2 Samuel 1

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Saul was dead and David, returning after his victory over the Amalekites, had been at Ziklag for twodays.	1 After the death of Saul, David returned from his defeat of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag.
2 On the third day, a man arrived from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When hecame to David, he fel to the ground and prostrated himself.	2 On the third day a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage.
3 David asked him, 'Where have you come from?' 'I have escaped from the Israelite camp,' he said.	3 David asked him, "Where do you come from?" He replied, "I have escaped from the Israelite camp."
4 David said, 'What has happened? Tell me.' He replied, 'The people fled from the battle, and many ofthem have fal en and are dead. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too.'	4 "Tell me what happened," David bade him. He answered that the soldiers had fled the battle and that many of them had fallen and were dead, among them Saul and his son Jonathan.
5 Then David asked the young man who brought the news, 'How do you know that Saul and his sonJonathan are dead?'	5 Then David said to the youth who was reporting to him, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"
6 The young man replied, 'I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul, leaning on his spear,with the chariots and the cavalry bearing down on him.	6 The youthful informant replied: "It was by chance that I found myself on Mount Gilboa and saw Saul leaning on his spear, with chariots and horsemen closing in on him.
7 Glancing behind him and seeing me, he shouted to me. I replied, "Here I am!"	7 He turned around and, seeing me, called me to him. When I said, 'Here I am,'
8 He said, "Who are you?" I replied, "I am an Amalekite."	8 he asked me, 'Who are you?' and I replied, 'An Amalekite.'
9 He then said, "Come here and kil me. My head is swimming, although I still have al my strength."	9 Then he said to me, 'Stand up to me, please, and finish me off, for I am in great suffering, yet fully alive.'
10 So I went over to him and killed him, because I knew that once he fel he could not survive. I then tookthe crown which he had on his head and the bracelet on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.'	10 So I stood up to him and dispatched him, for I knew that he could not survive his wound. I removed the crown from his head and the armlet from his arm and brought them here to my lord."
11 David then took hold of his clothes and tore them, and all the men with him did the same.	11 David seized his garments and rent them, and all the men who were with him did likewise.
12 They mourned and wept and fasted until the evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, for the people ofYahweh and for the House of Israel, because they had fal en by the sword.	12 They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the soldiers of the LORD of the clans of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who had brought the news, 'Where are you from?' He replied, 'I am theson of a resident foreigner, an Amalekite.'	13 Then David said to the young man who had brought him the information, "Where are you from?" He replied, "I am the son of an Amalekite immigrant."
14 David said, 'How was it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy Yahweh's anointed?'	14 David said to him, "How is it that you were not afraid to put forth your hand to desecrate the LORD'S anointed?"
15 Then David called one of the young men. 'Come here,' he said, 'strike him down.' The man struck himand he died.	15 David then called one of the attendants and said to him, "Come, strike him down"; and the youth struck him a mortal blow.
16 David said, 'Your blood be on your own head. You convicted yourself out of your own mouth bysaying, "I kil ed Yahweh's anointed." '	16 Meanwhile David said to him, "You are responsible for your own death, for you testified against yourself when you said, 'I dispatched the LORD'S anointed.'"
17 David sang the fol owing lament over Saul and his son Jonathan	17 Then David chanted this elegy for Saul and his son Jonathan,
18 (it is for teaching archery to the children of Judah; it is written in the Book of the Just):	18 which is recorded in the Book of Jashar to be taught to the Judahites. He sang:
19 Does the splendour of Israel lie dead on your heights? How did the heroes fal ?	19 "Alas! the glory of Israel, Saul, slain upon your heights; how can the warriors have fallen!
20 Do not speak of it in Gath, nor broadcast it in the streets of Ashkelon, for fear the daughters of thePhilistines rejoice, for fear the daughters of the uncircumcised gloat.	20 "Tell it not in Gath, herald it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest the Philistine maidens rejoice, lest the daughters of the strangers exult!
21 You mountains of Gilboa, no dew, no rain fal on you, O treacherous fields where the heroes' shieldlies dishonoured! Not greased with oil, the shield of Saul,	21 Mountains of Gilboa, may there be neither dew nor rain upon you, nor upsurgings of the deeps! Upon you lie begrimed the warriors' shields, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
22 but with the blood of wounded men, the fat of warriors! The bow of Jonathan never turned back, thesword of Saul never came home unsated!	22 "From the blood of the slain, from the bodies of the valiant, The bow of Jonathan did not turn back, or the sword of Saul return unstained.
23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and handsome, were divided neither in life, nor in death. Swifter thaneagles were they, stronger than lions.	23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished, separated neither in life nor in death, swifter than eagles, stronger than lions!
24 O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul who gave you scarlet and fine linen to wear, who pinned goldenjewel ery on your dresses!	24 Women of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and in finery, who decked your attire with ornaments of gold.
25 How did the heroes fall in the thick of the battle? Jonathan, by your dying I too am stricken,	25 "How can the warriors have fallen-- in the thick of the battle, slain upon your heights!
26 I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother. Very dear you were to me, your love more wonderful tome than the love of a woman.	26 "I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother! most dear have you been to me; More precious have I held love for you than love for women.
27 How did the heroes fall and the weapons of war succumb!	27 "How can the warriors have fallen, the weapons of war have perished!"