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

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

And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

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 unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

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 unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be 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 that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard 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 unto me. And I answered, Here am I.

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

And he said unto me, Who art 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.’

He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon 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 upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that 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 hither unto 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 rent them; and likewise all the men that 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 even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, 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 unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, 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 unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord’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 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 unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’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:

(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

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

The beauty of 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 Askelon; 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, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though 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 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 were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were 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 in scarlet, with other delights, who put on 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! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine 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 hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing 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!