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 Saul died, David [and the men who were with him] returned to Ziklag [town] after defeating the descendants of Amalek. They stayed in Ziklag for 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, unexpectedly a man arrived there who had come from where Saul’s army was camped. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head [to show that he was grieving]. He came to David, and prostrated himself on the ground [in front of David to show respect for him].
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.”
David asked him, “Where have you come from?” The man replied, “I escaped from where the Israeli army had been camped.”
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.”
David asked him, “What happened? Tell me [about the battle]!” The man replied, “The Israeli soldiers ran away from the battle. Many of them were killed. And Saul and his son Jonathan (are dead/were also killed).”
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?”
David said to the young man, “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;
The young man replied, “It happened that I was on Gilboa Mountain [where the battle occurred], and I saw Saul, leaning on his spear. The [enemy] chariots and their drivers had come very close to Saul.
7 and he turns behind him, and sees me, and calls to me, and I say, Here I [am].
Saul turned around and saw me, and he called out to me. I answered him and said, ‘What do you want me to do?’
8 And he says to me, Who [are] you? And I say to him, I [am] an Amalekite.
He replied, ‘Who are you?’ I replied, ‘I am a descendant of Amalek.’
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 said to me, ‘Come over here and kill me. I am still alive, but I am enduring a lot of pain.’
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 went to him and killed him, because I knew that he was wounded very badly and would (not continue to live/soon die). I took the crown that was on his head and the band/bracelet that was on his arm, and I have brought them to you.”
11 And David takes hold on his garments, and tears them, and also all the men who [are] with him,
Then David and all the men who were with him tore their clothes [to show that they were very sad].
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 for Saul and his son Jonathan, and they cried and (fasted/abstained from eating food) until it was evening. They also mourned for all the army of Yahweh, and for all the Israeli people, because many of their soldiers had been killed in the battle [MTY].
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.”
Then David asked the young man who had told him [about the battle], “Where are you from?” He replied, “My father is a descendant of Amalek, but we live in Israel.”
14 And David says to him, “How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the anointed of YHWH?”
David asked him, “(Why were you not afraid [that you would be punished if you] killed Saul, whom Yahweh had appointed [MTY] [to be the king]?/You should have been afraid [that you would be punished if you] killed Saul, whom Yahweh had appointed [MTY] [to be the king].) [RHQ]
15 And David calls to one of the youths and says, “Draw near—fall on him”; and he strikes him, and he dies;
You yourself said, ‘I killed the man whom Yahweh appointed to be the king.’ So you have caused yourself to be guilty [MTY] of causing your own death!” Then David summoned one of his soldiers and said to him, “Kill him!” So the soldier killed him by striking him [with a sword].
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.”
17 And David laments with this lamentation over Saul, and over his son Jonathan;
Then David composed/wrote this sad song about Saul and 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 commanded that it be taught to the people of Judah. [The song is called] ‘The Bow [and Arrow]’ and it has been written in the Book of Jashar:
19 “The beauty of Israel [Is] wounded on your high places; How the mighty have fallen!
“You Israeli people, your glorious [MTY] leaders have been killed on the mountains! [It is very sad that] those mighty men have died!
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 tell it [to our enemies in the Philistia area]; do not tell to the people who live in Gath [city] what happened; do not proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon [city], because if you tell them, [even] the women in that area will be happy; do not allow those (pagan women/women who do not know God) to rejoice.
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.
I hope/desire that there will be no rain or dew on the mountains of [the] Gilboa [area] [APO], and that no grain will grow in the fields there, because there the shield of Saul, the mighty [king], fell on the ground. No one rubbed [olive] oil on Saul’s shield;
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.
instead, it was stained with the blood of those whom he had killed, and the fat of mighty enemy soldiers was smeared on it. Jonathan [PRS] did not retreat carrying his bow [and arrows], and Saul always [defeated his enemies when he fought them] with his sword. [PRS, LIT]
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 loved and they pleased many people. They were together [LIT] while they lived and when they died. [In battles] they were swifter than eagles and 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 Israeli women, cry about Saul; He provided beautiful scarlet/red clothes for you and he gave you gold ornaments/jewelry to fasten on those clothes.
25 How the mighty have fallen In the midst of the battle! Jonathan [was] wounded on your high places!
“[It is very sad that] this mighty soldier has died! Jonathan has been killed on the mountains/hills.
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!
Jonathan, my dear friend, I grieve for you; you were very dear to me. You loved me in a wonderful manner; it was better than the way that a woman loves [her husband and her children].
27 How the mighty have fallen, Indeed, the weapons of war perish!”
“It is very sad that those mighty men have died, and their weapons are now abandoned!
