Kings II 1

1 And it came to pass after Saul was dead, that David returned from striking Amalec, and David abode two days in Sekelac.

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

2 And it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came from the camp, from the people of Saul, and his garments were tore, and earth [was] upon his head: and it came to pass when he went in to David, that he fell upon the earth, and did obeisance to him.

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, Whence come you? and he said to him, I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.

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

4 And David said to him, What [is] the matter? tell me. And he said, The people fled out of the battle, and many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son 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 brought him the tidings, How know you that Saul and Jonathan his son 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 that brought the tidings, said to him, I happened accidentally to be upon mount Gelbue; and, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear, and, behold, the chariots and captains of horse pressed hard upon 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 he looked behind him, and saw me, and called me; and I said, Behold, [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 And he said to me, Stand, I pray you, over me, and kill me, for a dreadful darkness has come upon me, for all my life [is] 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 stood over him and killed him, because I knew he would not live after he was fallen; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was upon his arm, and I have brought them hither to 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 And David laid hold of his garments, and tore them; and all the men who were with him tore their garments.

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

12 And they lamented, and wept, and fasted till evening, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Juda, and for the house of Israel, because they were struck with 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 brought the tidings to him, Whence are you? and he said, I am the son of an Amalekite sojourner.

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, How was it you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the anointed of the Lord?

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

15 And David called one of his young men, and said, Go and fall upon him: and he struck him, and he died.

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, Your blood [be] upon your own head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain the anointed of the Lord.

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

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

18 And he gave orders to teach it the sons of Juda: behold, it is written in the book of Right.

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

19 Set up a pillar, O Israel, for the slain that died upon your high places: how are the mighty fallen!

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

20 Tell it not in Geth, and tell it not as glad tidings in the streets of Ascalon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

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 You mountains of Gelbue, let not dew no rain descend upon you, nor fields of first fruits [be upon you], for there the shield of the mighty ones has been grievously assailed; the shield of Saul was not anointed with 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 slain, and from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan returned not empty; and the sword of Saul turned not back empty.

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, the beloved and the beautiful, were not divided: comely [were they] in their life, and in their death they were not divided: [they were] swifter than eagles, and 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 Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you with scarlet together with your adorning, who added golden ornaments to your apparel.

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

25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, even the slain ones upon your high places!

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

26 I am grieved for you, my brother Jonathan; you were very lovely to me; your love to me was wonderful beyond 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 are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

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