2 Samuel

Saul’s Death Reported to David

1After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.

2On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage.

3“Where have you come from?” David asked. “I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he replied.

4“What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”

5Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

6“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.

7When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I answered, ‘Here I am!’

8‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

9Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me, but my life still lingers.’

10So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.

12They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

13And David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner,” he answered. “I am an Amalekite.”

14So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”

15Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died.

16For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”

David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan

17Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,

18and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow.It is written in the Book of Jashar:

19“Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights.How the mighty have fallen!

20Tell it not in Gath;proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

21O mountains of Gilboa,may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain.For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.

22From the blood of the slain,from the fat of the mighty,the bow of Jonathan did not retreat,and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life,were not divided in death.They were swifter than eagles;they were stronger than lions.

24O daughters of Israel,weep for Saul,who clothed you in scarlet and luxury,who decked your garments with ornaments of gold.

25How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle!Jonathan lies slain on your heights.

26I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother.You were delightful to me;your love to me was extraordinary,surpassing the love of women.

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

1Now it came to pass, after Saul was dead, that David returned from the slaughter of the Amalecites, and abode two days in Siceleg.

2And on the third day, there appeared a man who came out of Saul’s camp, with his garments rent, and dust strewed on his head: and when he came to David, he fell upon his face, and adored.

3And David said to him: From whence comest thou? And he said to him: I am fled out of the camp of Israel.

4And David said unto him: What is the matter that is come to pass? tell me. He said: The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people are fallen and dead: moreover Saul and Jonathan his son are slain.

5And David said to the young man that told him: How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son, are dead?

6And the young man that told him, said: I came by chance upon mount Gelboe, and Saul leaned upon his spear: and the chariots and horsemen drew nigh unto him,

7And looking behind him, and seeing me, he called me. And I answered, Here am I.

8And he said to me: Who art thou? And I said to him: I am an Amalecite.

9And he said to me: Stand over me, and kill me: for anguish is come upon me, and as yet my whole life is in me.

10So standing over him, I killed him: for I knew that he could not live after the fall: and I took the diadem that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm and have brought them hither to thee, my lord.

11Then David took hold of his garments and rent them, and likewise all the men that were with him.

12And 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 were fallen by the sword.

13And David said to the young man that told him: Whence art thou? He answered: I am the son of a stranger of Amalee.

14David said to him: Why didst thou not fear to put out thy hand to kill the Lord’s anointed?

15And David calling one of his servants, said: Go near and fall upon him. And he struck him so that he died.

16And David said to him: Thy blood be upon thy own head: for thy own mouth hath spoken against thee, saying: I have slain the Lord’s anointed.

17And David made this kind of lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son.

18(Also he commanded that they should teach the children of Juda the use of the bow, as it is written in the book of the just.) And he said: Consider, O Israel, for them that are dead, wounded on thy high places.

19The illustrious of Israel are slain upon thy mountains: how are the valiant fallen?

20Tell it not in Geth, publish it not in the streets of Ascalon: lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph,

21Ye mountains of Gelboe, let neither dew, nor rain come upon you, neither be they fields of firstfruits: for there was cast away the shield of the valiant, the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oil.

22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the valiant, the arrow of Jonathan never turned back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23Saul and Jonathan, lovely, and comely in their life, even in death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

24Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet in delights, who gave ornaments of gold for your attire.

25How are the valiant fallen in battle? Jonathan slain in the high places?

26I grieve for thee, my brother Jonathan: exceeding beautiful, and amiable to me above the love of women. As the mother loveth her only son, so did I love thee.

27How are the valiant fallen, and the weapons of war perished?