I Chronicles

aCf. 1 Sam. 31.1–13. The Philistines attacked Israel, and Israel’s side fled before the Philistines—and [many] fell on Mount Gilboa.

The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, sons of Saul.

The battle raged around Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was woundedbwounded Meaning of Heb. uncertain. by the archers.

Saul said to his arms-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, so that these uncircumcised may not come and make sport of me.” But his arms-bearer, out of great awe, refused; whereupon Saul grasped the sword and fell upon it.

When the arms-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died.

Thus Saul and his three sons and his entire house died together.

And when everyone on Israel’s side in the valley saw that their armyctheir army Heb. “they.” had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled; the Philistines then came and occupied them.

The next day the Philistines came to strip the slain, and they found Saul and his sons lying on Mount Gilboa.

They stripped him, and carried off his head and his armor, and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines to spread the news to their idols and among the people.

They placed his armor in the temple of their god, and they impaled his head in the temple of Dagan.

When all Jabesh-gilead heard everything that the Philistines had done to Saul,

the stalwarts among them set out, removed the bodies of Saul and his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. They buried the bones under the oak tree in Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.

Saul died for the trespass that he had committed against GOD in not having fulfilled GOD’s command. Moreover, he had consulted a ghost to seek advice,

and did not seek advice of GOD, who had him slain—and had the kingdom transferred to David son of Jesse.