2 Samuel 1

1 After the death of Saul, David returned from attacking the Amalekites. He stayed in Ziklag for two days.

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

2 Then on the third day a man arrived from Saul's camp. His clothes were torn and he had dust on his head. When he approached David, he bowed before him, and fell to the ground in respect.

And 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.

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

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

4 “Tell me what happened,” David asked. “The army ran away from the battle,” the man replied. “Many of them died, and Saul and his son Jonathan also died.”

And 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.

5 “How do you know Saul and Jonathan died?” David asked the man giving the report.

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

6 “I just happened to be there on Mount Gilboa,” he replied. “I saw Saul, leaning on his spear, with the enemy chariots and the charioteers advancing on him.

And 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,

7 He turned around and saw me. He called out and I replied, ‘I'm here to help!’

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

8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him, ‘I'm an Amalekite.’

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

9 Then he told me, ‘Please come over here and kill me! I'm in terrible agony but life is still hanging on.’

And 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.

10 So I went over him and killed him, because I knew that wounded as he was he couldn't last long. I took the crown from his head and his bracelet from his arm, and I've brought them here to you, my lord.”

So 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.

11 David grabbed hold of his clothes and ripped them, as did his men.

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

12 They mourned and cried and fasted until the evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord, the Israelites, that had been killed by the sword.

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 were fallen by the sword.

13 David asked man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I'm the son of a foreigner,” he replied “I'm an Amalekite.”

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

14 “Why weren't you worried about killing the Lord's anointed one?” David asked.

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

15 David called over one of his men and said, “Go ahead, kill him!” So the man cut the Amalekite down and killed him.

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

16 David had told the Amalekite, “Your death is your own fault because you testified against yourself when you said, ‘I killed the Lord's anointed one.’”

And 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.

17 Then David sang this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan.

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

18 He ordered it to be taught to the people of Judah. It is called “the Bow” and is recorded in the Book of the Just:

(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.

19 “Israel, the glorious one lies dead on your mountains. How the mighty have fallen!

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

20 Don't announce it in the town of Gath, don't proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, so that the Philistine women won't rejoice, so that the heathen women won't celebrate.

Tell 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,

21 Mountains of Gilboa, may no dew or rain fall on you! May you have no fields that produce offerings of grain. For it was there that the shield of the mighty was defiled; Saul's shield, no longer cared for with olive oil.

Ye 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.

22 Jonathan with his bow did not retreat from attacking the enemy; Saul with his sword did not return empty-handed from shedding blood.

From 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.

23 During their lives, Saul and Jonathan were much loved and very pleasant, and death did not divide them. They were faster than eagles, stronger than lions.

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

24 Women of Israel, mourn for Saul, who gave you fine scarlet clothes decorated with gold ornaments.

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

25 How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies dead on your mountains.

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

26 I weep so much for you, my brother Jonathan! You were so very dear to me! Your love for me was so wonderful, greater than the love women have!

I 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.

27 How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war are gone!”

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