2 Samuel 1

1 After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.

Now it happened that, after Saul died, David returned from the slaughter of Amalek, and he remained for two days at Ziklag.

2 On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage.

Then, on the third day, a man appeared, arriving from the camp of Saul, with his garments torn and dust sprinkled on his head. And when he came to David, he fell on his face, and he reverenced.

3 “Where have you come from?” David asked. “I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he replied.

And David said to him, “Where have you come from?” And he said to him, “I have fled from the camp of Israel.”

4 “What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”

And David said to him: “What is the word that has happened? Reveal it to me.” And he said: “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people have fallen and died. Moreover, Saul and his son Jonathan have passed away.”

5 Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

And David said to the youth who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan have died?”

6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.

And the youth, who was reporting it to him, said: “I arrived by chance on mount Gilboa. And Saul was lying upon his spear. Then the chariots and horsemen drew near to him.

7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out and I answered, ‘Here I am!’

And turning behind his back and seeing me, he called to me. And when I had responded, “I am here,”

8 ‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

he said to me, “Who are you?” And I said to him, “I am an Amalekite.”

9 Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me, but my life still lingers.’

And he said to me: “Stand over me, and kill me. For anguish has taken hold of me, and still my whole life is in me.”

10 So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

And standing over him, I killed him. For I knew that he was not able to live after the fall. And I took the diadem that was on his head, and the bracelet from his arm, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”

11 Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.

Then David, taking hold of his garments, tore them, with all the men who were with him.

12 They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, over Saul and over his son Jonathan, and over the people of the Lord and over the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

13 And David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner,” he answered. “I am an Amalekite.”

And David said to the youth who had reported it to him, “Where are you from?” And he responded, “I am the son of a man who is a new arrival from the Amalekites.”

14 So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”

And David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to put forth your hand, so that you would kill the Christ of the Lord?”

15 Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died.

And calling one of his servants, David said, “Draw near and rush against him” And he struck him, and he died.

16 For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”

And David said to him: “Your blood is upon your own head. For your own mouth has spoken against you, saying: ‘I have killed the Christ of the Lord.’”

17 Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,

Then David mourned a lamentation over Saul and over his son Jonathan, in this way.

18 and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:

(And he instructed that they should teach the sons of Judah the bow, just as it is written in the Book of the Just.) And he said: “Consider, O Israel, on behalf of those who are dead, wounded upon your heights:

19 “Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!

The illustrious of Israel have been killed upon your mountains. How could the valiant have fallen?

20 Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

Do not choose to announce it in Gath, and do not announce it in the crossroads of Ashkelon. Otherwise, the daughters of the Philistines may rejoice; otherwise, the daughters of the uncircumcised may exult.

21 O mountains of Gilboa, may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.

O mountains of Gilboa, let neither dew, nor rain fall over you, and may these not be the fields of the first-fruits. For in that place, the shield of the valiant was cast away, the shield of Saul, as if he had not been anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not retreat, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the strong, the arrow of Jonathan never turned back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

Saul and Jonathan, worthy to be loved, and stately in their life: even in death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

24 O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and luxury, who decked your garments with ornaments of gold.

O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet finery, who offered ornaments of gold for your adornment.

25 How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.

How could the valiant have fallen in battle? How could Jonathan have been slain on the heights?

26 I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.

I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan: exceedingly stately, and worthy to be loved above the love of women. As a mother loves her only son, so also did I love you.

27 How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of war have perished!”

How could the robust have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished?”