Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel
fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the
Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck
down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The
battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he
was wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer,
“Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these
uncircumcised come and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would
not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and
fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he
also fell upon his sword and died. Thus Saul died; he and his three
sons and all his house died together. And when all the men of
Israel who were in the valley saw that the army had fled and that
Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled,
and the Philistines came and lived in them.

  The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they
found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. And they stripped
him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout
the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols
and to the people. And they put his armor in the temple of their
gods and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. But when all
Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, all
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.

  So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the
LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD, and also
consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from
the LORD. Therefore the LORD put him to death and turned the
kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001
by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.