2 Samuel 1
Names of God Bible
The Report of Saul’s Death
1 After Saul died and David returned from defeating the Amalekites,[a] David stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man came from Saul’s camp. His clothes were torn, and he had dirt on his head. When he came to David, he immediately bowed down with his face touching the ground.
3 “Where did you come from?” David asked him.
“I escaped from the camp of Israel,” he answered.
4 “What happened?” David asked him. “Please tell me.”
The man answered, “The army fled from the battle, and many of the soldiers died. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too.”
5 “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” David asked the young man who had brought him the news.
6 The young man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. Saul was there leaning on his spear, and the chariots and horsemen were catching up with him. 7 When he looked back and saw me, he called to me, and I said, ‘Yes?’”
8 “He asked me, ‘Who are you?’
“I said to him, ‘I’m an Amalekite.’
9 “He said to me, ‘Please stand over me and kill me. I’m alive, but I’m suffering.’[b]
10 “So I stood over him and killed him, since I knew he couldn’t survive after he had been wounded. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm and brought them here to you, sir.”
11 Then David grabbed his own clothes and tore them in grief. All the men with him did the same. 12 They mourned, cried, and fasted until evening because Saul, his son Jonathan, Yahweh’s army, and the nation of Israel had been defeated in battle.
13 David asked the young man who had brought him the news, “Where are you from?”
And the young man answered, “I’m an Amalekite, the son of a foreign resident.”
14 David asked, “Why weren’t you afraid to take it upon yourself to destroy Yahweh’s anointed king?” 15 Then David called one of his young men and told him, “Come here and attack him.” David’s young man executed him 16 while David said, “You are responsible for spilling your own blood. You testified against yourself when you said, ‘I killed Yahweh’s anointed king.’”
David’s Lament
17 David wrote this song of mourning for Saul and his son Jonathan. 18 He said,
“Teach this kesheth[c] to the people of Judah.”
(It is recorded in the Book of Jashar.)
19 “Your glory, Israel, lies dead on your hills.
See how the mighty have fallen!
20 Don’t tell the news in Gath.
Don’t announce the victory in the streets of Ashkelon,
or the daughters of the Philistines will be glad,
and the daughters of godless men will celebrate.
21 You mountains in Gilboa,
may there be no dew or rain on you
or on your slopes,[d]
because warriors’ shields were tarnished there.
Saul’s shield was never rubbed with olive oil.
22 From the blood of those killed and the fat of the warriors,
Jonathan’s bow did not turn away,
nor did Saul’s sword return unused.
23 Saul and Jonathan were loved and well-liked while they were living.
They were not separated even when they died.
They were swifter than eagles and stronger than lions.
24 Daughters of Israel, cry over Saul,
who dressed you in decorated, red clothes,
who put gold jewelry on your clothes.
25 See how the mighty have fallen in battle!
On your hills Jonathan was killed!
26 I am heartbroken over you, my brother Jonathan.
You were my great delight.
Your love was more wonderful to me than the love of women.
27 See how the mighty have fallen!
See how the weapons of war have been destroyed!”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 1:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac; other Hebrew manuscripts, Greek “Amalek.”
- 2 Samuel 1:9 Hebrew meaning uncertain.
- 2 Samuel 1:18 Unknown musical term.
- 2 Samuel 1:21 Hebrew meaning uncertain.
2 Samuel 1
English Standard Version
David Hears of Saul's Death
1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned (A)from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, (B)a man came from Saul's camp, (C)with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, (D)he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, (E)“How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, (F)“By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, (G)‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. (H)And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and (I)tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept (J)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 had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not (K)afraid to put out your hand to destroy (L)the Lord's anointed?” 15 Then (M)David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, (N)“Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed (O)the Lord's anointed.’”
David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan
17 And David (P)lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it[a] should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in (Q)the Book of Jashar.[b] He said:
19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
(R)How the mighty have fallen!
20 (S)Tell it not in Gath,
(T)publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
(U)lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of (V)the uncircumcised exult.
21 (W)“You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fields of offerings![c]
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, not (X)anointed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
(Y)the bow of Jonathan turned not back,
and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were (Z)swifter than eagles;
they were (AA)stronger than lions.
24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
(AB)who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 (AC)“How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
(AD)your love to me was extraordinary,
surpassing the love of women.
27 (AE)“How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 1:18 Septuagint; Hebrew the Bow, which may be the name of the lament's tune
- 2 Samuel 1:18 Or of the upright
- 2 Samuel 1:21 Septuagint firstfruits
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
