1 Samuel 31:1-7

Saul and His Sons Killed in Battle

¹Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from the Philistines but fell fatally wounded on Mount Gilboa. ²And the Philistines also overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. ³The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers found him; and he was gravely wounded by the archers. ⁴Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised Philistines will come and pierce me through, and abuse me.” But his armor bearer was unwilling, because he was very fearful. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. ⁵When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. ⁶So Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day together.

⁷Now when the people of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, with those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled; then the Philistines came and settled in them.