The answer is: Philistines

1 Samuel 31:9 - After Saul fell on his sword to avoid capture, the Philistines found his body, beheaded him, and displayed his body on the wall of Beth-shan and his head in the temple of Dagon.

Ah, the tale of Saul’s demise—a true epic story of battle, fate, and the stark realities of the ancient world! Once the revered king of Israel, Saul ended his life in a dramatic encounter with the Philistines at Mount Gilboa, showcasing the intensity and brutality of conflicts that defined the era.

After Saul's defeat, the Philistines took the macabre step of beheading him. This grisly act was not merely for show; it was wrapped in deep cultural significance. To victors, displaying the head of a conquered enemy was a way to assert dominance and symbolize the spiritual victory over an opponent's God. They indeed were feeling triumphant, hanging Saul's body on the wall of Beth-shan, which brought humiliation that transcended the pangs of mortality. And let’s not forget they took his head to the temple of Dagon, a prominent Philistine god, suggesting that they believed their deity had triumphed over the God of Israel.

Fun fact: Dagon wasn't just any god—ancient depictions show him as both a granary deity and a fish deity, often symbolizing fertility and crops. This sprawling polytheism ran parallel narratives across the ancient regions, as Surrounding Israel was peppered with tribal conflicts and power plays, which set the stage for many miraculous patterns in the scriptural canon.

Saul’s story, intricately woven with threads of tragedy and ancient customs, is a stern reminder of the brutal historical landscapes the Biblical texts reveal, showing us how cultural crises left marks on individual lives and entire communities.