2 Samuel 1

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

And so it was, after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the smiting of the Amalekites, and David had abode in Ziklag two days,

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.

yea so it was, on the third day, that lo! 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 in unto David, that he fell to the earth, and did homage.

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

And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel, am I escaped.

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—How turned out the matter? tell me, I pray thee. And he said—The people have fled from the battle, yea moreover, many, of the people have fallen, and died, Yea moreover, Saul, and Jonathan his son, are dead.

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

Then said David unto the young man who was telling 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 who was telling him said, It, so happened, that I was on Mount Gilboa, when lo! Saul, leaning upon his spear, and lo! the chariots and horsemen, hotly pursued him;

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

so he turned behind him, and saw me, —and cried out unto me, and I said, Behold me!

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

And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I said unto him, An Amalekite, am I.

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 unto me, I pray thee, take thy stand by me, and put me to death, for the cramp hath seized me, —even for as long as my life shall be 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 I took my stand by him, and put him to death, for I perceived that he could not survive his fall, —so I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them in unto my lord, here.

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

Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them, —yea moreover, [so did] all the men who 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 lamented aloud, and wept, and fasted until the evening, —for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel, because they had 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 unto the young man who was telling him, Whence art thou? And he said, Son of a sojourner—an Amalekite, am I.

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

And David said unto him, —How wast thou not afraid to thrust forth thy hand, to destroy the Anointed of Yahweh?

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

So David called one of the young men, and said, —Go near—fall upon him. And he smote him, 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 unto him, Thy blood, be upon thine own head, —for, thine own mouth, hath testified against thee, saying, I myself, put to death the Anointed of Yahweh.

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

Then chanted David this dirge, —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:

and he thought to teach the sons of Judah [the song of] the Bow, —lo! it is written in the Book of the Upright: —

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

The beauty of Israel! on thy high plumes—slain! How have fallen—the mighty!

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.

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 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 in Gilboa! Be there neither dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings, —for, there, were cast away, the shields of the mighty, The shield of Saul, unanointed 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 mighty, the bow of Jonathan ne’er drew back, —and, the sword of Saul, ne’er returned, 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, delightfully loving in their lives, even, in their death, were not divided, —Beyond eagles, were they swift, beyond lions, were they strong!

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

Ye daughters of Israel! For Saul, weep ye, —who clothed you in crimson, [decked] with lovely things, who hung ornaments of gold on your apparel!

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

How have fallen the mighty, in the midst of the battle! Jonathan, on thy high places, slain!

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 am distressed for thee, my brother, Jonathan! Delightful to me, exceedingly, —Wonderful, was thy love to me, passing the love of women.

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

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