2 Samuel 1

1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days 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 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.

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 unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I 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 David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

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 unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son 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 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.

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 behind him, he saw me, and called unto 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 unto 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 He said unto 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.

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 stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto 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 took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all 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 until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yhwh, and for the house of Israel; because they were 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 unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son 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 David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy Yhwh's anointed?

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

15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that 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 unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain Yhwh's anointed.

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 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

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

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

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

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

20 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.

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 mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be 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.

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 mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not 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 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.

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 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon 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 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.

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

26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love 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 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

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