2 Samuel 1

1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;

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 It came even to pass on the third day, that behold, 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 to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

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 said to him, From whence comest thou? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel have I escaped.

David asked him, “Where have you come from?” The man replied, “I escaped from where the Israeli army had been camped.”

4 And David said to him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That 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.

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 said to the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

David said to the young man, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after 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 when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, Here [am] I.

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 said to me, Who [art] thou? And I answered him, I [am] an Amalekite.

He replied, ‘Who are you?’ I replied, ‘I am a descendant of Amalek.’

9 He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life [is] yet whole 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 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen: and I took the crown that [was] upon his head, and the bracelet that [was] on his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord.

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 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that [were] 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 mourned and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they had 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 said to the young man that told him, Whence [art] thou? And he answered, I [am] the son of a stranger, 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 said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?

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 called one of the young men, and said, Go near, [and] fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.

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 said to him, Thy blood [be] upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.

17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son:

Then David composed/wrote this sad song about Saul and Jonathan,

18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah [the use of] the bow: behold, [it is] written in the book of Jasher.)

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 slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty 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 Tell [it] not in Gath, publish [it] not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

“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 Ye mountains of Gilboa, [let there be] no dew, neither rain upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, [as though he had] not [been] 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 slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not 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 [were] lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger 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 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with [other] delights, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

“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 are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan [thou wast] slain in thy high places.

“[It is very sad that] this mighty soldier has died! Jonathan has been killed on the mountains/hills.

26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been to me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing 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 have the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

“It is very sad that those mighty men have died, and their weapons are now abandoned!