2 Samuel 1
1 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.
It happened after the death of Saul, that David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and he stayed two days in Ziklag.
2 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].
It happened on the third day, that, look, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And it came about when he came to David that he fell to the ground and paid homage.
3 David asked him, “Where have you come from?” The man replied, “I escaped from where the Israeli army had been camped.”
David said to him, "Where do you come from?" He said to him, "I have escaped out of the camp of Israel."
4 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).”
David said to him, "How did it go? Please tell me." He answered, "The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."
5 David said to the young man, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
David said to the young man who had told him this, "How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?"
6 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.
Then the young man replied, "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa and saw Saul leaning on his spear. And look, the chariots and the horsemen were closing in on him.
7 Saul turned around and saw me, and he called out to me. I answered him and said, ‘What do you want me to do?’
When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, 'Here I am.'
8 He replied, ‘Who are you?’ I replied, ‘I am a descendant of Amalek.’
He said to me, 'Who are you?' I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.'
9 Then he said to me, ‘Come over here and kill me. I am still alive, but I am enduring a lot of pain.’
He said to me, 'Please stand beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, yet there is life in me still.'
10 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.”
So I stood beside him, and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. Then 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 Then David and all the men who were with him tore their clothes [to show that they were very sad].
Then David grabbed his clothes and tore them, and all the men with him did the same.
12 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].
They mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of YHWH, and for the house of Israel; because they had fallen by the sword.
13 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.”
David said to the young man who had told him, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite."
14 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]
David said to him, "How is it that you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy YHWH's anointed?"
15 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].
David called one of the young men, and said, "Go near, and fall on him." He struck him, so that he died.
David said to him, "Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed YHWH's anointed.'"
17 Then David composed/wrote this sad song about Saul and Jonathan,
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son,
18 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:
and said it should be taught to the people of Judah. Look, it is written in the book of Jashar.
19 “You Israeli people, your glorious [MTY] leaders have been killed on the mountains! [It is very sad that] those mighty men have died!
"Your glory, Israel, is slain on your high places. How the mighty have fallen.
20 “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.
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 celebrate.
21 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;
You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain on you, nor fields of offerings. For there the shield of the mighty was dishonored. The shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
22 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]
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan's bow did not retreat. Saul's sword did not return empty.
23 “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.
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely, not separated. Lovely in their life, and in their death they were not separated. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.
24 “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.
You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
25 “[It is very sad that] this mighty soldier has died! Jonathan has been killed on the mountains/hills.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle. Jonathan is slain on your high places.
26 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].
I grieve for you, my brother. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love for me was a wonder, more than the love of women.
27 “It is very sad that those mighty men have died, and their weapons are now abandoned!
How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished."
