The Death of Saul and Jonathan

On Mount Gilboa, the Philistines defeat Israel and kill Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons. Badly wounded by the archers, Saul says to his armor-bearer, “Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me.” The young man, terrified, refuses. Saul then falls on his own sword, and his armor-bearer, seeing him dead, falls on his own as well. The next day, the Philistines cut off Saul’s head, put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth, and fasten his body to the wall of Beth-shan. But the valiant men of Jabesh-gilead, whom Saul had once rescued, march all night, take the bodies, burn them at Jabesh, bury the bones under the tamarisk tree, and fast seven days.