2 Samuel 1

1 After the death of Saul, when Dauid was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and had beene two dayes in 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 Behold, a man came the third day out of the host from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth vpon his head: and when hee came to Dauid, he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

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 Then Dauid saide vnto him, Whence commest thou? And he said vnto him, Out of the host of Israel I am escaped.

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 Dauid saide vnto him, What is done? I pray thee, tell me. Then he said, that the people is fled from the battel, and many of the people are ouerthrowen, and dead, and also Saul and Ionathan his sonne are dead.

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 Dauid saide vnto the yong man that tolde it him, Howe knowest thou that Saul and Ionathan his sonne be dead?

Then said David unto the young man who was telling him, —How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

6 Then the yong man that tolde him, answered, As I came to mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned vpon his speare, and loe, the charets and horsemen followed hard after 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 when he looked backe, he saw me, and called me. And I answered, Here am I.

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

8 And he said vnto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

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

9 Then saide hee vnto me, I pray thee come vpon mee, and slay me: for anguish is come vpon me, because my life is yet whole 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 So I came vpon him, and slewe him, and because I was sure that hee coulde not liue, after that hee had fallen, I tooke the crowne that was vpon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arme, and brought them hither vnto 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 Dauid tooke hold on his clothes, and rent them, and likewise al the men that 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 vntil euen, for Saul and for Ionathan his sonne, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel, because they were slaine with 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 Afterward Dauid saide vnto the yong man that tolde it him, Whence art thou? And hee answered, I am the sonne of a stranger an Amalekite.

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 Dauid said vnto him, How wast thou not afrayd, to put forth thine hand to destroy the Anoynted 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 Then Dauid called one of his yong men, and said, Goe neere, and fall vpon him. And hee smote him that he dyed.

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

16 Then said Dauid vnto him, Thy blood be vpon thine owne head: for thine owne mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I haue slaine the Lords Anoynted.

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 Dauid mourned with this lamentation ouer Saul, and ouer Ionathan his sonne,

Then chanted David this dirge, —over Saul and over Jonathan his son;

18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Iudah to shoote, as it is written in the booke of Iasher)

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 O noble Israel, hee is slane vpon thy hie places: how are the mightie ouerthrowen!

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

20 Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in the streetes of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistims reioyce, lest the daughters of the vncircumcised triumph.

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 Ye mountaines of Gilboa, vpon you be neither dewe nor raine, nor be there fieldes of offrings: for there the shielde of the mightie is cast downe, the shielde of Saul, as though he had not bene anointed with oyle.

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 The bow of Ionathan neuer turned backe, neither did the sword of Saul returne emptie from the blood of the slaine, and from the fatte of the mightie.

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 Ionathan were louely and pleasant in their liues, and in their deaths they were not deuided: they were swifter then eagles, they were stronger then 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 Yee daughters of Israel, weepe for Saul, which clothed you in skarlet, with pleasures, and hanged ornaments of gold vpon your apparel.

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 Howe were the mightie slaine in the mids of the battel! O Ionathan, thou wast slaine in thine hie places.

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

26 Wo is me for thee, my brother Ionathan: very kinde hast thou bene vnto me: thy loue to me was wonderfull, passing the loue of women:

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

27 howe are the mightie ouerthrowen, and the weapons of warre destroyed!

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