2 Samuel 1

1 Now after the death of Saul, when David, having come back from the destruction of the Amalekites, had been in Ziklag for two days;

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

2 On the third day a man came from Saul's tents, with his clothing out of order and earth on his head: and when he came to David, he went down on the earth and gave him honour.

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.

3 And David said to him, Where have you come from? And he said, I have come in flight from the tents of Israel.

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

4 And David said to him, How did things go? Give me the news. And in answer he said, The people have gone in flight from the fight, and a great number of them are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.

“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.”

5 And David said to the young man who gave him the news, Why are you certain that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?

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

6 And the young man said, I came by chance to Mount Gilboa, and I saw Saul supporting himself on his spear; and the war-carriages and horsemen overtook him.

“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.

7 And looking back, he saw me and gave a cry to me. And answering him I said, Here am I.

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

8 And he said to me, Who are you? And I said, I am an Amalekite.

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

9 Then he said to me, Come here to my side, and put me to death, for the pain of death has me in its grip but my life is still strong in me.

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

10 So I put my foot on him and gave him his death-blow, because I was certain that he would not go on living after his fall: and I took the crown from his head and the band from his arm, and I have them here for my lord.

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.”

11 Then David gave way to bitter grief, and so did all the men who were with him:

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

12 And till evening they gave themselves to sorrow and weeping, and took no food, weeping for Saul and for Jonathan, his son, and for the people of the Lord and for the men of Israel; because they had come to their end by the sword.

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.

13 And David said to the young man who had given him the news, Where do you come from? And he said, I am the son of a man from a strange land; I am an Amalekite.

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.”

14 And David said to him, Had you no fear of stretching out your hand to put to death the one marked with the holy oil?

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

15 And David sent for one of his young men and said, Go near and put an end to him. And he put him to death.

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

16 And David said to him, May your blood be on your head; for your mouth has given witness against you, saying, I have put to death the man marked with the holy oil.

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.’”

17 Then David made this song of grief for Saul and Jonathan, his son:

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

18 (It is recorded in the book of Jashar for teaching to the sons of Judah) and he said:

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

19 The glory, O Israel, is dead on your high places! How have the great ones been made low!

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

20 Give no news of it in Gath, let it not be said in the streets of Ashkelon; or the daughters of the Philistines will be glad, the daughters of men without circumcision will be uplifted in joy.

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.

21 O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, you fields of death: for there the arms of the strong have been shamed, the arms of Saul, as if he had not been marked with the holy oil.

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.

22 From the blood of the dead, from the fat of the strong, the bow of Jonathan was not turned back, the sword of Saul did not come back unused.

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.

23 Saul and Jonathan were loved and pleasing; in their lives and in their death they were not parted; they went more quickly than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

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

24 O daughters of Israel, have sorrow for Saul, by whom you were delicately clothed in robes of red, with ornaments of gold on your dresses.

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

25 How have the great ones been made low in the fight! Jonathan is dead on your high places.

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

26 I am full of grief for you, my brother Jonathan: very dear have you been to me: your love for me was a wonder, greater than the love of women.

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

27 How have the great ones been made low, and the arms of war broken!

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