1st Shamu'AL (1 Samuel) — 31

The Tragic End of Shaul and His Sons

1 Now the Philistines fought against Yashar'AL; and the men of Yashar'AL fled from before the Philistines, Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilbua.

2 Then the Philistines followed hard after Shaul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Yunathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Shaul’s sons. 

3 The battle became fierce against Shaul. The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers.

4 Then Shaul said to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.” But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Shaul took a sword and fell on it. 

5 And when his armorbearer saw that Shaul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him. 

6 So Shaul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day.

7 And when the men of Yashar'AL who were on the other side of the valley, and those who were on the other side of the Yurdan, saw that the men of Yashar'AL had fled and that Shaul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. 

8 So it happened the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Shaul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilbua. 

9 And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent word throughout the land of the Philistines, to proclaim it in the temple of their idols and among the people. 

10 Then they put his armor in the temple of the Ashturaths, and they fastened his body to the wall of Bath Shan.

11 Now when the inhabitants of Yabash Gilaad heard what the Philistines had done to Shaul,

12 all the valiant men arose and traveled all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bath Shan; and they came to Yabash and burned them there. 

13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Yabash, and fasted seven days.