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¹ NOW the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and many fell dead on mount Gilboa.² And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan and Jeshui and Melchishua, Sauls sons.³ And the battle was intense against Saul, and the archers overtook him with bows, and he was exceedingly afraid of the archers.⁴ Then Saul said to his armorbearer, Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and slay me and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he was exceedingly afraid. Thereupon Saul took his sword and fell upon it.⁵ And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.⁶ So Saul died, and his three sons and his armorbearer and also all his servants, that same day together.⁷ And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley of the Jordan saw that the men of Israel fled and that Saul and his sons were slain, they abandoned the cities and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

⁸ And on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on mount Gilboa.⁹ And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and sent messengers to publish the news in the land of the Philistines and among the people and in the house of their idols.¹⁰ And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-jashan.¹¹ Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul and to his sons,¹² All the valiant men arose and marched all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-jashan, and brought them to Jabesh and burnt them there.¹³ And they took their bones and buried them under the almond tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.