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 the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag;

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.

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 on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

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 where come you? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

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 to him, How went the matter? I pray you, 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.

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 know you that Saul and Jonathan his son be 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, As I happened by chance on mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned on his spear; and, see, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

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

And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to 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 are you? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

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.

He said to me again, Stand, I pray you, on me, and slay me: for anguish is come on me, because my life is yet whole 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 I stood on 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 on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to 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 on his clothes, 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 even, 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, From where are you? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

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

And David said to him, How were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy 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 called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall on him. And he smote him 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, Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain the LORD’s anointed.

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

And David lamented with this 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 bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

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

The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places: how are the mighty 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 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! 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.

You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, on 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 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 mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not 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 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 Daughters of Israel! Weep for Saul, Who is clothing you [in] scarlet with delights. Who is lifting up ornaments of gold on your clothing.

You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold on your apparel.

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

How are the mighty fallen in the middle of the battle! O Jonathan, you were slain in your 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 am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant have you been to me: your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

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

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