1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from the Philistines, and many died on Mount Gilboa. 2And the Philistines pursued and closed in on Saul and his sons; and they killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul’s three sons. 3And the fighting was fierce around Saul, and an archer hit and wounded him. 4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Take your sword, and kill me, before these uncircumcised pagans come and torture me.” And when his armor-bearer was afraid and refused, Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he did likewise, falling on his sword, and dying. 6So Saul and his three sons died - all of them died together. 7And when all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army fled, and Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and occupied in them.

8And the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9And when they had stripped Saul, they took his head, and his armor, and sent it throughout all the land of the Philistines, to carry tidings to their idols, and to the people. 10And they put Saul’s armor in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. 11And when all Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12Their valiant men went, and brought the bodies of Saul and his sons to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the great oak in Jabesh, and then fasted for seven days.

13So Saul died for the transgression that he committed against the LORD, and disobeying the word of the LORD, and for seeking counsel of a medium, enquiring of her, 14But did not inquire of the LORD; therefore He brought about his death, and turned the kingdom over to David, son of Jesse.