AB - I Samuel - 31

31:1  And the Philistines fought with Israel. And the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and they fell down wounded in the mountain in Gilboa.

31:2  And the Philistines press closely on Saul and his sons, and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.

31:3  And the battle prevailed against Saul, and the archers found him, and wounded him below his ribs.

31:4  And Saul said to his armorbearer, Draw your sword and pierce me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and pierce me through, and mock me. But his armorbearer would not, for he feared greatly: so Saul took his sword and fell upon it.

31:5  And his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, and he also fell upon his sword, and died with him.

31:6  So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armorbearer, together in that same day.

31:7  And the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, and those beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead; and they forsook their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

31:8  And it came to pass on the next day that the Philistines came to strip the dead, and they found Saul and his three sons fallen on the mountains of Gilboa.

31:9  And they turned him, and stripped off his armor, and sent it into the land of the Philistines, sending round glad tidings to their idols and to the people.

31:10  And they set up his armor at the temple of Ashtoreth, and they fastened his body on the wall of Beth Shan.

31:11  And the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines did to Saul.

31:12  And they rose up, every man of might, and marched all night, and took the body of Saul and the body of Jonathan his son from the wall of Beth Shan; and they brought them to Jabesh, and burned them there.

31:13  And they took their bones, and buried them in the field that is in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.