2 Samuel 1

¹ Saul was dead and David, returning after his victory over the Amalekites, had been at Ziklag for twodays.

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.

³ David asked him, 'Where have you come from?' 'I have escaped from the Israelite camp,' he said.

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.'

⁵ Then David asked the young man who brought the news, 'How do you know that Saul and his sonJonathan 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.

⁷ Glancing behind him and seeing me, he shouted to me. I replied, "Here I am!"

⁸ He said, "Who are you?" I replied, "I am an Amalekite."

⁹ He then said, "Come here and kil me. My head is swimming, although I still have al my strength."

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.'

¹¹ David then took hold of his clothes and tore them, and all the men with him did the same.

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.

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.'

¹⁴ David said, 'How was it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy Yahweh's anointed?'

¹⁵ Then David called one of the young men. 'Come here,' he said, 'strike him down.' The man struck himand he died.

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." '

¹⁷ David sang the fol owing lament over 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):

¹⁹ Does the splendour of Israel lie dead on your heights? How did the heroes fal ?

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.

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,

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!

²³ Saul and Jonathan, beloved and handsome, were divided neither in life, nor in death. Swifter thaneagles were they, 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!

²⁵ How did the heroes fall in the thick of the battle? Jonathan, by your dying I too am stricken,

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.

²⁷ How did the heroes fall and the weapons of war succumb!