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 happened that, after Saul died, David returned from the slaughter of Amalek, and he remained for two days at 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.

Then, on the third day, a man appeared, arriving from the camp of Saul, with his garments torn and dust sprinkled on his head. And when he came to David, he fell on his face, and he reverenced.

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, “Where have you come from?” And he said to him, “I have fled from 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 to him: “What is the word that has happened? Reveal it to me.” And he said: “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people have fallen and died. Moreover, Saul and his son Jonathan have passed away.”

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 youth who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan have died?”

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 youth, who was reporting it to him, said: “I arrived by chance on mount Gilboa. And Saul was lying upon his spear. Then the chariots and horsemen drew near to him.

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

And turning behind his back and seeing me, he called to me. And when I had responded, “I am here,”

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

he said to me, “Who are you?” And I said to 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.

And he said to me: “Stand over me, and kill me. For anguish has taken hold of me, and still 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.”

And standing over him, I killed him. For I knew that he was not able to live after the fall. And I took the diadem that was on his head, and the bracelet from his arm, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”

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

Then David, taking hold of his garments, tore them, with all the men who 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, over Saul and over his son Jonathan, and over the people of the Lord and over 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 said to the youth who had reported it to him, “Where are you from?” And he responded, “I am the son of a man who is a new arrival from the Amalekites.”

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, “Why were you not afraid to put forth your hand, so that you would kill the Christ of the Lord?”

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

And calling one of his servants, David said, “Draw near and rush against him” And he struck him, 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.”

And David said to him: “Your blood is upon your own head. For your own mouth has spoken against you, saying: ‘I have killed the Christ of the Lord.’”

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

Then David mourned a lamentation over Saul and over his son Jonathan, in this way.

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

(And he instructed that they should teach the sons of Judah the bow, just as it is written in the Book of the Just.) And he said: “Consider, O Israel, on behalf of those who are dead, wounded upon your heights:

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

The illustrious of Israel have been killed upon your mountains. How could the valiant 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!

Do not choose to announce it in Gath, and do not announce it in the crossroads of Ashkelon. Otherwise, the daughters of the Philistines may rejoice; otherwise, the daughters of the uncircumcised may 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, let neither dew, nor rain fall over you, and may these not be the fields of the first-fruits. For in that place, the shield of the valiant was cast away, the shield of Saul, as if 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 strong, 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, worthy to be loved, and stately 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.

O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet finery, who offered ornaments of gold for your adornment.

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

How could the valiant have fallen in battle? How could Jonathan have been slain on the 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 over you, my brother Jonathan: exceedingly stately, and worthy to be loved above the love of women. As a mother loves her only son, so also did I love you.

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

How could the robust have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished?”