2 Samuel 1

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

Now it happened that, after Saul died, David returned from the slaughter of Amalek, and he remained for two days at Ziklag.

2 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.

Then, on the third day, a man appeared, arriving from the camp of Saul, with his garments torn and dust sprinkled on his head. And when he came to David, he fell on his face, and he reverenced.

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

And David said to him, “Where have you come from?” And he said to him, “I have fled from the camp of Israel.”

4 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.

And David said to him: “What is the word that has happened? Reveal it to me.” And he said: “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people have fallen and died. Moreover, Saul and his son Jonathan have passed away.”

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

And David said to the youth who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan have died?”

6 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,

And the youth, who was reporting it to him, said: “I arrived by chance on mount Gilboa. And Saul was lying upon his spear. Then the chariots and horsemen drew near to him.

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

And turning behind his back and seeing me, he called to me. And when I had responded, “I am here,”

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

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

9 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.

And he said to me: “Stand over me, and kill me. For anguish has taken hold of me, and still my whole life is in me.”

10 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.

And standing over him, I killed him. For I knew that he was not able to live after the fall. And I took the diadem that was on his head, and the bracelet from his arm, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”

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

Then David, taking hold of his garments, tore them, with all the men who were with him.

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 were fallen by the sword.

And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, over Saul and over his son Jonathan, and over the people of the Lord and over the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

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

And David said to the youth who had reported it to him, “Where are you from?” And he responded, “I am the son of a man who is a new arrival from the Amalekites.”

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

And David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to put forth your hand, so that you would kill the Christ of the Lord?”

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

And calling one of his servants, David said, “Draw near and rush against him” And he struck him, and he died.

16 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.

And David said to him: “Your blood is upon your own head. For your own mouth has spoken against you, saying: ‘I have killed the Christ of the Lord.’”

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

Then David mourned a lamentation over Saul and over his son Jonathan, in this way.

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.

(And he instructed that they should teach the sons of Judah the bow, just as it is written in the Book of the Just.) And he said: “Consider, O Israel, on behalf of those who are dead, wounded upon your heights:

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

The illustrious of Israel have been killed upon your mountains. How could the valiant have fallen?

20 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,

Do not choose to announce it in Gath, and do not announce it in the crossroads of Ashkelon. Otherwise, the daughters of the Philistines may rejoice; otherwise, the daughters of the uncircumcised may exult.

21 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.

O mountains of Gilboa, let neither dew, nor rain fall over you, and may these not be the fields of the first-fruits. For in that place, the shield of the valiant was cast away, the shield of Saul, as if he had not been anointed with oil.

22 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.

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

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

Saul and Jonathan, worthy to be loved, and stately in their life: even in death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

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

O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet finery, who offered ornaments of gold for your adornment.

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

How could the valiant have fallen in battle? How could Jonathan have been slain on the heights?

26 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.

I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan: exceedingly stately, and worthy to be loved above the love of women. As a mother loves her only son, so also did I love you.

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

How could the robust have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished?”