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 so it was, after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the smiting of the Amalekites, and David had abode in Ziklag two days,

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.

yea so it was, on the third day, that lo! 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 in unto David, that he fell to the earth, and did homage.

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

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 unto him—How turned out the matter? tell me, I pray thee. And he said—The people have fled from the battle, yea moreover, many, of the people have fallen, and died, Yea moreover, 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?”

Then said David unto the young man who was telling him, —How knowest thou 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 who was telling him said, It, so happened, that I was on Mount Gilboa, when lo! Saul, leaning upon his spear, and lo! the chariots and horsemen, hotly pursued him;

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

so he turned behind him, and saw me, —and cried out unto me, and I said, Behold me!

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

And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I said unto him, An Amalekite, am I.

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 unto me, I pray thee, take thy stand by me, and put me to death, for the cramp hath seized me, —even for as long as my life shall be 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 took my stand by him, and put him to death, for I perceived that he could not survive his fall, —so I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them in unto my lord, here.

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

Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them, —yea moreover, [so did] all the men who were with him.

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 aloud, and wept, and fasted until the evening, —for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by 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 unto the young man who was telling him, Whence art thou? And he said, Son of a sojourner—an Amalekite, am I.

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 unto him, —How wast thou not afraid to thrust forth thy hand, to destroy the Anointed of Yahweh?

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

So David called one of the young men, and said, —Go near—fall upon him. And he smote him, that 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 unto him, Thy blood, be upon thine own head, —for, thine own mouth, hath testified against thee, saying, I myself, put to death the Anointed of Yahweh.

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

Then chanted David this dirge, —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 thought to teach the sons of Judah [the song of] the Bow, —lo! it is written in the Book of the Upright: —

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

The beauty of Israel! on thy high plumes—slain! How have fallen—the mighty!

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.

Do not tell it in Gath, Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, —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.

Ye mountains in Gilboa! Be there neither dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings, —for, there, were cast away, the shields of the mighty, The shield of Saul, unanointed 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, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan ne’er drew back, —and, the sword of Saul, ne’er returned, 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, delightfully loving in their lives, even, in their death, were not divided, —Beyond eagles, were they swift, beyond lions, were they strong!

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

Ye daughters of Israel! For Saul, weep ye, —who clothed you in crimson, [decked] with lovely things, who hung ornaments of gold on your apparel!

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

How have fallen the mighty, in the midst of the battle! Jonathan, on thy high places, slain!

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 distressed for thee, my brother, Jonathan! Delightful to me, exceedingly, —Wonderful, was thy love to me, passing the love of women.

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

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