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,

After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.

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.

On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage.

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.”

“Where have you come from?” David asked. “I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he replied.

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.”

“What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”

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?”

Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan 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;

“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.

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

When he turned around and saw me, he called out and I answered, ‘Here I am!’

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

‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told 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.

Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me, but my life still lingers.’

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 over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and I 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 of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.

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.

They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had 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 inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner,” he answered. “I am an Amalekite.”

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

So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift 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;

Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and 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.”

For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”

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

Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,

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

and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:

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

“Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have 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; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

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.

O mountains of Gilboa, may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer 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 did not retreat, 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, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. 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.

O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and luxury, who decked your garments with ornaments of gold.

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

How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.

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 you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.

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

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