1And the Philistines fought against Israel. And the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell down slain at Mount Gilboa. 2And the Philistines followed hard after Saul and after his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3And the battle went sorely against Saul. And the archers hit him, and he was wounded by the archers. 4And Saul said to his armorbearer, "Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised ones come and abuse me." But his armorbearer would not, for he was very much afraid. So Saul took a sword and fell on it. 5And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on the sword and died. 6So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together.

7And when all the men of Israel in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons had died, they left their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them.

8And it came to pass on the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, that they found Saul and his sons fallen at Mount Gilboa. 9And when they stripped him, they took his head and his armor, and sent word into the land of the Philistines all around, to carry news to their idols and to the people. 10And they put his armor in the house of their gods and fastened his skull in the temple of Dagon.

11And when all of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12Then all the mighty 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.

13And Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, against the word of the LORD, which he did not keep, and also for asking counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; 14And did not inquire of the LORD. Therefore He slew him and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.