The Philistines defeat Israel at Gilboa, and Saul and his sons are killed. Saul dies, the writer says, because he was unfaithful to the LORD and consulted a medium rather than inquiring of God, and the kingdom passes to David.
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel ; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines , and fell down slain in mount Gilboa .
2 And the Philistines followed hard after Saul , and after his sons ; and the Philistines slew Jonathan , and Abinadab , and Malchishua , the sons of Saul .
3 And the battle went sore against Saul , and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers .
4 Then said Saul to his armourbearer , Draw thy sword , and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid . So Saul took a sword , and fell upon it.
5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead , he fell likewise on the sword , and died .
6 So Saul died , and his three sons , and all his house died together .
7 And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled , and that Saul and his sons were dead , then they forsook their cities , and fled : and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 And it came to pass on the morrow , when the Philistines came to strip the slain , that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa .
9 And when they had stripped him, they took his head , and his armour , and sent into the land of the Philistines round about , to carry tidings unto their idols , and to the people .
10 And they put his armour in the house of their gods , and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon .
11 And when all Jabeshgilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul ,
12 They arose , all the valiant men , and took away the body of Saul , and the bodies of his sons , and brought them to Jabesh , and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh , and fasted seven days .
13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD , even against the word of the LORD , which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit , to enquire of it;
14 And enquired not of the LORD : therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse .