< 2 Samuel 1 >

1 After the death of Saul, David returned from attacking the Amalekites. He stayed in Ziklag for two days.
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 Then on the third day a man arrived from Saul's camp. His clothes were torn and he had dust on his head. When he approached David, he bowed before him, and fell to the ground in respect.
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 “Where have you come from?” David asked him. “I got away from the Israelite camp,” he replied.
And David said to him, Where have you come from? And he said, I have come in flight from the tents of Israel.
4 “Tell me what happened,” David asked. “The army ran away from the battle,” the man replied. “Many of them died, and Saul and his son Jonathan also died.”
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 “How do you know Saul and Jonathan died?” David asked the man giving the report.
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 “I just happened to be there on Mount Gilboa,” he replied. “I saw Saul, leaning on his spear, with the enemy chariots and the charioteers advancing on 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 He turned around and saw me. He called out and I replied, ‘I'm here to help!’
And looking back, he saw me and gave a cry to me. And answering him I said, Here am I.
8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him, ‘I'm an Amalekite.’
And he said to me, Who are you? And I said, I am an Amalekite.
9 Then he told me, ‘Please come over here and kill me! I'm in terrible agony but life is still hanging on.’
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 I went over him and killed him, because I knew that wounded as he was he couldn't last long. I took the crown from his head and his bracelet from his arm, and I've brought them here to you, 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 David grabbed hold of his clothes and ripped them, as did his men.
Then David gave way to bitter grief, and so did all the men who were with him:
12 They mourned and cried and fasted until the evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord, the Israelites, that had been killed 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 David asked man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I'm the son of a foreigner,” he replied “I'm an Amalekite.”
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 “Why weren't you worried about killing the Lord's anointed one?” David asked.
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 David called over one of his men and said, “Go ahead, kill him!” So the man cut the Amalekite down and killed him.
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 David had told the Amalekite, “Your death is your own fault because you testified against yourself when you said, ‘I killed the Lord's anointed one.’”
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 Then David sang this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan.
Then David made this song of grief for Saul and Jonathan, his son:
18 He ordered it to be taught to the people of Judah. It is called “the Bow” and is recorded in the Book of the Just:
(It is recorded in the book of Jashar for teaching to the sons of Judah) and he said:
19 “Israel, the glorious one lies dead on your mountains. How the mighty have fallen!
The glory, O Israel, is dead on your high places! How have the great ones been made low!
20 Don't announce it in the town of Gath, don't proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, so that the Philistine women won't rejoice, so that the heathen women won't celebrate.
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 Mountains of Gilboa, may no dew or rain fall on you! May you have no fields that produce offerings of grain. For it was there that the shield of the mighty was defiled; Saul's shield, no longer cared for with olive 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 Jonathan with his bow did not retreat from attacking the enemy; Saul with his sword did not return empty-handed from shedding blood.
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 During their lives, Saul and Jonathan were much loved and very pleasant, and death did not divide them. They were faster 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 Women of Israel, mourn for Saul, who gave you fine scarlet clothes decorated with gold ornaments.
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 the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies dead on your mountains.
How have the great ones been made low in the fight! Jonathan is dead on your high places.
26 I weep so much for you, my brother Jonathan! You were so very dear to me! Your love for me was so wonderful, greater than the love women have!
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 the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war are gone!”
How have the great ones been made low, and the arms of war broken!

< 2 Samuel 1 >