r,
Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised
come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not;
for he was sore afraid. Therefore, Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon
his sword, and died with him.

So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men,
that same day together.

And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and
they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled,
and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled;
and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. And it came to pass on the
morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found
Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. And they cut off his
head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the
Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and
among the people. And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth and
they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.

And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the
Philistines had done to Saul; all the valiant men arose, and went all
night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall
of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. And they took
their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven
days. 1 Samuel xxxi.

THE DEATH OF ABSALOM.

And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of
thousands and captains of hundreds over them. And David set forth a third
part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the
hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part
under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I
will surely go forth with you myself also.

But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away,
they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for
us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better
that thou succor us out of the city.

And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the
king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and
by thousands. And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying,
Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. An