撒母耳記下 1
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
大衛得知掃羅的死訊
1 大衛戰勝了亞瑪力人之後便回到洗革拉，在那裡住了兩天。那時掃羅已經死了。 2 第三天，有一個衣服撕裂、頭蒙灰塵的人從掃羅軍營中跑到大衛面前，俯伏下拜。 3 大衛問他：「你從哪裡來？」那人答道：「我是從以色列軍營逃出來的。」 4 大衛說：「請告訴我那邊的情況。」他說：「以色列軍潰逃，傷亡慘重，掃羅和他兒子約拿單都死了！」 5 大衛又問報信的青年：「你怎麼知道掃羅和他兒子約拿單死了？」 6 青年說：「我偶然到基利波山，看見掃羅在那裡扶槍而立，敵人的戰車騎兵緊緊追來。 7 他回頭看到我，便呼喚我。我說，『我在這裡。』 8 他問我是什麼人。我告訴他我是亞瑪力人。 9 掃羅說他痛苦難當，卻又死不掉，要我殺了他。 10 我知道他身受重傷，必死無疑，就把他殺了，並取下他頭上的王冠和臂上的鐲子帶來獻給我主。」
11 大衛就撕裂衣服，他的隨從也撕裂衣服。 12 他們因掃羅、他的兒子約拿單和耶和華的子民——以色列同胞陣亡而悲哀痛哭，禁食直到黃昏。 13 大衛又問報信的青年：「你是哪裡的人？」他答道：「我是寄居在以色列的亞瑪力人。」 14 大衛說：「你怎麼敢下手殺耶和華所膏立的王？ 15-16 你是咎由自取！因為你親口承認自己殺了耶和華所膏立的王。」大衛隨即命令一個年輕的隨從殺死他，隨從便殺死了他。
大衛的哀歌
17 大衛作了一首輓歌哀悼掃羅和他兒子約拿單， 18 並吩咐人教導猶大人唱這首弓歌。這首歌記在《雅煞珥書》上，歌詞說：
19 「以色列啊，
你榮耀的王伏屍山上，
偉大的勇士竟然倒下！
20 不要在迦特宣告，
不要在亞實基倫的街上傳揚，
免得非利士的婦女幸災樂禍，
免得未受割禮之人的女子歡喜雀躍。
21 「基利波山啊，願你沒有雨露，
你的田地不長獻祭用的五穀，
因為在那裡勇士的盾牌污跡斑斑，
掃羅的盾牌沒有抹油。
22 「約拿單的弓射敵無數，
掃羅的劍不殺強敵不收回。
23 「掃羅和約拿單深受愛戴，
生死不分離。
他們比鷹更敏捷，
比獅子還強壯。
24 「以色列的女子啊，
為掃羅哀哭吧！
他曾使你們衣服華美，
穿金戴銀。
25 「勇士竟戰死沙場！
約拿單竟伏屍山上！
26 我的兄弟約拿單啊，
我為你悲傷，
你對我情深義重，
你對我的愛勝過女人的戀情。
27 「偉大的勇士竟然倒下！
兵器竟然長埋！」
2 Samuel 1
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 1
The Report of Saul’s Death. 1 Shortly after the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites, and he stayed for two days in Ziklag. 2 On the third day a man appeared from Saul’s camp, with his clothes in tatters and dirt on his head. Upon coming into David’s presence, he fell to the ground and paid him homage.
3 David asked him: “Where have you come from?” And he replied: “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.” 4 David then inquired: “What has happened there? Tell me!” The man answered: “The soldiers fled from the battle, but many of them fell and died. Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
5 David then asked the young man who had brought the news: “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 The young man replied: “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and I beheld Saul leaning on his spear as the chariots and the horsemen were closing in on him. 7 When he happened to turn around and saw me, he summoned me to him. I said: ‘Here I am.’ 8 Saul then said to me: ‘Who are you?’ And I told him: ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 Then he gave me this order: ‘Come here, stand over me, and kill me. The throes of death have overcome me, yet I am still alive.’
10 “Therefore, I stood over him and slew him, for I knew that he could not possibly survive because of the wounds he had suffered. Then I removed the crown that was on his head and the armlet from his arm, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”
11 [a]Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and the men who were with him did the same. 12 They mourned and wept, and they fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, as well as for the army of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 David then said to the young man who had brought him the report: “Where do you come from?” He answered: “I am the son of a resident alien, an Amalekite.” 14 David thereupon asked him: “How was it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
15 Then David summoned one of his young soldiers and gave him this order: “Come here and strike him down!” The young man struck him down, and he died. 16 As he fell, David said to him: “Your blood be on your own head. You convicted yourself by your own testimony when you said: ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
17 Elegy for Saul and Jonathan. David chanted the following lament over Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he ordered that this dirge over them be taught to the people of Judah. It is recorded in the Book of Jashar.
19 [b]“Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your heights.
How the mighty have fallen!
20 “Do not mention it in Gath
or proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon.
Let not the daughters of the Philistines rejoice
and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 “You mountains of Gilboa,
may no dew or rain fall upon you,
and may your fields not bring forth grain.
For there the shields of the warriors were tarnished,
and the shield of Saul is no longer anointed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the slain,
from the flesh of the valiant,
The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
nor did the sword of Saul return unbloodied.
23 “Saul and Jonathan:
in life they were beloved and kind;
in death they were not separated.
They were swifter than eagles
and stronger than lions.
24 “O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul
who clothed you in scarlet and fine embroidery,
and who beautified your apparel with ornaments of gold.
25 “How the mighty have fallen in battle!
Jonathan lies slain upon your heights.
26 “I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother.
To me you were greatly beloved.
Your love for me was more wonderful
than the love of a woman.
27 “The warriors have fallen,
and their weapons have been abandoned!”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 1:11 Despite King Saul’s vindictive behavior toward David, upon hearing about the death of Saul and his friend Jonathan, David and his men showed their respect and sadness by fasting and mourning. David will be rewarded for his patient submission to God’s will.
- 2 Samuel 1:19 Here again we see the immense generosity of spirit that David displayed in spite of his struggles with Saul. A gifted musician, he composed a stirring song, known as “The Song of the Bow,” for the king and his son.
