armor
bearer
would
not, for he was greatly
afraid
. aTherefore Saul
took
his sword
and fell
on it.
When his armor bearer
saw
that Saul
was dead
, he likewise
fell
on his sword
and died
.
aThus Saul died
with his three
sons
, and all
those of his house
died
together
.
When all the men
of Israel
who
were in the valley
saw
that they had fled
, and that Saul
and his sons
were dead
, they forsook
their cities
and fled
; and the Philistines
came
and lived
in them.
It came about the next
day
, when the Philistines
came
to strip
the slain
, that they found
Saul
and his sons
fallen
on Mount
Gilboa
.
aSo they stripped him and took
his head
and his armor
and sent
messengers around
the land
of the Philistines
to carry
the good news
to their idols
and to the people
.
They put his armor
in the house
of their gods
and fastened
his head
in the house
of Dagon
.
When all Jabesh-gilead
heard
all
that the Philistines
had done
to Saul
,
aall the valiant
men
arose
and took
away the body
of Saul
and the bodies
of his sons
and brought
them to Jabesh
, and they buried
their bones
under
the oak
in Jabesh
, and fasted
seven
days
.
aSo Saul died
for his trespass
which
he committed
against the LORD
, because
of the word
of the LORD
which
he did not keep
; and also
bbecause he asked
counsel of a medium
, making
inquiry
of it,
and did not inquire of the LORD
. Therefore He killed
him and aturned
the kingdom
to David
the son
of Jesse
.