2 Samuel 1

1 After the death of Saul, David returned from attacking the Amalekites. He stayed in Ziklag for two days.

Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;

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.

It came even to pass on the third day, that behold, 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 to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

3 “Where have you come from?” David asked him. “I got away from the Israelite camp,” he replied.

And David said to him, From whence comest thou? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel have I escaped.

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 went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen, and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

5 “How do you know Saul and Jonathan died?” David asked the man giving the report.

And David said to the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son 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 that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

7 He turned around and saw me. He called out and I replied, ‘I'm here to help!’

And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, Here [am] I.

8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him, ‘I'm an Amalekite.’

And he said to me, Who [art] thou? And I answered him, 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.’

He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life [is] yet whole 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 stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen: and I took the crown that [was] upon his head, and the bracelet that [was] on his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord.

11 David grabbed hold of his clothes and ripped them, as did his men.

Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that [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 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 had fallen 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 that told him, Whence [art] thou? And he answered, I [am] the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

14 “Why weren't you worried about killing the Lord's anointed one?” David asked.

And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?

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 called one of the young men, and said, Go near, [and] fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.

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, Thy blood [be] upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.

17 Then David sang this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan.

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and over 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:

(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah [the use of] the bow: behold, [it is] written in the book of Jasher.)

19 “Israel, the glorious one lies dead on your mountains. How the mighty have fallen!

The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!

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.

Tell [it] not in Gath, publish [it] not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

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.

Ye mountains of Gilboa, [let there be] no dew, neither rain upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, [as though he had] not [been] anointed with 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 slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

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] lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

24 Women of Israel, mourn for Saul, who gave you fine scarlet clothes decorated with gold ornaments.

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with [other] delights, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies dead on your mountains.

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan [thou wast] slain in thy 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 distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been to me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

27 How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war are gone!”

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