2 Samuel 1

1 And it comes to pass after the death of Saul, that David has returned from striking the Amalekite, and David dwells in Ziklag [for] two days,

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

2 and it comes to pass, on the third day, that behold, a man has come in out of the camp from Saul, and his garments [are] torn, and earth [is] on his head; and it comes to pass in his coming to David, that he falls to the earth and pays respect.

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.

3 And David says to him, “Where do you come from?” And he says to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.”

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

4 And David says to him, “What has been the matter? Please declare [it] to me.” And he says, “That the people have fled from the battle, and also a multitude of the people have fallen, and they die; and also Saul and his son Jonathan have died.”

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.

5 And David says to the youth who is declaring [it] to him, “How have you known that Saul and his son Jonathan [are] dead?”

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

6 And the youth who is declaring [it] to him says, “I happened to meet in Mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul is leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and those possessing horses have followed him;

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,

7 and he turns behind him, and sees me, and calls to me, and I say, Here I [am].

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

8 And he says to me, Who [are] you? And I say to him, I [am] an Amalekite.

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

9 And he says to me, Please stand over me and put me to death, for the arrow has seized me, for all my soul [is] still in me.

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.

10 And I stand over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he does not live after his falling, and I take the crown which [is] on his head, and the bracelet which [is] on his arm, and bring them to my lord here.”

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.

11 And David takes hold on his garments, and tears them, and also all the men who [are] with him,

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

12 and they mourn, and weep, and fast until the evening, for Saul, and for his son Jonathan, and for the people of YHWH, and for the house of Israel, because they have fallen 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 were fallen by the sword.

13 And David says to the youth who is declaring [it] to him, “Where [are] you from?” And he says, “I [am] the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.”

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

14 And David says to him, “How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the anointed of YHWH?”

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

15 And David calls to one of the youths and says, “Draw near—fall on him”; and he strikes him, and he dies;

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

16 and David says to him, “Your blood [is] on your own head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I put to death the anointed of YHWH.”

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.

17 And David laments with this lamentation over Saul, and over his son Jonathan;

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

18 and he says to teach the sons of Judah “The Bow”; behold, it is written on the Scroll of the Upright:

(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.

19 “The beauty of Israel [Is] wounded on your high places; How the mighty have fallen!

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

20 Do not declare [it] in Gath, Do not proclaim the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest they rejoice—The daughters of the Philistines, Lest they exult—The daughters of the uncircumcised!

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,

21 Mountains of Gilboa! No dew nor rain be on you, And fields of raised-offerings! For there has become loathsome The shield of the mighty, The shield of Saul—without the anointed with oil.

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.

22 From the blood of the wounded, From the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan Has not turned backward; And the sword of Saul does not return empty.

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.

23 Saul and Jonathan! They are loved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they have not been parted. They have been lighter than eagles, They have been mightier than lions!

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

24 Daughters of Israel! Weep for Saul, Who is clothing you [in] scarlet with delights. Who is lifting up ornaments of gold on your clothing.

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

25 How the mighty have fallen In the midst of the battle! Jonathan [was] wounded on your high places!

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

26 I am in distress for you, my brother Jonathan, You were very pleasant to me; Your love was wonderful to me, Above the love of women!

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.

27 How the mighty have fallen, Indeed, the weapons of war perish!”

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