DEATH OF SAUL.

Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men ofIsrael fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain inmount Gilboa. And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul andupon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab,and Melchshua, Saul's sons.

And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hithim; and he was sore wounded of the archers. Then said Saul untohis armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me throughtherewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through,and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was soreafraid. Therefore, Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. And whenhis armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise uponhis sword, and died with him.

So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, andall his men, that same day together.

And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of thevalley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that themen of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, theyforsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dweltin them. And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistinescame to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sonsfallen in mount Gilboa. And they cut off his head, and strippedoff his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines roundabout, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among thepeople. And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth andthey fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that whichthe Philistines had done to Saul; all the valiant men arose, andwent all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of hissons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burntthem there. And they took their bones, and buried them under atree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. 1 Samuel xxxi.