2 Samuel 1

1 Now it came to pass, after Saul was dead, that David returned from the slaughter of the Amalecites, and abode two days in Siceleg.

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

2 And on the third day, there appeared a man who came out of Saul’s camp, with his garments rent, and dust strewed on his head: and when he came to David, he fell upon his face, and adored.

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.

3 And David said to him: From whence comest thou? And he said to him: I am fled out of the camp of Israel.

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

4 And David said unto him: What is the matter that is come to pass? tell me. He said: The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people are fallen and dead: moreover Saul and Jonathan his son are slain.

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.

5 And David said to the young man that told him: How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son, are dead?

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

6 And the young man that told him, said: I came by chance upon mount Gelboe, and Saul leaned upon his spear: and the chariots and horsemen drew nigh unto him,

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.

7 And looking behind him, and seeing me, he called me. And I answered, Here am I.

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

8 And he said to me: Who art thou? And I said to him: I am an Amalecite.

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 is come upon me, and as yet my whole life is in me.

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.

10 So standing over him, I killed him: for I knew that he could not live after the fall: and I took the diadem that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm and have brought them hither to thee, my lord.

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.

11 Then David took hold of his garments and rent them, and likewise all the men that were with him.

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

12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening 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.

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.

13 And David said to the young man that told him: Whence art thou? He answered: I am the son of a stranger of Amalee.

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.

14 David said to him: Why didst thou not fear to put out thy hand to kill the Lord’s anointed?

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?

15 And David calling one of his servants, said: Go near and fall upon him. And he struck him so that he died.

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.

16 And David said to him: Thy blood be upon thy own head: for thy own mouth hath spoken against thee, saying: I have slain the Lord’s anointed.

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.

17 And David made this kind of lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son.

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

18 (Also he commanded that they should teach the children of Juda the use of the bow, as it is written in the book of the just.) And he said: Consider, O Israel, for them that are dead, wounded on thy high places.

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

19 The illustrious of Israel are slain upon thy mountains: how are the valiant fallen?

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

20 Tell it not in Geth, publish it not in the streets of Ascalon: lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph,

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.

21 Ye mountains of Gelboe, let neither dew, nor rain come upon you, neither be they fields of firstfruits: for there was cast away the shield of the valiant, the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oil.

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.

22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the valiant, the arrow of Jonathan never turned back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

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.

23 Saul and Jonathan, lovely, and comely in their life, even in death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

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.

24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet in delights, who gave ornaments of gold for your attire.

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.

25 How are the valiant fallen in battle? Jonathan slain in the high places?

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

26 I grieve for thee, my brother Jonathan: exceeding beautiful, and amiable to me above the love of women. As the mother loveth her only son, so did I love thee.

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.

27 How are the valiant fallen, and the weapons of war perished?

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