On the next day the Phi-lis'tines attacked the Is'ra-el-ites with great force. The battle was waged fiercely by both sides, but its tide was against Is'ra-el. Three of Saul's sons-Jon'a-than, A-bin'a-dab and Mal-chi-shu'a-were slain, and Saul himself was severely wounded by the archers. In his pain and despair he said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and thrust it through my body, lest the heathen Phi-lis'tines slay me." When the armor-bearer refused to do it, Saul placed the point of his sword against his body and threw himself upon it with all his weight. He died instantly, and was soon followed in death by the devoted armor-bearer, who took his life in the same way.
When news of the shameful manner in which the bodies of Saul and his three sons had been left hanging on the walls of Beth-she'an reached the ears of the people of Ja'besh-Gil'e-ad, which was far across the Jor'dan to the northeast, some of their valiant men resolved to put an end to such treatment. Traveling all night in order to reach Beth-she'an as soon as possible, They took down the bodies of their dead king and his sons, and had them cremated. Then they carried the ashes to Ja'besh for burial, and declared seven days of fast and mourning.
These Gil'e-ad-ites showed a fine spirit of gratitude and courage in their noble deed. In the early days of his reign, many years before his tragic death, Saul had gone to the defense of the city of Ja'besh-Gil'e-ad when it was attacked by the Am'mon-ites. The great victory which he had won for them in the name of GOD had not been forgotten.
