2 Samuel 1

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

And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in 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.

it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn, and earth upon his head. And so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground, and did obeisance.

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

And David said to him, From where did thou come? And he said to him, I escaped out of 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, How did the matter go? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are also dead.

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 young man who told him, How do thou know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

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 young man who told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear, and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed close after him.

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

And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, Here I am.

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

And he said to me, Who are thou? And I answered 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, I pray thee, beside me, and kill me, for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole 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.”

So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he was fallen. And I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to 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 took hold on his clothes, and tore them, and likewise 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, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they were 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 young man who told him, From where are thou? And he answered, I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.

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 thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?

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 David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him so that 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, Thy blood be upon thy head, for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed.

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

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son

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 bade them teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

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

Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places! How are the mighty 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.

Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

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.

Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, not 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 mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not 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, men who were loved and pleasant, undivided; comely in their lives, and undivided in their death; swifter than eagles, they were 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.

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you delicately in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

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

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.

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 am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan. Very pleasant thou have been to me. Thy love to me was wonderful, exceeding the love of women.

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

How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!