2 Samuel 1

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

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

2 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.

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.

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

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

4 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.”

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.

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

And David said to the young man who brought him the tidings, How know you that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

6 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.

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.

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

And he looked behind him, and saw me, and called me; and I said, Behold, [here am] I.

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

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

9 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.”

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.

10 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.”

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.

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

And David laid hold of his garments, and tore them; and all the men who were with him tore their garments.

12 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.

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.

13 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.”

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.

14 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?”

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

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

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

16 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.’”

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.

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

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

18 (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:

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

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

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

20 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.

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.

21 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.

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.

22 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.

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.

23 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.

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.

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

Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you with scarlet together with your adorning, who added golden ornaments to your apparel.

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

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

26 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.

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.

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

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