194 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

act was the cause of sin in another: his armour-bearer,
when he saw him fall, followed his example. But the
poor king did not save his body from being abused. The
Philistines cut off his head, and fastened his body, and
the bodies of his three sons, on the walls of Bethshan.
Terror came on the men of Israel after this disastrous
battle; they forsook the cities in the neighbourhood, and
the Philistines took possession of them. But there were
brave hearts in Israel yet. When the men of Jabesh-
Gilead heard how the remains of their sovereign and
his sons had been treated, they travelled all night,
crossed the Jordan by its fords, and took down the
bodies from the walls of Bethshan. They carried them
to Jabesh-Gilead, where they treated them with all
respect,—burning and burying them according to cus-
tom. They made a mourning for them, and a seven
days’ fast.

Johnnie. The people surely could not do without food
for seven days, grandfather ?

Grandfather. Fasting for seven days means that they
tasted no food until sunset. Such was their practice in
times of mourning.

Marianne. You did not tell us, grandfather, the names
of Saul’s three sons who fell in battle ?

Grandfather. Their names were Jonathan, Abinadab,
and Malchishua.

Marianne. Then Jonathan was among them. I am

sorry for that. I thought that he had not been killed
80 soon.