2 Samuel 1

1 And so it was, after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the smiting of the Amalekites, and David had abode in Ziklag two days,

Now after the death of Saul, when David, having come back from the destruction of the Amalekites, had been in Ziklag for two days;

2 yea so it was, on the third day, that lo! a man came out of the camp, from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head, —and so it was, when he came in unto David, that he fell to the earth, and did homage.

On the third day a man came from Saul's tents, with his clothing out of order and earth on his head: and when he came to David, he went down on the earth and gave him honour.

3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel, am I escaped.

And David said to him, Where have you come from? And he said, I have come in flight from the tents of Israel.

4 And David said unto him—How turned out the matter? tell me, I pray thee. And he said—The people have fled from the battle, yea moreover, many, of the people have fallen, and died, Yea moreover, Saul, and Jonathan his son, are dead.

And David said to him, How did things go? Give me the news. And in answer he said, The people have gone in flight from the fight, and a great number of them are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.

5 Then said David unto the young man who was telling him, —How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

And David said to the young man who gave him the news, Why are you certain that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?

6 And the young man who was telling him said, It, so happened, that I was on Mount Gilboa, when lo! Saul, leaning upon his spear, and lo! the chariots and horsemen, hotly pursued him;

And the young man said, I came by chance to Mount Gilboa, and I saw Saul supporting himself on his spear; and the war-carriages and horsemen overtook him.

7 so he turned behind him, and saw me, —and cried out unto me, and I said, Behold me!

And looking back, he saw me and gave a cry to me. And answering him I said, Here am I.

8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I said unto him, An Amalekite, am I.

And he said to me, Who are you? And I said, I am an Amalekite.

9 And he said unto me, I pray thee, take thy stand by me, and put me to death, for the cramp hath seized me, —even for as long as my life shall be in me.

Then he said to me, Come here to my side, and put me to death, for the pain of death has me in its grip but my life is still strong in me.

10 So I took my stand by him, and put him to death, for I perceived that he could not survive his fall, —so I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them in unto my lord, here.

So I put my foot on him and gave him his death-blow, because I was certain that he would not go on living after his fall: and I took the crown from his head and the band from his arm, and I have them here for my lord.

11 Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them, —yea moreover, [so did] all the men who were with him.

Then David gave way to bitter grief, and so did all the men who were with him:

12 And they lamented aloud, and wept, and fasted until the evening, —for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

And till evening they gave themselves to sorrow and weeping, and took no food, weeping for Saul and for Jonathan, his son, and for the people of the Lord and for the men of Israel; because they had come to their end by the sword.

13 And David said unto the young man who was telling him, Whence art thou? And he said, Son of a sojourner—an Amalekite, am I.

And David said to the young man who had given him the news, Where do you come from? And he said, I am the son of a man from a strange land; I am an Amalekite.

14 And David said unto him, —How wast thou not afraid to thrust forth thy hand, to destroy the Anointed of Yahweh?

And David said to him, Had you no fear of stretching out your hand to put to death the one marked with the holy oil?

15 So David called one of the young men, and said, —Go near—fall upon him. And he smote him, that he died.

And David sent for one of his young men and said, Go near and put an end to him. And he put him to death.

16 And David said unto him, Thy blood, be upon thine own head, —for, thine own mouth, hath testified against thee, saying, I myself, put to death the Anointed of Yahweh.

And David said to him, May your blood be on your head; for your mouth has given witness against you, saying, I have put to death the man marked with the holy oil.

17 Then chanted David this dirge, —over Saul and over Jonathan his son;

Then David made this song of grief for Saul and Jonathan, his son:

18 and he thought to teach the sons of Judah [the song of] the Bow, —lo! it is written in the Book of the Upright: —

(It is recorded in the book of Jashar for teaching to the sons of Judah) and he said:

19 The beauty of Israel! on thy high plumes—slain! How have fallen—the mighty!

The glory, O Israel, is dead on your high places! How have the great ones been made low!

20 Do not tell it in Gath, Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, —lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the Uncircumcised triumph.

Give no news of it in Gath, let it not be said in the streets of Ashkelon; or the daughters of the Philistines will be glad, the daughters of men without circumcision will be uplifted in joy.

21 Ye mountains in Gilboa! Be there neither dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings, —for, there, were cast away, the shields of the mighty, The shield of Saul, unanointed with oil.

O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, you fields of death: for there the arms of the strong have been shamed, the arms of Saul, as if he had not been marked with the holy oil.

22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan ne’er drew back, —and, the sword of Saul, ne’er returned, empty.

From the blood of the dead, from the fat of the strong, the bow of Jonathan was not turned back, the sword of Saul did not come back unused.

23 Saul and Jonathan, delightfully loving in their lives, even, in their death, were not divided, —Beyond eagles, were they swift, beyond lions, were they strong!

Saul and Jonathan were loved and pleasing; in their lives and in their death they were not parted; they went more quickly than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

24 Ye daughters of Israel! For Saul, weep ye, —who clothed you in crimson, [decked] with lovely things, who hung ornaments of gold on your apparel!

O daughters of Israel, have sorrow for Saul, by whom you were delicately clothed in robes of red, with ornaments of gold on your dresses.

25 How have fallen the mighty, in the midst of the battle! Jonathan, on thy high places, slain!

How have the great ones been made low in the fight! Jonathan is dead on your high places.

26 I am distressed for thee, my brother, Jonathan! Delightful to me, exceedingly, —Wonderful, was thy love to me, passing the love of women.

I am full of grief for you, my brother Jonathan: very dear have you been to me: your love for me was a wonder, greater than the love of women.

27 How have fallen the mighty, and perished the weapons of war!

How have the great ones been made low, and the arms of war broken!